Schengen visa report card for Turkish citizens: Which countries have the lowest and highest rejection rates?

In 2025, Turkey placed second globally after China in terms of Schengen visa applications, with approximately 1.27 million submissions. The overall rejection rate for all applications processed by consulates throughout the year was recorded at 14.6 percent. This rate, similar to previous years, highlights the intense interest from Turkey in the Schengen area.

GREECE RECEIVES THE MOST APPLICATIONS, GERMANY HAS THE HIGHEST REJECTION RATE

While Greece was the Schengen country that received the most applications from Turkish citizens, Germany took second place in terms of application volume. Germany stood out with 217,627 applications received; however, in response to this high volume, it applied the highest rejection rate among Schengen countries at 21.1 percent. Consequently, Germany had a rejection rate well above the average for Turkey as a whole.

COUNTRIES WITH MEDIUM AND LOW REJECTION RATES

France and Italy were among the other countries that stood out with their application numbers. France issued rejections at a rate of 15.23 percent for 143,379 applications, while Italy turned down 14.77 percent of its 79,470 applications. In contrast, countries such as the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Spain, and Romania stood out with low rejection rates. The Netherlands with 9.0 percent, Bulgaria with 10.1 percent, and Spain and Romania with low rates of 7.4 percent presented a positive picture for visa applications from Turkish citizens.

The lowest rejection rate on the list was recorded in Portugal. A total of only 3,921 applications were made to Portugal in 2025, and only 3.5 percent of these applications were rejected. Although the number of applications received by Portugal is low compared to other countries, the country's positive approach to applications stood out as an important detail for those wishing to obtain a visa.

The distribution of visa applications from Turkey to Schengen countries revealed both application preferences and the varying rejection rates applied by different countries. This picture seems likely to shape both the direction of applications and the travel plans of Turkish citizens in the coming years.