One in six Indian Schengen visa applications were rejected in 2025 — these countries denied the most

In 2025, over 181,000 Schengen visa applications from India were rejected, resulting in a 15.8% non-issuance rate. While India was a major source market, visa outcomes varied significantly by destination. Slovenia had the highest rejection rate at...

By ET Online | May 30, 2026, 08.58 AM IST

More than 181,000 Schengen visa applications filed by Indians did not result in a visa being issued in 2025, according to statistics released by the European Commission. While India remained the world's third-largest source market for Schengen visas with more than 1.15 million applications, the data shows that visa outcomes varied sharply depending on the destination country, with some European nations recording non-issuance rates above 30%.

Indian applicants filed 1,153,748 Schengen visa applications during the year. Of these, 181,111 applications were not issued visas, resulting in an overall non-issuance rate of 15.8%.

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More than 181,000 Indian applications did not result in visas

The figures mean roughly one in every six Schengen visa applications submitted by Indians did not result in a visa being issued.

While several major destinations maintained relatively low non-issuance rates, others recorded rates that were more than double the overall average.

Slovenia recorded the highest non-issuance rate

Among Schengen countries receiving applications from India, Slovenia recorded the highest non-issuance rate.

Country	Non-Issuance Rate
Slovenia	46.1%
Bulgaria	37.0%
Greece	33.0%
Malta	31.7%
Estonia	30.1%
Croatia	27.1%
Austria	21.6%
Netherlands	20.6%

Nearly half of all applications submitted for Slovenia did not result in a visa being issued.

For Greece, one of the most popular European destinations among Indian tourists, roughly one in three applications ended without a visa.

Greece stands out among high-volume destinations

Among countries receiving significant numbers of applications from India, Greece posted one of the highest non-issuance rates at 33%.

The Greek Embassy in New Delhi processed 41,009 applications from India. Of these, 13,532 applications did not result in a visa being issued.

The figures place Greece among the strictest Schengen destinations for Indian applicants despite its growing popularity among leisure travellers.

Netherlands and Austria also reported elevated rates

The Netherlands, which received 97,650 applications from India, reported a non-issuance rate of 20.6%.

Austria, which processed 48,761 applications, reported a non-issuance rate of 21.6%.

Both countries recorded rates well above India's overall average of 15.8%.

Germany, Switzerland and Italy remained relatively accessible

Several of the most popular Schengen destinations for Indians reported comparatively lower non-issuance rates.

Country	Non-Issuance Rate
Denmark	6.9%
Belgium	7.7%
Germany	10.5%
Sweden	11.4%
Italy	12.7%
Switzerland	13.6%

Germany, which received more than 153,000 applications from India, maintained a non-issuance rate of just 10.5%.

Switzerland, the most sought-after Schengen destination among Indian applicants in 2025, reported a non-issuance rate of 13.6%, below the overall Indian average.

Italy also remained below the average at 12.7%.

Belgium had one of the lowest non-issuance rates

Belgium recorded a non-issuance rate of 7.7%, while Denmark reported the lowest rate among major destinations at 6.9%.

The figures suggest that approval outcomes can vary significantly across Schengen countries even though all applicants apply under the same visa framework.

Rejection numbers were highest where application volumes were largest

In absolute terms, countries receiving the largest numbers of Indian applications also recorded some of the highest numbers of non-issued visas.

Among the largest destinations:

Switzerland: about 30,700 non-issued applications
France: about 29,500 non-issued applications
Germany: about 16,000 non-issued applications
Netherlands: about 20,100 non-issued applications
Greece: about 13,500 non-issued applications

However, the data shows that the risk of not receiving a visa was often higher in smaller markets such as Slovenia, Bulgaria and Malta than in larger destinations like Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

What the numbers show

The latest European Commission statistics suggest that destination choice can have a significant impact on visa outcomes for Indian applicants. While the overall non-issuance rate stood at 15.8%, applicants targeting countries such as Slovenia, Bulgaria and Greece faced considerably higher odds of not receiving a visa. By contrast, some of the most popular destinations among Indian travellers — including Germany, Switzerland and Italy — maintained comparatively lower non-issuance rates despite handling large application volumes.

Schengen Visa Guide: Step-by-step help to make your Europe holiday-planning easier

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What is a Schengen Visa?
- A short-stay visa that allows travel across 27 European countries
- Valid for tourism, business, visiting family, or transit
- Maximum stay: 90 days within 180 days

Why do Indians need a Schengen Visa?
- No visa-free access to Schengen Zone for Indian passport holders
- A single visa grants entry to all Schengen member states
- Needed for multiple European destinations in one trip

Schengen Visa vs. National Visa
- Schengen Visa (Type C): Short-term stay, valid for up to 90 days
- National Visa (Type D): Long-term stay, for work, study, or residence