Schengen Visas 2026: Which Countries Have the Highest Approval Rates? Official Statistics

Written by: the AXA Schengen Team
Date: 11.08.2026

The numbers are out! In May 2026, The EU Commission released the official data concerning Schengen visa applications in 2025. Relax, the AXA team has decided to spare you the harrowing figure crunching process and simply hand you the answers, allowing you to make the right call when it comes to where and how to apply. Which country is Miss Popularity? Which is the most indulgent or the most stringent? How can some figures be misleading? We’ll tell you everything! Plus, a few pointers on how to avoid visa refusal.

Schengen Visa Statistics: Key Figures, Rankings and FAQs

• 📊 Schengen visas 2025-2026: Key Figures
• 📈 Schengen visas: What has changed in the last 7 years
• 🌍 Top Countries Receiving the Most Schengen Visa Applications
• 🏆 Which Countries Issued the Most Schengen Visas?
• 🔍 Schengen visas: Focus on France, Spain and Germany
• ✅ Countries with the Lowest Schengen Visa Rejection Rates
• ❌ Countries with the Highest Schengen Visa Rejection Rates
• 👥 Nationalities Applying Most for Schengen Visas
• 🚫 Nationalities with the Highest Schengen Visa Refusal Rate
• ✔️ Where are Schengen Visas Most Likely to be Approved?
• ⭐ AXA Schengen Visa Insurance
• ❓ FAQ about Schengen Visa Applications

Schengen Visas: the 2025 Key Figures

Here are the great reveals of the latest figures released by the European Commission (May 28, 2026) concerning short-stay, type C visas in 2025:

• Schengen visa applications worldwide: 12.2 million
• Schengen visas granted: 10.3 M (including 83,790 visas issued at border crossing points)
• Schengen visa applications denied: 1.73 M (i.e. a 14.6 % refusal rate)
• Multiple-entry visas (MEV) issued: 5.3 M
• Limited Territorial Validity (LTV)* visas issued: 39,489.
• Airport Transit Visas (ATV)**, type A, visas granted: 4,200.

* The short-stay visa with limited territorial validity (LTV) grants its holder the right to stay in one or several Member States specifically mentioned on their visa but not to travel freely in the entire Schengen area.

** The Airport Transit Visa (ATV) or type A visa only allows its holder to transit through the international area of a Schengen airport, not to enter the European territory or leave the airport.

Schengen Visa Issuance: What Changed from 2019 to 2025?

Are Schengen consular services more flexible now or, on the contrary, have they tightened their demands when it comes to granting visas? Here is some key information on how the situation has evolved since 2019, pre-Covid, and 2025:

• More applications: Even though the number of visa demands hasn’t reached pre-Covid figures (17 M requests in 2019), 12.2 million visa applications were submitted in 2025, i.e. a 4.3% increase in a year.
  
• More visas granted: The same situation applies here with the total number of visas granted increasing by 5.7% compared to last year, reaching 10.3 million but still behind pre-Covid figures.
  
• Multiple-entry visas still the most popular: more than half (51.7%) of granted visas in 2025 allow their holders to enter Europe several times without reapplying.
  
• Slight decrease in refusal rates: the average visa rejection rate has lowered from 14.8% to 14.6% but European consular standards remain more stringent than in 2019 when the average refusal rate was only 9.9%.
  
• The end of limited visas (LTV): The number of visas valid in only one country and not the entire Schengen area has plummeted to 39,489. Consular services seem to favour the classic Schengen visa.

From 2019 to 2025: Comparative Table of Schengen Visa issuance

Which Countries Received the Most Schengen Visa Applications

Once again, the top fav’ destinations for tourism received the most Schengen visa applications. International travellers remain creatures of habit when it comes to their Eurotrips.

✨ France alone examined over a quarter of international applications.

