Schengen Countries With the Most Visa Rejections in 2023

Name: Schengen Countries With the Most Visa Rejections in 2023 | IaM (Immigration
Uploaded: 2024-05-24T16:00:00+00:00
Description: In a devastating blow to hopeful travellers, Schengen countries denied over 1.6 million visa applications in

In a devastating blow to hopeful travellers, Schengen countries denied over 1.6 million visa applications in 2023, accounting for a staggering 15.8 percent of all requests.

According to data from the EU Commission, France led the pack in visa rejections, turning down 436,893 applications. This equates to 16.6 percent of all visa requests France received, a testament to the country's rigorous screening process.

It's not uncommon for France to top the list of visa rejections annually, largely due to the sheer volume of applications it receives.

Following France, Spain denied 251,000 applications, Germany rejected 208,000, Italy turned away 133,000, and the Netherlands refused 114,000. Together, these five countries accounted for 1.1 million visa denials, representing 70 percent of all rejected visas for the year.

Other countries with high rejection rates included Greece and Switzerland, with 91,000 and 64,000 rejections respectively. Sweden and Belgium emerged as the eighth and ninth countries with the most turned-down applications, while Portugal held its tenth position with 33,000 rejections.

Compared to 2022, the top four countries with the highest number of received applications—France, Spain, Germany, and Italy—remained the same in terms of rejecting the most visas. However, the Netherlands overtook Greece's fifth position in the top five.

Switzerland maintained their seventh while Belgium and Sweden replaced Finland and Austria in the top ten list.

These data underscore the significant obstacle that travellers confront in entering the Schengen area, with rejection percentages reflecting each country's rigorous visa policies.

Do you need to renew your passport? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.

Check out the deals we have found below and tell us your travel plans.

Check out the offers and discounts from:

And because of the pandemic, don’t forget to get your travel insurance, which will cover you for flight disruptions and pandemic related matters.

IaM can help with your visa application to Europe, the United States, the UK & other countries

If you need help with a US visa, a UK Visa, or a visa to Europe, including help with appointment booking obligations, IaM can help. For more information and advice on US immigration, UK immigration law and US visa applications or if you need any help or assistance please, reach out to your Visa Coordinator at IaM.

Some of our posts include affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of these products, we might get a small commission. For more information, check out our TOS.