Over 1.81 Lakh Indians Faced Schengen Visa Rejections In 2025; ₹154 Crore Lost In Visa Fees

A Schengen visa is a type of visa that allows non-EU nationals to visit and travel within the Schengen Area, a zone comprising 29 European countries. Securing this visa can be quite challenging, and you will be surprised to know that in 2025, over 1.81 lakh Schengen visa applications from India were rejected. This made India lose around ₹154 crore.

Over 1.81 Lakh Schengen Visa Applications From India Were Rejected

A Schengen visa can sometimes be difficult to get because embassies have strict requirements and demand perfect documentation. Even a small problem can cause a visa application to be outright rejected, and that is what happened with many Indians in 2025. According to The Sunday Guardian, over 1.15 million Schengen visa applications were filed by Indians in 2025, and 181,111 did not end up being successful. This made India lose around €16 million (approximately ₹154 crore) in visa fees paid by applicants. 

As per data released by the European Commission, among Schengen countries, Slovenia was the most challenging destination for Indian visa applicants. The country registered a non-issuance rate of 46.1%. This means that one out of every two applications was rejected. Apart from Slovenia, Bulgaria was second on the list with a non-issuance rate of 37%, while Greece was third with a rate of 33%.

Also Read: Good News! Germany Removes Transit Visa Rule For Indians; Here’s What This Means

Why Do Schengen Visas Get Rejected?

According to The Sunday Guardian, Greece had a strong demand among Indian travellers. However, in 2025, the Greek Embassy in New Delhi rejected 13,532 visas out of 41,000 visa applications. Belgium and Denmark reported some of the lowest non-issuance rates among major European destinations at 7.7% and 6.9%, respectively. Even France and Switzerland rejected many visa applications from Indians.

Now, this data brings us to the next question. Why do Schengen visas get rejected? There can be several reasons behind a visa rejection. This can include insufficient financial evidence, weak proof of return to India, incomplete documents, and a vague travel purpose. Incorrect travel insurance, passport-related problems, misleading documents, and previous visa violations can also play a big role in Schengen visa rejections.

Also Read: India Updates Visa Rules: Foreigners Planning A Longer Stay Must Register Before 180 Days

What do you think of this data? Have you ever faced problems while applying for a Schengen visa?

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