The 5 Countries With the Most Schengen Visa Applications in 2025

1. France: 3 M (3,105,356 applications)
2. Spain: 1.7 M (1,713,550 applications)
3. Germany: 1.5 M (1,497,619 applications)
4. Italy: 1.3 M (1,326,876 applications)
5. Netherlands : 746,011 applications

💡Traveller’s tip: Because of the high number of demands, consular services can be overwhelmed, making the examination process longer as well as the available appointments harder to find. If you want to travel to one of these popular destinations, do yourself a favour and follow our step-by-step guides on:

• How to get a Schengen visa for France?
• How to get a Schengen visa for Spain?
• How to get a Schengen visa for Germany?
• How to get a Schengen visa for Italy?
• How to get a Schengen visa for the Netherlands?

The 10 European Countries which Grant the Most Schengen Visas

Applying for a visa and being granted a visa are two different things.

With some consular services flooded by the number of demands and others more finicky when it comes to requirements, figures concerning visa issuance can change dramatically from one state to another.
To help you target the right destination, here is the official ranking of countries which grant the most Schengen visas:

The 10 Countries which Granted the Most Schengen Visas in 2025

Schengen Visa Statistics: Focus on France, Spain and Germany

Let’s take a closer look at the top three Schengen destinations: France, Spain and Germany. All three rank among the countries receiving the most visa applications and issuing the highest number of visas.

Schengen Visas for France: Statistics and Key Figures

With the highest number of applications received and the most visas issued, the heavyweight champion is France!

The total number of visas issued (short and long stays combined) is stabilising with a progression of +3.5% compared to last year.

Let’s break down the latest official data released by the French Ministry of the Interior on Schengen visa applications for France:

Short-stay visas (less than 90 days)

1. Main purposes for applying for a visa:

• Tourism: it remains the main driver behind the increase in the number of visas issued by France, up 3.9% compared with the previous year.
  France reached a record high, issuing more than 2 million visas for tourism purposes alone.
  
• Economic purposes, i.e. business and professional trips: The second reason for applicants to request a visa.

2. Multiple-Entry Visas: France more restrictive than other Schengen States

France issued more multiple-entry visas (MEVs) in 2025, up 9.9% to more than 1 million.
However, it remains behind several other Schengen neighbours: 38.1% of French short-stay visas were multiple-entry, compared with an average of 51.2% across the Schengen Area.
The proportion was much higher in Germany (89.1%) and Belgium (71.8%), for example.

3. The 3 nationalities granted the most Schengen visas for France

Nationals of the following countries have been granted the highest number of Schengen visas for France:

1. China, the undisputed leader. 1 in 5 visas for France were granted to a Chinese national.
2. Maghreb: with 267,559 visas for Moroccans, 185,871 for Algerians and 100,935 for Tunisians.
3. India: with 227,183 visas granted to Indian travellers.

💡AXA travels with you! Prepare your next trip with our travel guide to France, filled with useful advice, itineraries and budget tips.

Long-stay visas for France (over 90 days)

• Stable figures: the number of long-stay, type D visas issued by France has increased by barely +0.9% in a year.
  
• Education and humanitarian reasons on the rise: Education, including internships, and humanitarian reasons were the only purposes to record a significant increase, rising by 7.5% and 8.6%, respectively.
  By contrast, consular authorities have tightened requirements for economic migration and family reunification.
  
• A practical administrative advantage: More than 60% of long-stay visas are VLS-TS visas (long-stay visas serving as residence permits for up to one year). This allows newcomers to avoid a more complex residence formalities process at the French prefecture after arriving in France.

Schengen Visas for Spain: Key Figures

Spain ranks second among the most popular destinations for Schengen visa applicants, according to the data provided by the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

• Spanish consular services issued more than 1.6 million visas (short and long stays) i.e. a +6.3% increase in a year.
• Type C visas take the lead: short-stay Schengen visas (under 3 months) account for most visas issued (87%) with a 7.8% rise.
• A strong approval rate: at 14.6%, Spain’s refusal rate matches the European average and proves more accessible than more stringent countries such as Belgium or Malta.
• Top 3 nationalities granted the most Schengen visas by Spain:

1. China: 360,879 visas issued (a +17.1% surge) with mostly female applicants (59%).
2. Morocco: 166,398 visas granted (+5.6%)
3. India: 115,416 visas, slight decrease of -1.3%.

