Almost six million Schengen Visas have been issued in 2022 by the consulates and visa centres of the Member States located worldwide, out of over 7.5 million applications received by the same.
Newly released Schengen Visa statistics show that the number of applications filed last year has increased by 258 percent, from 2.9 million. Yet, the numbers remain 55 percent lower than in 2019, before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, when the Schengen countries received almost 17 million Schengen visa applications, VisaGuide.World reports.
“The COVID-19 pandemic had significant effects on the demand for Schengen visa applications worldwide, with 2.4 million visas being issued in 2021, compared to 5.9 million in 2022 and 15 million in 2019,” notes the EU Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs in a statement released regarding the data.
The press release also points out that in spite of the increase in applications and visas issued compared to 2021, the number of visas granted for entering the Schengen Area more than once has dropped quite considerably in 2022.
“Despite the overall increase in the number of applications, only 58.1 percent of the 5.9 million visas issued allowed for multiple entries into the Schengen area – a share that decreased compared to previous years (70.5 percent in 2021),” the statement reads.
Yet, comparing this share to 2019, which is taken as the basic year for comparison, due to the pandemic, the share of MEV visas is quite normal, as in 2019 as well, only 59 percent of visas issued were multiple entry.
Similarly, in 2018, 58.3 percent of visas issued were for entering the EU more than once.
Türkiye Becomes the Top Source of Schengen Visa Applicants, Russia Is Now Second
Data show, that in 2022, Türkiye has replaced Russia as the top source of Schengen visa applicants, with 778,409 applications filed at the consulates and visa centers in Türkiye in the same year, and another in 687,239 in Russia.
India is listed third with 671,928 applications, Morocco fourth with 423,201, and Algeria with 392,053. Amongst these countries, Algeria had the highest rejection rate at 48.2 percent, while Russia had the lowest at 10.2 percent.
Türkiye’s rejection rate for 2022, on the other hand, was 15.7 percent, which is just under the overall average rejection rate worldwide – 17.9 percent.
Over Half of World Schengen Visa Applications Filed for France, Spain & Germany
Data show that over half of applications filed worldwide for a Schengen visa, or a total of 4,159,269 were lodged for three single countries:
France – 1,918,515
Spain – 1,197,457
Germany – 1,043,297
Out of the three, France also has the highest rejection rate at 22.2 percent, followed by Spain with 19.8 percent, and Germany with 16.2 percent.
On the other hand, when it comes to the share of multiple entry visas, Germany tops the table with 90.5 percent of the visas it issues being multiple entry or as many as 740,356. France on the other hand, issued only 40 percent of visas with a multiple entry option, or only 574,836 out of almost two million.
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