Schengen states have received 11.7 million visa applications in 2024. That is up by 13.5 per cent from 10.3 million visa applications.
According to statistics published by SchengenVisaInfothe number of visa applications has increased, and some countries have been more affected than others, Schengen.News reports.
In this article, we have analysed which countries have climbed higher in terms of visa applications filed, as well as those that have filed far fewer applications for Schengen visas compared to 2023 numbers.
Top 5 Countries With the Highest Climbs for Visa Applications in 2024
While visa applications have increased in general, there are certain countries that are specifically impacted.
For example, the following countries filed applications more than they did in the previous year, although some of these countries do not need Schengen visas to enter the Schengen Area.
These countries had the most evident changes in visa applications:
France
French citizens do not need to apply for a Schengen visa, but foreign nationals from countries that do not have a visa liberalisation deal must file for a Schengen visa. In 2024, France had the highest change in terms of visa applications, climbing the list of countries with the most visa applications filed by 81 positions.
In 2024, France was the 56th, filing about 22,087 visa applications. In 2023, France was listed as the 137th country for visa applications, with only 164 visa requests being filed.
Sweden
Nationals from Sweden, like Frenchmen, do not need to apply for Schengen visas. However, foreigners in Sweden filed 7,518 applications for Schengen visas, ranking 84th overall. In the previous year, these individuals filed around 196 applications, ranking 135th overall.
Eritrea
Eritrean citizens need to apply for Schengen visas in order to enter the visa-free zone. In the 2023-2024 period, Eritrea climbed the list of visa applicants by 16 positions, from the 104th in 2023 to the 88th in 2024. This means that Eritreans filed 5,255 applications for Schengen visas in 2024, which is up by 3,317 recorded in 2023.
Green cape
From the 61st position in 2023, Cape Verde became the 49th country with the most visa applications filed in 2024. That is up by 12 positions, and the difference in visa applications is also quite high, from 18,341 in 2023 to 26,204 in 2024, resulting in a nearly 43 per cent increase.
Central African Republic
Nationals of the Central African Republic filed 2,996 visa applications in 2024, ranking as the 101st country for visa applications submitted. In 2023, this country ranked 111th, showing that it moved by ten positions during this one-year period.
In addition, visa applications in 2024 were up by 35.5 per cent – from 2,211 in 2023 to 2,996 in 2024.
These Countries Had the Biggest Falls for Schengen Visa Applications in 2024
While France, Sweden, and other countries mentioned above saw an exponential increase in visa applications and ranking for the highest number of visa requests filed, the following countries witnessed the opposite.
Although different reasons have impacted these results, visa changes for countries with more visa applications filed or visa liberalisation for the upcoming countries, which is the case for Kosovo, there were quite some differences that occurred in 2024.
These countries moved down in rankings for visa applications filed in 2024:
Kosovo
As of 2024, Kosovars have been granted the right to enter the Schengen Area without a visa. This resulted in Kosovo dropping by 94 positions in this list as visa application rates from this country dropped by 98.7 per cent.
Before visa liberalisation, in 2023 to be specific, Kosovars filed 120,573 applications for Schengen visas. In 2024, when the liberalisation agreement became effective and Kosovars no longer needed to apply for Schengen visas, application rates dropped to 1,499.
These applications were mainly filed by foreign nationals, who could be holders of Bangladeshi, Afghan, or other passports of countries that do not have a visa liberalisation agreement with the member states.
In terms of rankings, Kosovo was the 21st country with the most visa applications in 2023. In the following year, 2024, this country became the 115th for visa applications filed.
Sudan
Due to ongoing conflicts in Sudan, there is no data that Sudanese filed applications for Schengen visas in 2024. In 2023, nationals of this country submitted 2,552 applications.
Bulgaria
As mentioned earlier, nationals of Bulgaria do not need a Schengen visa, while foreigners do. In 2024, applicants from Bulgaria filed far fewer applications than in the previous year, causing this country to have a change of 33 positions.
In 2023, Bulgaria ranked 91st for visa applications, with applicants from this country submitting 5,459. In the following year, applicants from Bulgaria filed 650 visa applications, ranking 124th. In addition, visa applications dropped from 5,459 to 65, which is an 88 per cent difference.
Romania
In 2024, Romania experienced a drop in the number of Schengen visa applications, leading to a decline of 31 positions in the ranking.
In 2023, Romania ranked 86th, with 6,053 applications submitted. However, in 2024, the number of applications dropped to just 1,292, placing Romania in 117th position.
This represents a decrease of nearly 79 per cent in visa applications compared to the previous year.
Greece
Greece also witnessed a decline in Schengen visa demand in 2024, resulting in being down of 29 positions.
In 2023, Greece held the 94th position, with 4,894 applications submitted. In 2024, the number fell to only 762, pushing the country down to 123rd. This marks an 84 per cent drop in the number of visa applications year-over-year.