Japa: 5 Countries with the Highest Schengen Visa Rejection Rates

For Nigerians looking to travel to Europe, the Schengen visa process can often be a major hurdle. Despite the Schengen area consisting of 27 countries, visa approval rates can vary significantly, with some embassies having much stricter requirements than others. In 2023, five countries stood out for their particularly high visa rejection rates, according to Schengen Visa Info data.

1. Malta
   • Rejection Rate: 37.6%
   • Malta had the highest visa rejection rate in 2023. Out of 33,306 applications, 12,261 were denied. Algerian applicants faced the brunt of this, with a staggering 90.35% rejection rate. Applicants from Ghana and Morocco also struggled, with rejection rates of 62.69% and 60.37%, respectively.
2. Estonia
   • Rejection Rate: 61.4%
   • Estonia rejected 4,347 visa applications in 2023. Egyptians faced a rejection rate of 59.5%, while applicants from the UAE and India saw rates of 57.9% and 49.7%, respectively. Interestingly, Chinese nationals experienced far fewer rejections, with a rate of only 7.3%.
3. Belgium
   • Rejection Rate: 26.6%
   • Belgium denied 60,148 out of 225,951 visa applications in 2023. Senegalese applicants faced a high rejection rate of 67.8%, with Angolan and Nigerian nationals not far behind, facing rejection rates of 66.44% and 62.45%, respectively.
4. Sweden
   • Rejection Rate: 23.1%
   • Sweden turned down 23.1% of its visa applications, with Iranian nationals being the most affected, facing a rejection rate of 76.65%. Pakistanis and Lebanese applicants also faced high hurdles, with rejection rates of 69.49% and 66.21%.
5. Denmark
   • Rejection Rate: 21.2%
   • Out of 107,872 applications, Denmark rejected 21.2%, or 21,509 applications. Moroccan applicants were hit hardest with a 100% rejection rate, though only two applications were submitted. Iranian and Pakistani applicants again faced challenges, with rejection rates of 76.65% and 69.49%.

These statistics underscore the difficulty that travelers, particularly from certain countries, face when applying for Schengen visas, with Malta, Estonia, Belgium, Sweden, and Denmark being among the toughest to secure in 2023.