1 in 6 Indians Denied Schengen Visa in 2025; Check Country-Wise Rejection Rates

Roughly one in six Schengen visa applications submitted by Indian citizens in 2025 did not result in a visa being issued, according to the latest figures released by the European Commission. Despite a historic surge in demand, which saw a record 1.15 million applications from India, more than 181,000 applications were denied or unissued. This leaves the overall national non-issuance rate at 15.8%, highlighting significant variations in approval rates depending on the European destination chosen.

Small Markets, High Denial Rates

While the Schengen Area operates under a unified regulatory framework, individual member states posted drastically different outcomes for Indian travelers. Slovenia recorded the highest non-issuance rate among all destinations, rejecting 46.1% of its applications from India-meaning nearly half of those who applied were turned away. VFS Global Under Scrutiny After EU Inspection Reports Flag Visa Processing Concerns in India.

Other smaller tourist markets also posted elevated non-issuance figures well above the national average. Bulgaria registered a 37.0% non-issuance rate, followed closely by Malta at 31.7% and Estonia at 30.1%.

High-Volume Tourist Destinations Tighten Borders

Greece emerged as a particularly challenging destination for Indian holidaymakers. Despite its growing popularity as a top leisure hub, the Greek Embassy in New Delhi processed 41,009 applications and refused 13,532 of them, resulting in a 33.0% non-issuance rate. New US Green Card Rules: Temporary Visa Holders Must Return to Their Home Country To Apply.

Other high-volume destinations, such as Austria and the Netherlands, also recorded strict vetting processes. Austria reported a 21.6% non-issuance rate across its 48,761 applications, while the Netherlands logged a 20.6% rate on 97,650 applications.

The Most Accessible Entry Points

In contrast, several of the most sought-after traditional destinations in Western Europe remained comparatively accessible, keeping their rejection rates below the 15.8% Indian average.

Germany handled more than 153,000 applications from India but maintained a relatively low non-issuance rate of 10.5%. Switzerland, which was the single most popular choice for Indian applicants in 2025, recorded a 13.6% non-issuance rate. Italy also trended lower at 12.7%.

The lowest non-issuance rates among major European hubs were recorded by Denmark at 6.9% and Belgium at 7.7%, positioning them as the most statistically favorable options for travelers during the cycle.

Volume vs. Percentage Risks

In terms of absolute numbers, the countries that processed the highest volume of paperwork naturally accumulated the largest tallies of non-issued visas. Switzerland left approximately 30,700 applications unissued, followed by France at 29,500, the Netherlands at 20,100, and Germany at 16,000.

However, travel experts note that the percentage-based risk to an individual applicant's itinerary was statistically much higher when dealing with smaller consulates like those of Slovenia, Bulgaria, or Croatia (27.1%).

Growing Indian Demand Faces Stiff Standards

The data arrives at a time when outbound travel from India is booming. India ranked as the third-largest source of Schengen visa applications globally in 2025, trailing only China (1.8 million) and Türkiye (1.25 million).

While total European short-stay visa applications globally climbed to 11.9 million-marking a steady post-pandemic recovery-the static global rejection rate of 14.8% shows that European consulates are keeping their entry requirements rigid, even as applicant volumes escalate.