In 2024, the approval rates for Schengen visas were 52.20 per cent, indicating that Schengen states approved over half of the visa applications filed.
According to statistics published by SchengenVisaInfothe list of countries that had the highest approval rates in 2024 is once again led by Iceland, which approved 91.25 per cent of the applications it received for the year, Schengen.News reports.
The data reveal that in 2023, Iceland had a higher approval rate – 94.26 per cent, but also the number of applications received was considerably higher. In 2024, Iceland received 35,416 visa applications, while in the previous year, Iceland received 22,541 applications – a 57.1 per cent difference.
These Schengen Countries Had the Highest Approval Rates for Visas in 2024
Although Iceland is the leading country in visa approvals, other countries had high approval rates in 2024, too, making them convenient for those applying for Schengen visas this summer.
The easiest countries to grant you a Schengen visa this year, based on their approval rates for Schengen visas in 2024, are:
- Iceland – 91.25 per cent of Schengen visa applications filed in 2024 were approved.
- Slovakia – 89.25 per cent
- Italy – 88.72 per cent
- Romania – 88.36 per cent
- Switzerland – 88.12 per cent
- Hungary – 87.23 per cent
- Norway – 87.20 per cent
- Greece – 85.86 per cent
- Austria – 85.78 per cent
- Luxembourg – 8thical February6 Per Cen
In 2023, the ten countries with the highest approval rates for Schengen visas were Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
Applicants From These Third Countries Were More Likely to Obtain a Schengen Visa in 2024
The top nationalities that were more likely to get a Schengen visa in 2024 were mainly from African countries, and higher approval rates were more pronounced for nationalities with fewer applicants.
For example, Liberia had the highest approval rates, with 97.6 per cent of the 125 visa applications that were filed being approved.
Applicants of third countries that were likely to get a Schengen visa in 2024 are as follows:
- Liberia – 97.6 per cent
- Vanuatu – 95.79 per cent
- Botswana – 83.10 per cent
- Niger – 78.86 per cent
- Zambia – 88.87 per cent
- Comoros – 36.35 per cent
- Burundi – 58.63 per cent
- Tajikistan – 60.54 per cent
- Guinea-Bissau-43.84 per cent
- Haiti – 52.02 per cent
As per applications, applicants from Vanuatu filed 261 visa requests, 250 of which were approved. Consulates in Botswana received 1,633 applications with 1,357 of them being granted while there were 2,460 applications filed in Niger and 1,940 of them were granted.
Applicants in Zambia filed 2,750 applications (2,444 approved), ranking as fifth largest group for visas granted in proportion to visa applications, followed by applicants from Comorros (2,853 applications and 1,037 granted visas), Burundi (3,735 applications, 1,037 approved), Tajikistan (4,019 applications, 2,433 approved), Guinea-Bissau (4,336, 1,901 approved) and Haiti (2,400 out of 4,614 applications being approved).