Significant Financial Losses for Indians Due to Schengen Visa Rejections

Financial Impact of Schengen Visa Denials on Indian Applicants

In 2024, Indian applicants faced a staggering loss of over Rs 136 crore due to the rejection of more than 1.65 lakh Schengen visa applications, as reported by a travel publication.

Among the countries affected, India ranked third in terms of financial losses from these visa denials, trailing behind Algeria and Turkey.

The cost of applying for a Schengen visa, which permits travel across 29 European nations, is set at 90 euros (approximately Rs 8,500), and this fee is non-refundable.

Last year, over 11 lakh applications were submitted by Indians for Schengen visas, with 5,91,610 being approved and more than 1.6 lakh rejected, resulting in a rejection rate of about 15%.

France accounted for the highest number of rejections, leading to losses of around Rs 25.8 crore for Indian applicants.

On a global scale, Algerians experienced the most significant losses, totaling 15.7 million euros (Rs 153 crore), followed by Turks at 14.4 million euros (Rs 140.6 crore), and Indians at 14 million euros (Rs 136.6 crore). Moroccans and Chinese nationals also faced substantial losses, according to data from the European Commission.

In 2023, the European Union collected 130 million euros (Rs 1,181 crore) from fees associated with rejected visa applications, with 90% of this burden falling on applicants from African and Asian nations, as highlighted in a report.

This analysis, conducted by an organization focused on policy-making, revealed that the rejection rates for visas from EU countries and the UK were notably higher for individuals from low- and middle-income countries.