India becomes 2nd country with highest rejection rates for Schengen visa
The Schengen visa application process saw high rejection rates in 2022, with Algerian nationals having the highest rate at 45.8%. India and Turkey followed with 18% and 15.2% respectively.
According to a new report by Schengen Visa Info, Indians lost close to INR 90 crore in 2022 as a result of visa denials. The reports suggested, there was a significant increase in the number of Schengen visa applications, which led to a rise in the number of visa rejections. The statistics also showed that, with more than 100,000 rejected visas, India had the second-highest global rate of Schengen visa denials. Additionally, this led to the need to cancel trips, which cost an estimated ₹87 crore in losses.
The Schengen Visa is required to enter any of Europe’s 27 countries comprising the Schengen zone. It is noted for its complex requirements and is one of the most difficult to obtain visa. In 2022, India received 671,928 visa requests, and 18% (121,188) of them were turned down. The rejection rate is greater than the 2022 global average rejection rate of 17.9%, although being lower than the 2021 rate of 23.3%. For Indian citizens who are 12 years of age or older and have a standard passport, the application price is INR 7200. For children under the age of 12, students, NGOs, and foreign nationals, there are varying prices.
Algerian citizens had the highest refusal rates, out of 392,478 visa requests from Algeria, 179,409 were turned down. India and Turkey came in second and third, with 121,188 and 120,876 rejections, respectively, behind Algeria. Morocco and Russia both experienced significant amounts of their visa applications being denied, with 119,346 and 68,753 respectively. The United Arab Emirates only received 42,105 rejections, compared to 48,909 for Tunisia.
