Indian citizens submitted more than 1.15 million Schengen visa applications in 2025, making India the world's third-largest outbound travel market. Backed by strong economic growth and a rapidly expanding middle class, Indian travellers have become a major force driving global tourism.
However, for many Indian travellers, the cost of an international holiday begins well before departure—and without any assurance of approval. According to the latest data released by the European Commission (EC), the Schengen visa rejection rate for Indian applicants stood at 15.8% in 2025, higher than the global average of 14.6%.
As a result, more than 1,81,000 Indian applicants were denied visas last year, disrupting travel plans and resulting in significant financial losses.
VISA REJECTION TRENDS FOR INDIAN APPLICANTS
Every short-stay Schengen visa application requires payment of a mandatory administrative fee, which is non-refundable even if the visa is refused.
With the application fee averaging €90, Indian applicants collectively lost around Rs 154.9 crore in non-refundable visa fees in 2025. This made India's financial losses due to Schengen visa rejections the second-highest in the world.
The figure does not include additional expenses such as mandatory travel insurance, flight reservations and courier charges. Factoring in these costs would likely double or even triple the total financial burden borne by rejected applicants.
These losses are linked to recurring structural issues that continue to affect a large number of visa applications.
WHY ARE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES REJECTING VISAS?
Obtaining a Schengen visa has become increasingly challenging for Indian travellers due to strict documentation requirements, appointment backlogs and intensive scrutiny of applicants' profiles.
According to European Commission data, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Greece recorded some of the highest numbers of rejected visa applications from India.
"After the budget-friendly and closer to home Middle East and Southeast Asia, Europe has been top of the list for Indian globetrotters with its varied attractions, including Switzerland, Greece, Amsterdam, France and others. We are now seeing a rising trend of sports tourism with a significant number of Indians going to watch matches there," said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip.
According to the Global Mobility Report by Henley & Partners, the Schengen visa system functions as a corporate-style gatekeeper, relying on automated algorithms and socio-economic profiling to assess applicants.
While European authorities maintain that visa refusals are based solely on individual documentation and eligibility, the report argues that a broader systemic pattern exists. It says that India's relatively weaker passport ranking, combined with stricter risk assessment mechanisms, has contributed to higher rejection rates, limiting visa-free and easy-travel options for Indian citizens.
The report also notes that immigration authorities are applying stricter screening measures to identify applicants they believe may overstay or violate visa conditions. As part of this process, officials increasingly examine factors such as average bank balances and historical tax records to evaluate an applicant's financial profile.