• A decrease in long-stay visas issued: type D visas have dropped by -2.7% compared to 2024.

💡AXA every step of the way! Our travel guide for Spain will help you prepare your Spanish holiday, providing answers to all your questions.

Schengen Visas for Germany: Breaking Down the Latest Data

Germany takes 3rd place in the list of most popular European destinations, just behind France and Spain as detailed in the recent figures of the German Federal Foreign Office- Auswärtiges Amt

• Short-stay visas: German consular services processed more than 1.5 million visa applications for stays of less than 90 days and issued nearly 1.3 million visas.
  
• A 13.1% refusal rate, with significant differences by nationality: Germany appears particularly accessible to Chinese applicants, with only 3.5% of applications refused.
  Refusal rates were considerably higher for applicants from other countries, reaching 25.1% for Türkiye and 20.7% for Egypt.
  
• Top 5 applicant countries for German Schengen visas: China (281,600 applications), Türkiye (217,600), India (153,200), Saudi Arabia (50,900) and Egypt (50,700).
  
• Strong demand for long-stay visas: Reflecting Germany's economic and academic appeal, the country issued 480,864 national visas for stays of more than 90 days (German long-stay/Type D visas).

💡 Need help organising your stay? Follow the useful tips featured in our travel guide for Germany.

Schengen Countries with the Lowest Visa Refusal Rates

Generally speaking, the more visa applications a country receives, the more Schengen visas it issues. But does that mean it is easier to obtain a visa from the most popular Schengen countries? Not necessarily.

Looking at visa refusal rates can provide a useful picture of how often applications are refused in each country. However, a low refusal rate does not guarantee that your application will be approved. You should apply through the country where you plan to spend most of your time.
Some countries combine all three factors: a high number of applications, a large number of visas issued and one of the lowest refusal rates in Europe. Only two Schengen countries managed to achieve this in 2025. Let’s take a closer look.

Schengen Visas: The 5 Countries With the Best Approval Rates

1. Slovakia: 9.6% refusal rate (18,033 applications)
2. Italy: 10.8% refusal rate (1.3 million applications)
3. Romania: 11.5% refusal rate (54,100 applications)
4. Austria: 11.9% refusal rate (250,112 applications)
5. Latvia: 12.3% refusal rate (19,222 applications)

💡AXA will tell you everything on:

How to obtain a Schengen visa for Slovakia

How to obtain a Schengen visa for Romania

How to obtain a Schengen visa for Latvia

📌Bear in mind! These figures evolve from one year to the next. Sudden game changers such as public health crises, geopolitical tensions or modifications in migration policies can completely modify these refusal rates.

Lowest Schengen Visa Refusal Rates: Surprising Country Standouts

• Italy and Austria achieve a double feat: Both countries rank among the 10 Schengen states receiving the most visa applications and also feature among those with the lowest Schengen visa refusal rates.
  
• Slovakia takes the lead: Moving up three places in the ranking, Slovakia has become the Schengen country with the lowest visa refusal rate. It is now the only Schengen state with a refusal rate below 10%. In 2024, four countries were below this threshold.
  
• Iceland’s spectacular drop: After ranking among the countries with the lowest refusal rates for several years, Iceland falls out of the Top 5.
  Its refusal rate more than doubled, from 6.6% in 2024 to 13.8% in 2025. Another reminder that the ranking can change significantly from one year to the next.

📌 Don’t forget! Your visa application should be submitted to the consular authorities of the country where you plan to spend the most time, or, if you are spending an equal amount of time in several countries, to the country you will enter first (first port of entry).

Which European Countries Have the Highest Schengen Visa Refusal Rate?

While most Schengen visa applications are granted, some countries have refusal rates well above the European average of 14.6%. Here is a look at the countries with the highest refusal rates, along with practical tips to help you avoid common reasons for visa refusal.

