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Schengen Visa Rejection Rate by Country 2025

The EU Commission publishes official Schengen visa statistics annually. In 2024, 11.72 million Schengen visa applications were filed, with 1.71 million rejections — an overall refusal rate of 14.8%. Here is a breakdown of rejection rates by destination country and applicant nationality.

Overall Schengen Rejection Rate by Destination Country

Rejection rates vary significantly by which Schengen country processes your application. France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands handle the highest volumes. Malta had one of the highest rejection rates in 2024 at over 20%, while Lithuania approved over 97% of applications.

Schengen Rejection Rates by Applicant Nationality

Nigerian applicants face the highest Schengen rejection rates at approximately 52%. Pakistani applicants face around 42%, Bangladeshi applicants around 46%, and Indian applicants around 16% on average. Western European and North American passport holders face rejection rates below 5%.

Why Apply to the Right Schengen Country

You must apply to the Schengen country where you will spend the most time, or your first point of entry if spending equal time in multiple countries. Applying to a country with a lower rejection rate for your nationality can make a difference — but only if your itinerary genuinely reflects that country as your primary destination.

Most Common Schengen Visa Rejection Reasons

The top Schengen rejection reasons are: insufficient financial means, purpose of journey not established, intent to leave Schengen territory before visa expiry not established, and incomplete documentation.

Check Your Schengen Visa Grade

Use VisaGrade to check your personalised Schengen visa approval chances based on your passport nationality, financial profile, travel history, and more.