Problems persist with Schengen visa applications in European countries

The European Commission has shared data regarding visa applications made to EU countries in the Schengen area in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, 16.1 percent of Schengen visa applications made to the diplomatic missions of EU countries in Turkey were rejected. This rate was 15.7 percent in 2022.

Out of 1 million 55 thousand 885 Schengen visa applications made from Turkey, 169 thousand 514 were not approved.

ESTONIA RANKS FIRST

The Estonian Embassy in Ankara, which was the diplomatic mission with the highest rejection rate for Schengen visa applications from Turkey in 2023, did not approve 741 out of 1,744 applications. This rate corresponds to 42.5 percent.

In 2022, the embassy had rejected 786 out of 1,517 visa applications from Turkey. This rate means that more than half of the applications in 2022 were rejected.

The Portuguese Embassy in Ankara, which rejected only 6.9 percent of applications, became the diplomatic mission with the highest approval rate for Schengen visa applications from Turkey.

DENMARK

The Danish Embassy in Ankara also did not approve 39.4 percent of Schengen applications. In 2023, 3 thousand 175 out of 8 thousand 719 applications made to the embassy were rejected.

The rejection rate for the 5 thousand 407 applications made to the mission in 2022 was 34 percent.

GERMANY

Germany's diplomatic missions in Turkey did not approve an average of 20.6 percent of Schengen visa applications made from Turkey in 2023.

The country's diplomatic missions in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir rejected 55 thousand 495 out of 253 thousand 462 visa requests.

German missions had also not accepted an average of 20.5 percent of applications in 2022. 48 thousand 40 out of 223 thousand 699 applications had been rejected.

GREECE

Greece's missions in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and Edirne did not approve 36 thousand 112 out of 254 thousand 377 Schengen applications in 2023. These figures show that 16.5 percent of applications were rejected.

Greek missions had not approved 15 thousand 913 out of 164 thousand 829 applications in 2022. This rate, which corresponds to 13.6 percent, shows that the rejection rate increased in 2023.

BULGARIA

Bulgaria's diplomatic missions in Turkey did not approve 4 thousand 515 out of 59 thousand 393 applications in 2023. This rate corresponds to 7.8 percent.

Bulgaria, which reached an agreement on its accession to the area at the end of 2023, officially joined the area by sea and air on March 31, 2024.

FRANCE

France's missions in Ankara and Istanbul rejected an average of 15.5 percent of Schengen visa applications made from Turkey in 2023.

The country's diplomatic missions in Turkey did not approve 19 thousand 586 out of 140 thousand 104 Schengen applications.

France's diplomatic missions in Turkey had not accepted 14.4 percent of applications in 2022. 15 thousand 435 out of 115 thousand 114 applications had been rejected.

ITALY

Italy's diplomatic missions in Turkey did not approve 10 thousand 936 out of 125 thousand 428 applications. This rate corresponds to 9.4 percent.

The country's diplomatic missions in Turkey had rejected 6 thousand 259 out of 87 thousand 648 applications in 2022.

SPAIN

Spain's missions in Ankara and Istanbul rejected an average of 8.1 percent of Schengen visa applications made from Turkey in 2023.

The country's diplomatic missions in Turkey did not approve 2 thousand 56 out of 34 thousand 278 Schengen applications.

Spain's diplomatic missions in Turkey had not accepted an average of 15.8 percent of applications in 2022.

REJECTION RATE IS INCREASING

When comparing the 2022 and 2023 data from the European Commission on the same subject, it is observed that the rejection rate for applications from Turkey is increasing.

The rejection rate, which was 15.7 percent in 2022, increased by 0.4 percent to reach 16.1 percent in 2023.

TALKS HELD WITH EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan also announced that they are in direct talks with European countries regarding the rejection of Schengen visa applications.

Pointing out that there have been serious bottlenecks in visa issues in the EU recently due to migration, security, and the inability to compensate for the lack of capacity in the post-COVID period, Fidan stated, "This is, of course, an issue that leads to our citizens' needs not being met in a timely manner in certain areas. We have been negotiating this with our European colleagues for a long time."

Fidan said that they are in talks with EU institutions as well as European countries to provide convenience and increase speed in Schengen visa applications for Turkish citizens, especially business people and students.