The Schengen visa application process in 2022 was marked by considerable rejection rates. According to new data published by Schengen Visa Statistics, quatre pays ont enregistré les taux de rejet les plus élevés. Il s’agit de Malte, de la Suède, de la Belgique et de la France. Mais il est particulièrement intéressant de noter que l’Algérie et la France se démarquent respectivement pour le plus haut taux de rejet de demandes provenant de pays tiers et le plus grand nombre de décisions négatives prises sur les demandes de visa Schengen. Cet article propose une analyse approfondie de ces tendances, détaille les raisons communes de rejet et fournit un aperçu du taux de rejet en 2021 pour offrir une visibilité comparative.
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The Maltese paradox: a high rejection rate for a low volume of applications
Malta, a small archipelago in the heart of the Mediterranean, has proved to be the strictest country when it comes to requests for Schengen visas in 2022. According to recent data provided by Schengen Visa Statistics, Malta rejected 36.4% of applications. This represents 7,915 rejected applications out of a total of 22,275.
Of course, it must be emphasized here that the total number of applications submitted in Malta is relatively low compared to other Schengen countries. This high rejection rate can be interpreted as an indicator of the rigor with which the Maltese authorities examine visa applications.
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Rejection of Schengen visas 2021 vs. 2022
- Malta :
- 2022 : 36,4%
- Sweden :
- 2021 : 30,6%
- 2022 : 29%
- Belgium :
- 2021 : 20,4%
- 2022 : 28,4%
- France :
- 2021 : 21,1%
- 2022 : 22,2%
- Schengen Area Global :
- 2021 : 13,4%
- 2022 : 17,9%
Sweden and Belgium: between austerity and openness
Behind Malta, Sweden and Belgium are not far behind in terms of Schengen visa rejections. Sweden, a Scandinavian nation known for its high quality of life, refused 29% of visa applications in 2022. In absolute figures, this corresponds to 38,652 rejected applications out of a total of 135,946.
By contrast, Belgium, a country at the heart of Europe and home to many European institutions, has a refusal rate of 28.4%. This translates into 46,569 rejected applications out of a total of 171,966. Given Belgium's central position in the architecture of the European Union, this rejection rate may come as a surprise.
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Schengen Visa France: a large number of refusals, but considerable demand
As you can see, France, despite a lower rejection rate than Malta, Sweden and Belgium, remains a key player in this dynamic. In 2022, France received almost two million Schengen visa applications (1,918,515 to be precise). Of this impressive total, 408,876 applications were refused, representing a rejection rate of 22.2%.
Most of us might think that this rejection rate is high. However, it should be put into perspective with the average rejection rate for the Schengen area as a whole, which stood at 17.9% in 2022.
Beyond the rejection rate: countries with the highest number of rejected applications
If we decide to take into account only the number of refused requests, without considering the rejection ratethe ranking changes significantly. Visit France dominates this ranking with its 408,876 refused applications. It is followed by Spain with 227,712 refusals, Germany with 167,517 refusals, Italy with 92,186 and the Netherlands, which rejected 70,566 applications.
The refusal rate in 2021: historical
To better understand this dynamic, it makes sense to compare it with the situation in the previous year. In 2021, the average rejection rate was 13.4%, significantly lower than in 2022.
Sweden was the country with the highest rejection rate, 30.6%, closely followed by Norway with a rate of 26.2%. France and Denmark were close behind with a rejection rate of 21.1% each, and Belgium with a rate of 20.4%.
As you can see, the Nordic countries dominated the top of the ranking in 2021, which contrasts with the situation in 2022 when Malta took the lead.
The reasons behind rejections: an overview of the challenges faced by applicants
According to SchengenVisaInfo.comthere are 12 common reasons why Schengen visa applications rejected. Among the most frequent are: insufficient proof of financial means for the trip, lack of travel insurance for the Schengen zone or failure to obtain the right insurance, presentation of an invalid passport or criminal background.
Read more about : Reasons for refusal Schengen Visa – Procedures for appealing against visa refusals.
These challenges highlight the complexity of the visa application process, and underline the importance of careful preparation by applicants.
Third countries: the mirror image of Schengen visa refusals, with Algeria in the lead
In our analysis, it is also crucial to take a look at the third countries that have had the highest number of Schengen visa applications rejected.
At the top of the list are Algeria with a rejection rate of 48.2%. It is closely followed by Nigeria with a rate of 45.6%, the Sri Lanka and the Ghana with a rate of 44.2% each, and finally Haiti with a rate of 43.2%.
In many of these third countries, it was mainly Spain and France that rejected the highest number of applications in 2022. This illustrates once again the considerable attractiveness of these two countries for Schengen visa applicants.
Conclusion: a difficult year for Schengen visa applications
In summary, 2022 was a tricky year for Schengen visa applicants, with the overall rejection rate up on 2021. However, as these statistics show, the rejection rate varies considerably from country to country. As a result, we need to learn to navigate the complex landscape of Schengen visa applications with care.
