Schengen Visa Applications Reached 11.7 Million in 2024, Rejection Rate Fell to 14.8%

A total of 11,716,723 Schengen visa applications were submitted worldwide in 2024 — up 13.5% from 2023, but still below pre-pandemic levels, which peaked near 17 million in 2019, according to Schengen.News.

Top destinations: France, Spain, and Germany lead the rankings

France remains the top choice for applicants:

3,072,728 applications

15.8% rejection rate

Top nationalities: Algeria (352,295), Morocco (282,153), India (197,959)

Spain moved into second place, overtaking Germany:

1.6 million applications

15.7% rejection rate

Largest applicant group: China (254,571)

Germany follows in third:

1.5 million applications

Largest group: China (263,088)

The overall Schengen visa rejection rate dropped to 14.8%, compared to 16% in 2023 and a record 17.9% in 2022.

Leading application countries: China, India, Türkiye

The largest number of applications came from:

China
India
Türkiye
Morocco
Russia (in 5th place again, as in 2023)

Experts note that Russia’s reduced role is due to continued sanctions and tightened visa rules in many EU countries.

Highest rejection rates: Bangladesh tops the list

Countries with the highest rejection rates in 2024:

Bangladesh — 54.9%
Pakistan — 47.5%
Guinea-Bissau — 47%
Senegal — 46.8%
Haiti — 46.3%

By absolute number of rejections, top countries were:

France — 481,139
Spain — 244,432
Germany — 206,733
Italy — 134,303
Netherlands — 111,209

Visa experts attribute the overall improvement to post-pandemic recovery, better application quality, and more balanced policies in high-volume consulates.