Countries with the highest number of Schengen visa applications revealed

The European Commission's 2025 Schengen short-stay visa statistics have once again highlighted the high demand from Turkish citizens for visa applications. While the number of applications from Turkey has reached the highest level after China, the financial and bureaucratic obstacles faced by applicants are also noteworthy.

According to 2025 data, a total of approximately 12 million short-stay visa applications were made to the consulates of European Union and Schengen area countries from all over the world. This figure represents an increase of 1.8 percent compared to the previous year and 15.5 percent compared to 2023. It is stated that Schengen countries approved more than 10 million visas in total. The global visa rejection rate was announced as 14.8 percent.

TURKEY'S RISE IN APPLICATION NUMBERS

China ranked first in 2025 with 1.8 million applications. It was followed by Turkey with more than 1 million 250 thousand applications. India, Russia, and Morocco follow Turkey on the list. The number of visas granted to Turkish citizens was determined to be approximately 1 million 70 thousand. In contrast, the visa rejection rate for applicants from Turkey is 14.6%, which is close to the global average.

While the rate of issuing multi-entry visas in Turkey reached 69 percent, this rate is 51.2 percent for the Schengen area as a whole. Applications from Turkey were mainly directed to the consulates of Greece, Germany, France, and Italy.

PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS NOT YET REACHED

Although an increase in the number of applications is observed, the total demand for the Schengen Area is still behind pre-pandemic levels. While the number of applications in 2019 was at the 17 million level, this figure remained limited to approximately 12 million in 2025. Similarly, the number of visa approvals is also below the 15 million in 2019.

THE MASSIVE AMOUNT TURKS SPEND ON VISAS

According to the analysis of the Economic Development Foundation (İKV), the total amount paid for Schengen applications in Turkey between 2010 and 2025 is approaching 890 million Euros. While approximately 34 million Euros were spent in 2010, this amount exceeded 114 million Euros in 2025. Especially with the increase of the visa fee to 90 Euros in 2024, the cost of the last two years has exceeded 220 million Euros.

However, it is emphasized that these calculations only cover the standard visa fees charged by consulates and do not include intermediary agency fees, notary certifications, bank expenses, and additional payments related to the appointment process. It is underlined that the actual costs are far above the official figures.

DIFFICULTIES IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS CONTINUE

Among the main problems experienced by Turkish citizens applying for a Schengen visa are the difficulty in finding appointments, long waiting times, and demands for personal documents. In addition, the sale of appointment slots of some consulates at high prices through intermediary institutions causes reactions.

According to the assessment of the Economic Development Foundation, despite increasing costs and bureaucratic obstacles, Turks continue to show intense demand for Schengen visa applications due to travel, education, business, and family ties to Europe.

This picture stands out as an important indicator of the social and economic dimension of Turkey-Europe relations.

News Source: 12punto