Schengen visa refusal rates by country, 2025
What is the Schengen visa refusal rate? In 2025 the Commission's statistics show 14.6% of decisions ended with the visa not issued (1,768,605 of 12,201,026 applications), down from 14.8% in 2024. Rates run from 2.3% for applications lodged in Belarus to 51.9% in Senegal, among markets with 50,000+ applications.
These are the official numbers, taken straight from the European Commission's 2025 visa statistics, for the 40 markets with at least 50,000 applications. They describe where people applied, not who they are, and they say nothing about why a visa was refused.
Refusal rates by country of application, 2025
Sorted from the highest rate to the lowest. "Not issued" means the visa was refused or the examination was discontinued. The rate is the Commission's published figure.
| Country where applied | Applications | Not issued | Rate 2025 | Rate 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senegal | 71,923 | 36,980 | 51.9% | 46.8% | +5.1 pp |
| Nigeria | 113,359 | 53,196 | 47.9% | 45.9% | +2.0 pp |
| Ghana | 63,725 | 29,354 | 46.5% | 45.5% | +1.0 pp |
| Pakistan | 89,270 | 40,026 | 45.9% | 47.5% | -1.6 pp |
| Angola | 72,766 | 32,712 | 45.4% | 28.9% | +16.5 pp |
| Cameroon | 57,469 | 22,951 | 40.3% | 38.1% | +2.3 pp |
| DR Congo | 52,048 | 20,508 | 40.1% | 29.9% | +10.2 pp |
| Iraq | 70,312 | 23,692 | 34.3% | 34.0% | +0.3 pp |
| Kenya | 77,760 | 25,227 | 33.1% | 29.1% | +3.9 pp |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 81,886 | 25,969 | 31.5% | 33.8% | -2.4 pp |
| Algeria | 444,577 | 137,860 | 31.3% | 35.0% | -3.8 pp |
| Ecuador | 106,167 | 31,878 | 30.9% | 29.6% | +1.2 pp |
| Iran | 107,512 | 30,554 | 29.1% | 26.0% | +3.1 pp |
| Dominican Republic | 52,063 | 13,525 | 26.6% | 27.8% | -1.2 pp |
| United Arab Emirates | 298,064 | 71,261 | 24.2% | 23.8% | +0.4 pp |
| Egypt | 226,865 | 54,354 | 24.2% | 25.7% | -1.5 pp |
| Jordan | 73,264 | 15,538 | 21.4% | 21.4% | -0.1 pp |
| Tunisia | 188,579 | 36,673 | 19.6% | 21.7% | -2.0 pp |
| Morocco | 619,827 | 114,320 | 19.2% | 20.1% | -0.9 pp |
| Lebanon | 120,364 | 20,412 | 17.3% | 16.9% | +0.4 pp |
| Uzbekistan | 61,328 | 9,983 | 16.3% | 15.2% | +1.1 pp |
| India | 1,153,748 | 181,111 | 15.8% | 15.0% | +0.8 pp |
| Qatar | 102,930 | 15,341 | 15.1% | 15.9% | -0.8 pp |
| Türkiye | 1,268,376 | 183,196 | 14.6% | 14.5% | +0.1 pp |
| Armenia | 111,550 | 12,081 | 10.9% | 12.3% | -1.4 pp |
| United Kingdom | 512,426 | 53,398 | 10.5% | 6.9% | +3.6 pp |
| Oman | 53,700 | 5,566 | 10.5% | 9.7% | +0.9 pp |
| Azerbaijan | 104,143 | 10,130 | 9.8% | 9.7% | +0.1 pp |
| Vietnam | 116,289 | 10,916 | 9.4% | 10.8% | -1.4 pp |
| Kazakhstan | 182,002 | 16,294 | 9.1% | 9.0% | +0.1 pp |
| Philippines | 235,674 | 16,245 | 6.9% | 6.1% | +0.8 pp |
| Russia | 679,425 | 42,953 | 6.4% | 7.5% | -1.1 pp |
| Thailand | 264,190 | 15,544 | 5.9% | 6.2% | -0.3 pp |
| Kuwait | 146,194 | 8,278 | 5.7% | 6.7% | -1.0 pp |
| South Africa | 195,946 | 10,203 | 5.3% | 5.7% | -0.4 pp |
| Indonesia | 223,862 | 11,504 | 5.2% | 4.3% | +0.9 pp |
| Saudi Arabia | 553,967 | 28,467 | 5.2% | 5.9% | -0.7 pp |
| United States | 187,033 | 9,194 | 4.9% | 4.0% | +0.9 pp |
| China | 1,915,149 | 76,655 | 4.0% | 4.6% | -0.5 pp |
| Belarus | 157,028 | 3,652 | 2.3% | 3.5% | -1.1 pp |
| All countries (worldwide) | 12,201,026 | 1,768,605 | 14.6% | 14.8% | -0.1 pp |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates, 2025 and 2024 files, sheet "Totals - third country" · retrieved October 3, 2026 · official statistics page
The countries our guides cover
We publish insurance guides for applicants from eight of these markets. Here is where each sits, with the guide for that country.
| Guide | Applications | Rate 2025 | Rate 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance from India | 1,153,748 | 15.8% | 15.0% |
| Insurance from Nigeria | 113,359 | 47.9% | 45.9% |
| Insurance from Pakistan | 89,270 | 45.9% | 47.5% |
| Insurance from the Philippines | 235,674 | 6.9% | 6.1% |
| Insurance from Türkiye | 1,268,376 | 14.6% | 14.5% |
| Insurance from Egypt | 226,865 | 24.2% | 25.7% |
| Insurance from the UAE (Dubai) | 298,064 | 24.2% | 23.8% |
| Insurance from South Africa | 195,946 | 5.3% | 5.7% |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates, 2025 and 2024 · retrieved October 3, 2026
How to read these numbers
- It is the country of application, not nationality. Residents and citizens of other countries apply in every market. The UAE figure, for example, includes many applicants who are not Emirati.
- "Not issued" is broader than "refused". The Commission counts refused visas together with applications whose examination was discontinued.
- The statistics do not give reasons. The file counts applications and decisions. It does not say how many refusals were about funds, return ties, documents or insurance, so any share quoted for a single reason does not come from this dataset.
- Destination matters. Rates differ between Schengen countries for the same applicants. The Commission's file also breaks results down by consulate, which these tables do not.
- Year to year, small markets move a lot. A change of a few points in a country with 50,000 to 100,000 applications can be noise.
What an applicant can control
You cannot change your country's average. You can make sure nothing in your own file gives an officer a reason to ask questions. Travel medical insurance is one of the few items with a written, checkable rule: Article 15 of the Visa Code asks for at least €30,000 of cover, valid in all Schengen states, for the whole stay, covering medical repatriation, urgent care and death. Our free certificate checker walks you through it in two minutes, the requirements guide explains each item, and the refusal refunds guide shows which insurers return your premium if the visa is refused.
Frequently asked questions
What was the Schengen visa refusal rate in 2025?
Which countries have the highest Schengen visa refusal rates?
Is the rate for my nationality or for the country where I apply?
Does the Commission say how many refusals are caused by insurance?
Is the visa fee refunded if the visa is refused?
Compare plans whose certificates show the €30,000 cover, or price your exact trip in 10 seconds.