Over 181,000 Schengen visa applications submitted by Indian nationals were rejected in 2025, according to new statistics released by the European Commission. The figures show that while India remained one of the world’s largest sources of Schengen visa applicants, the chances of receiving a visa varied significantly depending on the European country chosen as the main destination.
Indian travellers filed 1,153,748 applications for Schengen visas during the year. Out of these, 181,111 applications did not receive a visa, resulting in an overall non-issuance rate of 15.8%, reported Economic Times citing statistics released by the European Commission. In simple terms, nearly one out of every six applications submitted by Indians failed to result in a visa being granted.
The data shows that some Schengen countries were far more difficult destinations for Indian applicants than others. While several major European destinations maintained relatively low non-issuance rates, a number of smaller countries recorded rates that were much higher than the overall average.
Why did visa outcomes differ so much between countries?
Among all Schengen destinations receiving applications from India, Slovenia recorded the highest non-issuance rate. Almost half of the applications submitted for Slovenia did not result in a visa being issued, making it the toughest destination for Indian applicants in 2025.
Greece also emerged as one of the strictest destinations despite its growing popularity among Indian tourists. The Greek Embassy in New Delhi processed 41,009 applications from Indian citizens during the year. Of those, 13,532 applications did not receive visas, resulting in a non-issuance rate of 33%, reported Economic Times. That means roughly one in every three applicants for Greece did not obtain a visa.
The Netherlands also reported a relatively high non-issuance rate. It received 97,650 applications from India and did not issue visas in 20.6% of cases. Austria followed closely with a non-issuance rate of 21.6% from 48,761 applications.
“The figures show that destination choice can make a significant difference to visa outcomes,” the European Commission statistics indicate. “Applicants targeting some countries faced considerably higher odds of not receiving a visa than those applying through larger Schengen destinations,” it stated, as per Economic Times report.
By contrast, several of the most popular European destinations for Indian travellers recorded lower non-issuance rates. According to Economic Times report, Germany, which received more than 153,000 applications from India, reported a rate of only 10.5%. Switzerland, the most sought-after Schengen destination among Indian applicants in 2025, posted a rate of 13.6%, while Italy remained below the overall average at 12.7%.
Belgium recorded a non-issuance rate of 7.7%, making it one of the more accessible destinations for Indian applicants, reported Economic Times. Denmark reported the lowest rate among major Schengen destinations at just 6.9%.
Which countries recorded the highest number of non-issued visas?
In terms of absolute numbers, countries receiving the largest volumes of applications naturally recorded the highest numbers of non-issued visas.
Switzerland accounted for around 30,700 non-issued applications, while France recorded approximately 29,500. The Netherlands reported about 20,100 non-issued applications, Germany about 16,000 and Greece around 13,500.
However, visa experts often look beyond total numbers and focus on percentages. By that measure, applicants faced greater risks in countries such as Slovenia, Bulgaria and Greece than in larger destinations like Germany, Switzerland and Italy, reported Economic Times.
The latest data suggests that applicants who choose certain destinations may face very different odds of receiving a visa even though all Schengen visas operate under the same common framework. The figures also show that some of the busiest destinations managed to maintain lower non-issuance rates despite handling large numbers of applications from India.
What is Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows travellers to visit 27 European countries within the Schengen Area. It permits travel for tourism, business visits, family visits or transit purposes. Holders can stay in the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, reported Economic Times.
Indian passport holders require a Schengen visa because India does not have visa-free access to the Schengen Area. One of the main advantages of the visa is that it allows travellers to visit multiple European countries using a single travel document.
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