Schengen Visas: Countries With the Highest Refusal Rates

💡AXA by your side to obtain your Schengen visa:

Failure to provide adequate supporting documents including a compliant travel insurance certificate is one of the main reasons for visa refusals. To avoid common mistakes and strengthen your application, make sure to:

• Follow our step-by step guide on how to fill out your Schengen visa application form.
• Identify the most common reasons for visa refusal and what to do if it happens.
• Take out compulsory travel insurance that meets European Union requirements for a Schengen visa.
• Stay cool: if your visa application is refused, AXA will fully refund your travel insurance contract.

Malta, Belgium, Portugal: Understanding Their High Refusal Rates

1. The Maltese paradox: with almost 4 in 10 applications refused, Malta has the highest Schengen visa refusal rate among the countries analysed. This stands in contrast to the country's reputation for openness and modernity. Malta also ranks among Europe's most progressive countries when it comes to the legal rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
   
2. Belgium takes a firm stance against visa shopping: More than 67,000 applications were refused in 2025. Belgian authorities are particularly vigilant about “visa shopping”, where applicants apply for a Belgian visa even though Belgium is not their main destination.
   
3. Portugal's figures need context: Portugal's refusal rate is relatively high, but the country also receives a large number of visa applications each year. A high refusal rate does not necessarily mean that an application is unlikely to be approved. A complete application that meets all the requirements remains essential.

Schengen Visas: Which Countries and Nationalities Apply the Most?

Holidays, business trips or family gatherings, Europe continues to attract travellers from around the world.

More than 25 countries recorded over 100,000 Schengen visa applications in a single year, and some even exceeded one million applications!

Here is the ranking of the countries where the most Schengen visa applications were submitted.

📌Please note: Official figures are based on the country where applications were submitted through local consular services, rather than solely on the applicants’ nationality. They therefore also include applications submitted by foreign residents.

Top 10 Applicant Countries and Nationalities for Schengen Visas

Schengen Visa Applicants: 3 Main Takeaways

1. China widens the gap: with more than 1.9 million applications, China ranks first in the international ranking, leaving Türkiye and India, in second and third place respectively, well behind.
   
2. The UK's unique situation: The UK ranks seventh, with around 512,000 visa applications. This is largely linked to Brexit, which means that many foreign residents living in the UK now need a visa to travel to the Schengen Area.
   
3. Significant differences in refusal rates: Algeria (31.3%), the United Arab Emirates (24.2%) and Morocco (19.2%) all have refusal rates above the overall Schengen rate of 14.6%. However, these figures remain well below the highest refusal rates recorded for some other applicant countries.

Schengen visas: countries and nationalities with the highest refusal rates

Applying for a Schengen visa can be stressful with no certainty of a positive outcome. While the overall average refusal rate stands at around 14.6%, it varies significantly depending on where the visa application was submitted.

Below are the 10 countries with the highest refusal rates, based on the proportion of applications refused.

📌 Please note: These refusal rates are calculated based on where the applications were submitted, meaning the consulate or embassy responsible for processing them. While most applications are submitted by nationals of that country, the statistics also include applications from foreign residents.

The 10 Countries with the Highest Schengen Visa Refusal Rate

3 Key Takeaways on Schengen Visa Refusal Rates

1. Refusal rate vs. number of refusals: This ranking is based on the percentage of applications refused, not the total number of visas denied.
For example, Türkiye and India account for a much higher number of refused applications overall, but their refusal rates remain relatively low at 14.6% and 15.8%, respectively.

2. Refusal rates increased in several countries:

• Burundi: from 40% to 53.4%
• Senegal: from 46.8% to 51.9%
• D.R. Congo: from 29.9% to 40.1%
• Cape Verde: from 13.4% to 21.4%
  

3. Some countries saw their refusal rates fall, but they remain high:

• Comoros still recorded one of the highest refusal rates, at 55%, despite a decrease from 62.8% in 2024.
• Haiti dropped out of the Top 10 after its refusal rate fell sharply, from 46.3% in 2024 to 34.8% in 2025.

