The site specializing in visa news and statistics for the Schengen zone, “ Schengen visa“, recently published its final list of countries whose visa applications were most often refused last year. Among these countries, the Kingdom of Morocco stands out by registering more than 119,000 refused requests, with a refusal rate exceeding 15%.
At the top of this list, which includes five Arab countries, Algeria ranks first with more than 179,000 Schengen visa applications refused in 2022. The overall refusal rate for Algerian applications is 45.8%.
Besides Algeria, the list also includes Tunisia, which has seen more than 48,000 applications refused, a refusal rate of around 29%. The United Arab Emirates were also mentioned, with more than 42,000 applications refused, as well as Egypt, with more than 31,000 applications refused for obtaining Schengen visas.
Among non-EU countries, Turkey recorded a refusal rate of 15.2%, which equates to more than 120,000 applications refused. Russia follows with around 69,000 applications refused, a refusal rate of 28.2%.
When it comes to Asian countries, India ranks first among countries whose visa applications have been refused, with about 121,000 Indian applications rejected, representing a refusal rate of 18%. It is followed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, where around 33,700 applications were refused last year.
Nigeria is the only West African country on the list compiled by the site ” Schengen visa“. The European authorities have refused more than 39,000 applications from this country for the Schengen area, with a refusal rate of around 46%.
The same source indicates an increase in refusal rates for Schengen visas compared to the previous year. For example, the visa refusal rate for Algerians was 32% in 2021, compared to 45.8% in 2022.
In the same context, the site recorded that the ten countries on the list spent around 64 million euros last year for more than 804,000 visas refused, compared to the year 2021. Expenditure related to visas refused increased exceeded 273,000, reaching around 19 million euros, concluded the same source.