Schengen visa applications in India raised by 16%, according to stats

During 2017, Schengen embassies located in India collected a record number of 920,699 uniform visa applications, up by 16% compared to the previous year, says VisaGuide.World.

Schengen visa applications reached record levels in 2017, counting over than 16 million. Indians were clearly one of the largest population of all Schengen visa applicants.

The latest statistics provided by the European Commission covering 2017, indicate that Schengen embassies in India were heavily loaded with visa applications. A number of 920,699 uniform visa applicants in India accounted for 6% of all Schengen uniform visa applications
recorded worldwide in 2017.

In contrast, Schengen embassies in India had dealt with 792,271 visa applications in 2016, thus a significant increase of 16% is noted.

Although individually the Switzerland embassy collected most applications (130,857), France stood well at the top in the list of the most preferred destinations in Schengen for Indian residents. In 2017, five French embassies on a mission in India reported for 201,161 uniform visa applications. Compared to the previous year this number represented a healthy growth of 35%.

In turn, French embassies were relatively generous issuing uniform visas to 179,749 applicants. On the other hand, 19,983 persons or 9.9% of all applicants in these embassies had been declined a visa.

German embassies in India had also an intense workload. Five German embassies operating in India collected a total of 153,961 in 2017. Among them, the embassy in Μumbai accounted for the most part with 53,351 applications.

Following their application, 143,288 Schengen visa applicants at the German embassies were granted a uniform visa and 10,505 were declined. Further on, statistics reveal that the majority (81.2%) of visa grants at these embassies were Multiple Entry Visas which enabled its holders to enter the Schengen area more than once under the rule 90/180 days.

Which embassy denied most Schengen visa applications?

In 2017, 78,681 residents of India who applied for a Schengen uniform visa were rejected or 8.5% of all applicants so to say.

In absolute numbers, French embassies denied most visa applications. A number of 19,983 or 9.9% of the applicants in India were turned down by these embassies. On the other hand, in percentage terms, the embassy of Estonia led the charts with 31.8% (419) of applicants being rejected.

Fresh statistical data about Schengen visa applications in 2018 are soon to be released in the next month and is expected that the continual upward trend in visa applications will still continue.