Schengen Visas: Applicants from Which Countries Are Most Likely to Get Approved?

EU official statistics show significant differences in Schengen visa refusal rates depending on where applications are submitted. The lowest refusal rates correspond to the highest acceptance rates, providing a useful indication of where applicants are proportionately most likely to see their applications approved.
However, this comparison should be viewed with caution: some countries process only a very small number of applications each year, sometimes fewer than 100.

Discover the 10 countries with the lowest Schengen visa refusal rates:

Countries Where Schengen Consular Services Approve the Most Visa Applications

📌 Please note: These rates are based on where the application files were submitted (consulate or embassies) not the nationality of the future traveller. As one consulate can handle the requests of several nationalities, these statistics reflect local decisions.

Schengen Visa 2026: Where Are Applications Most Likely to Be Approved?

How AXA Travel Insurance Can Help You Get Your Schengen Visa

Medical Travel insurance is a mandatory document when applying for a Schengen visa.
Your policy must meet EU requirements, including:

• Provide at least €30,000 in medical coverage.
• Be valid throughout the Schengen area, not just in the country you plan to visit.
• Cover emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation during your stay.
• Cover the costs of repatriation to your home country in case of serious illness or death.
• Be valid for the entire duration of your stay.
• Be certified by the consular services of all Schengen States.

Look no further and choose AXA to save time (and money!)

1. AXA Schengen travel insurance is available online and meets all the EU criteria
2. AXA Schengen insurance is systematically accepted with visa applications.
3. Plans for different needs and budgets: Choose from our different travel insurance plans.
4. Your insurance certificate is available instantly allowing you to finalise your application quickly.
5. AXA Schengen travel insurance is 100% refundable if your visa request is denied.

You might find these articles interesting:

• Which Schengen visa do you need?
• What documents must be enclosed with your Schengen visa application?
• How much does a Schengen visa cost?

Schengen Visa: Frequently Asked Questions

What Are My Chances of Being Granted a Multiple-Entry Visa (MEV)?

According to figures released in May 2026, multiple-entry visas (MEVs) accounted for 51.7% of all Schengen visas issued, or around 5.3 million visas. This means that more than half of the visas issued were multiple-entry visas.
However, these figures do not represent an individual applicant's chances of obtaining an MEV. Your eligibility depends on factors including your travel history, the country where you apply and your individual circumstances.

To improve your chances, follow our guide on how to apply for a multiple-entry visa.

Will my visa fees be refunded if my visa application is denied?

No. These fees are used to cover administrative costs entailed by the examination of your file. Visa application fees paid to the consular services as well as the possible service fees (TLScontact, VFS Global, BLS, etc.) are never refunded, whatever the motive for the refusal.
Good news! AXA Schengen promises to fully refund your travel insurance contract if your visa application is denied. All you need to do is file your refund request before the beginning of the validity date of your insurance plan and enclose the official refusal document provided by the consular services.

What is the Schengen visa refusal rate in 2026?

According to the latest official statistics provided by the EU in May 2026, the average refusal rate for Schengen visas is 14.6%. In most Schengen countries, it is between 10% and 20%, with some countries well below or above that figure.

Which Schengen country applies the most rigorous visa rules?

All Schengen countries follow the same EU rules and visa requirements, but refusal rates vary significantly from one country to another.

According to the latest official figures, Malta recorded the highest refusal rate in 2025, at 38%, meaning that nearly 4 in 10 applications were refused. However, a high refusal rate does not necessarily mean that the country applies stricter rules: applicant profiles and the types of applications received can also influence the figures.

Which countries examine the most Schengen visa applications?

According to the latest Schengen visa statistics, the Swiss consular services in New Delhi, India, examined the highest number of applications, with 226,044 files. They were followed by the French consulate in Rabat, Morocco, with 177,590 applications, and the Greek consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye, with 169,025 applications.