A Reddit user recently shared a firsthand experience highlighting how Schengen visa approvals often defy conventional expectations. According to the user, last year, while assisting two clients with their travel insurance and Schengen paperwork, he observed a stark contrast in outcomes that sheds light on consulate decision-making.
Perfect file doesn’t gurantee sucsess
Client A, from India, was a senior engineer with a high salary, owned property, had 25,000 EUR in savings, and a history of UK and Japan visas. He planned a 27-day trip to France, fully sponsored by a friend. Yet, his application was refused under Article 32(1)(b), with the officer citing doubts about his intention to return.
“The sponsor letter, the friend wrote ‘We met during my trip to Bangalore last year and stayed in touch.’ No photos together, no previous visits, nothing showing a long-standing relationship. Add to that a 24h late exit from his last Schengen trip (visible in VIS), and the officer concluded the stay was too long and the link too weak to justify it,” the user explained.
Consistency and realism win over wealth
By contrast, Client B, from the Philippines, a small shop owner with only 3,000 EUR in the bank and no property, received a one-year multiple-entry visa (MEV) for a 10-day visit to his girlfriend. His documents were simple but consistent.
“He provided tax receipts, supplier invoices, photos of his shop, and a short, realistic itinerary. His girlfriend filed a proper ‘Attestation d’accueil’. Everything matched: dates, purpose, funds, return obligations. His VIS record was spotless,” the Reddit user noted.
The user said, Schengen visas aren’t about who has the biggest bank account, but about who presents the most coherent, believable story. A modest applicant with a clean, consistent file can outrank a wealthy one with red flags.
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