Getting a Schengen Visa has become a dreadful task for many, in particular after the Coronavirus pandemic. Travellers are facing long waiting times for an appointment, in addition to having to collect a long list of documents, and pay often hefty fees.
Moreover, many travellers, like Turkish nationals, are complaining that rejection rates have increased after the pandemic, VisaGuide.World reports.
Newly released Schengen visa statistics for 2022 have revealed that in fact, the rejection rates increased last year to 17.9 percent, compared to 2019 when only 9.9 percent of visas were rejected.
The rates are even more concerning given that in 2019 there were almost 17 million visa applications filed worldwide, while in 2022 there were only a little over 7.5 million applications.
Yet, all European countries are beautiful, and each of them have a lot to offer to foreign tourists. Travellers who just want to visit Europe for fun, and are not strictly limited to visiting only specific countries, can always choose to visit one where it is easier to get a Schengen visa appointment and have lowers chances to have their applications rejected.
According to visa statistics for 2022, the top five Schengen Area countries with the lowest rejection rates are as follows:
- Iceland – only 1.9 percent
- Lithuania – 7.8 percent
- Latvia – 9.5 percent
- Finland – 9.7 percent
- Slovakia – 9.7 percent
In addition, some top summer destinations in the EU also have quite low rejection rates compared to other top EU destinations, like Italy – 12.7 percent, Greece – 12.5 percent, and Switzerland – 12 percent.
However, travellers desperately trying to get a visa to visit just any country in Europe, should try to avoid the countries in which the rejection rates for Schengen visa applications are the highest.
In 2022, the five Schengen countries with the highest rejection rates were as follows:
- Malta 36.4 percent
- Sweden 29 percent
- Belgium 28.4 percent
- France 22.2 percent
- Norway 20.3 percent
Yet, travellers are highly discouraged from applying for a visa for the ‘easier’ countries, and travel with the same to another country. That is called “visa shopping” and is highly condemned by the EU authorities. We strongly suggest travellers refrain from doing such a thing.
Instead, those who wish to visit, i.e. France, should apply at the French embassy, and not another. In order to lower the chances of having their applications rejected, travellers should avoid making some of the most common mistakes due to which Schengen visas are rejected.
This includes having a clear purpose of travel to that country, having the correct travel health insurance, possessing sufficient financial means to support the trip, and having a clean criminal record, amongst others.
>> Schengen Visa Applications Reached Over 7.5 Million in 2022, Yet 55% Less Than Before Coronavirus
