Record High Schengen Visa Rejections in 2023: A Closer Look

In an unprecedented trend, the average rejection rate for Schengen visa applications reached its highest point in 2023 since data collection began in 2014. The Schengen Statistics Portal reports that Schengen states denied 16.96% of visa requests, a notable rise from the 16.01% recorded in the previous year, according to Schengen.News.

Historical Trends in Visa Rejection Rates

The journey of visa rejection rates has seen a significant climb. Starting at 5.11% in 2014, the rates surged to 11.76% in 2020 and peaked at around 16% over the last two years. In 2023, Schengen countries collectively rejected a staggering 1.6 million visa applications. The nationalities facing the highest denial rates were Turkish, Algerian, and Indian applicants.

Estonia and Malta: Leading in Rejection Rates

Estonia saw the most dramatic increase in visa rejection rates in 2023. The country rejected 32.96% of visa applications, marking a significant jump from the 19.58% rejection rate in 2022. Specifically, Estonia denied 4,347 out of 13,190 visa requests in 2023, compared to 4,533 denials from 23,151 applications the previous year.

Malta topped the list with the highest rejection rate, refusing 36.81% of all visa requests, totaling 12,261 denied applications. Despite these high percentages, France and Spain recorded the highest absolute numbers of rejected visas—436,893 and 251,470, respectively—though their rejection rates stood at 16.7% and 18.5%.

Countries Approving More Visas Amid Rising Rejection Rates

Contrary to the general trend, some Schengen countries have increased their visa approval rates in 2023. Sweden leads this group with a notable decrease in rejection rates. In 2022, Sweden denied 38,652 visa applications, representing a 29% rejection rate. This figure dropped to 23.1% in 2023, despite the number of denied visas remaining relatively stable at 38,680.

France also showed improvement, reducing its rejection rate from 21.31% in 2022 to 16.64% in 2023. Similarly, Norway's rejection rate decreased from 20.31% in 2022 to 16.08% in 2023.

These statistics highlight a complex landscape of visa approvals and rejections within the Schengen zone, reflecting broader geopolitical and administrative trends.