Admin in Travel News Visa

Schengen Visa rejection on an all time high! Here’s how to avoid it

Schengen Visa Rejection

Planning a European getaway for leisure, work, or family time? Zeroed down on your Europe Tour Package? Apply for your visa with care as Schengen visa rejections and processing delays are on the rise, requiring meticulous trip preparation.

Despite Indians showing high interest in charting out trips to Schengen countries and even with the EU rule relaxations, offering multi-year visas to Indians through its latest visa rules, getting a Schengen Visa for Indians is not a smooth ride. Analysis shows that one in five (20%) Schengen Visa for Indians are being rejected. The high Schengen Visa rejection rate is a matter of concern for Indian travellers.

Schengen Visa Refusal Reasons

The disappointment of getting your visa rejected while you are all excited about the trip can be daunting. Especially, once you have paid your visa fees, booked your cheap flights to Europe and grabbed top hotel deals for Europe stays. Indian travellers are facing problems like delays in getting Schengen Visa appointments (approximate wait of 35-60 days) and costlier Schengen Visa processing fees (from EUR 80 to EUR 90) topped by increased rates of Schengen Visa rejections. Several applicants have faced a Schengen Visa refusal despite having strong cases. Even individuals with urgent needs, such as emergency visits, have struggled to secure Schengen visa appointments promptly.

Several anticipating travellers have shared their experiences of facing Schengen visa rejections. Despite complying with all the Schengen Visa application rules and spending lakhs on flight and hotel bookings, their visas to the European Union were not approved.

Wondering what could be the reasons for your Schengen Visa being rejected?

1. Incomplete Schengen Visa Application Form

If you have failed to complete the Schengen Visa application form fully and submitted an incomplete one, your visa is likely to get rejected.

2. Insufficient Explanation for Purpose of Travel

If the reasons stated for your purpose of travel are insufficient, even with supporting documents like hotel bookings, flight tickets and day-to-day itinerary, it can have a negative impact on your visa approval.

3. Insufficient Travel Insurance Coverage

One of the important Schengen Visa documents is proof of travel insurance coverage to cover incidents during the trip such as hospital treatment and repatriation to the home country.

4. Invalid Proof of Accommodation

If you fail to provide proof of hotel bookings or address proof and invitation letter in case of staying with friends or family, it may lead to your Schengen visa refusal.

5. Invalid Passport

If your passport is damaged or does not meet the eligibility requirements (at least 6 months validity + 3 blank pages), the Embassy is likely to reject your visa application.

6. Past or Current Criminal Records

One might be denied entry into the European Union if they have any past or current criminal records in the applicant’s name as you may be considered a threat to the member countries.

7. Unclear Intention to Return

If your rejection letter reads ‘Your intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa is not certain’, the visa officer is not confident that you will certainly return to your home country.

While the final call for Schengen Visa approval lies at the discretion of the Visa Officer, you can always try to minimize your chance of getting your Schengen Visa rejected by applying for the Europe visa correctly.

Tips to Avoid Schengen Visa Rejection

Ways to increase your chances of getting the Schengen visa stamp successfully:

Make sure you have filled in complete and true details in your Visa Application form.
Start planning and gathering your documents for the visa application at least 4 months prior and apply at least 3 months before your travel date to keep a safe window in case of delay.
State clear intentions of returning to your home country. You can show proof of family, business, job (approved leave application) or property in your home country.
Check beforehand if all your required Schengen visa travel documents are valid. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended stay in the Schengen area and you also meet other eligibility requirements.
Through your application, you will need to convince the visa officer that your clear intent or purpose of travelling to the European Union is strictly for visiting purposes and you do not intend to settle there.
Provide proof of holding valid and adequate travel insurance to suffice your stay duration.
To plan a worry-free European trip, take help of a reputed and experienced travel agency to get your Schengen Visa without any hassles.

Also Read: Tips to get Schengen Visa

The Schengen Visa grants you entry to over 26 European countries (Austria, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), it is one of the most sought-after visas, especially, for tourism and business purposes.

Choose Akbartravels.com!

Looking to visit one or more Schengen countries for leisure, meet friends and family or for business purposes? Don’t get intimidated by the fear of getting your Schengen Visa rejected. Visit Akbartravels.com and get all your Schengen Visa queries solved in just one click. With over 45 years of experience, our team of visa experts will provide complete start-to-end assistance; from form filling, appointment scheduling to document verification.

Schengen Visa Rejection FAQs:

Which Schengen country has the highest visa approval rate?
Iceland is considered to have the highest approval rate among all Schengen countries.

What is the most common reason for Schengen visa refusal?
Incomplete or false documents are the most common reason for Schengen visa refusal. Also, the authorities may reject your application, if they are not satisfied with your reason for visiting the country.

Why is my Schengen visa being refused?
There are several reasons why your Schengen Visa can be refused:
Incomplete Schengen Visa Application Form
Insufficient Explanation for Purpose of Travel
Insufficient Travel Insurance Coverage
Invalid Passport
Insufficient Proof of Accommodation
Past or Current Criminal Records
Unclear Intention to Return

How to avoid visa rejection?
You can easily avoid visa rejection by taking the help of a reputed and experienced travel agency to process your visa.

What is the rejection rate of Schengen Visa for Indians?
The rejection rate of Schengen Visa for Indians is between 15% to 20%.

Do Indians get Schengen Visa easily?
Yes, it is easy to apply for a Schengen Visa from India with the help of a travel agency.

Which country visa is difficult for Indians?
Malta, Belgium and Estonia visa applications are difficult and often result in rejections.

Can I reapply for a Schengen visa after refusal?
Yes, you can reapply for a Schengen Visa after refusal. The application process is the same.

More Schengen visa related information:

Apply Visa Online

International Holiday Packages

Domestic Holiday Packages

Packages by Themes

Domestic Flights

International Flights

Next Read: Your Europe trip just got costlier! Hike in Schengen Visa fees »

EU Rules relaxationEuropean Unionreasons for Schengen visa rejectionSchengen countries with lowest visa rejectionsSchengen visa approvalSchengen Visa RefusalSchengen visa rejection

" Admin : ."