Global demand for Schengen visas continues to recover, but it has yet to return to its pre-Covid pace.
According to data published by the European Commission on May 28, 2026, consulates of European Union countries and Schengen-associated states received 11.93 million short-stay visa applications in 2025. That represents a 1.8% increase from 2024, when 11.7 million applications were recorded.
The rise is more significant compared with 2023, with applications up 15.5%. Still, the recovery remains partial, with demand far below the 17 million applications filed in 2019, before the health crisis.
A short-stay Schengen visa allows its holder, when approved, to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period within the Schengen area. It applies in particular to tourism, family visits, business travel and transit for nationals of countries subject to visa requirements.
More than 10 million visas issued in 2025
Schengen states issued just over 10 million uniform visas in 2025, compared with 9.7 million in 2024. That amounts to an increase of about 3% year over year, but the figure also remains below 2019 levels, when nearly 15 million visas were granted.
The overall refusal rate remained stable at 14.8%, unchanged from 2024. That headline stability, however, masks significant differences depending on the countries where applications were filed. The European Commission noted, for example, a decline in refusal rates in the Russian Federation, Algeria and Ethiopia, but a sharp increase in several African countries, including Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Burundi.
The detailed data show particularly high refusal rates in some markets. Senegal exceeded 51%, Nigeria approached 48%, Ghana reached 46.5%, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo surpassed 40%. By contrast, several high-volume markets recorded much lower refusal rates, including China, at just over 4%, and Saudi Arabia, at around 6%.
China, Turkey and India remain the top countries for applications
The ranking of the main countries where applications were filed remained largely unchanged.
Consulates located in China were far ahead, with 1.81 million Schengen visa applications recorded in 2025. They were followed by consulates in Turkey, with 1.27 million applications, and India, with 1.15 million.
The Russian Federation remained in fourth place, with nearly 679,000 applications, ahead of Morocco, which recorded about 620,000. The United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand followed.
These figures confirm the weight of several Asian and Gulf markets in Schengen visa demand, while also showing that some traditional source markets, particularly in North Africa, continue to account for very large volumes.
France remains the top destination for applications
Among Schengen states, France remained by far the leading destination for short-stay visa applications. French consulates received more than 3.1 million applications in 2025 and issued about 2.65 million visas.
Spain ranked second, with more than 1.7 million applications, followed by Germany, which recorded nearly 1.5 million. Italy came next, with just over 1 million applications, followed by the Netherlands, Greece and Switzerland.
This distribution highlights the central role played by Europe’s major tourism and business destinations in Schengen visa issuance. It also confirms the strong concentration of applications among a limited number of states, even though a uniform Schengen visa generally allows, unless specific restrictions apply, travel throughout the Schengen area for the authorized duration of stay.
One in two issued visas allows multiple entries
In 2025, 51.2% of Schengen visas issued were multiple-entry visas. That represents just over 5.13 million visas, a slight decrease from 2024, when the share stood at 52.2%.
Multiple-entry visas allow holders to enter and leave the Schengen area several times during the visa’s period of validity. They are especially important for frequent travelers, business travelers, families with regular ties to Europe and people who need to make several trips within the same period.
Rates vary significantly depending on where applications are filed. Consulates located in several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, issued a very large majority of multiple-entry visas, with rates above 85% in the 2025 data. Globally, however, the share remained close to one in every two visas issued.
Visas issued at external borders remain marginal
Schengen states also issued 83,790 visas at external border crossing points in 2025, down from 85,118 in 2024. This remains a very small figure compared with the more than 10 million visas issued by consulates.
Spain accounted for the largest share of these border-issued visas, with 27,007, well ahead of the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Greece, France and Belgium. The main border points involved are often ports or crossing points linked to maritime traffic, including Barcelona, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Piraeus, Genoa, Hamburg and Le Havre.
These visas issued at the border are not a regular alternative to applying for a visa before departure. They remain strictly regulated and reserved for specific situations, while consular applications remain the standard route for travelers subject to visa requirements.
