Pakistan leads in visa rejections, Greece’s latest statistics revealed

ATHENS: Greece emerged as the sixth most popular Schengen Area country for visa applications in 2023, according to data from SchengenVisaInfo. The country received 627,008 visa requests, accounting for over 6% of all Schengen visa applications submitted this year.

The majority of these applications originated from Turkish citizens, totaling 254,377 (40.5%), followed by Russian applicants (62,959) and Chinese applicants (35,931).

However, applicants from certain African and Asian countries faced significant challenges, with notably high rejection rates from Greek authorities.

 Nationalities with the highest rejection rates 

• Pakistanis (65.54% rejection rate, with 368 out of 560 applications denied)
• Algerians (59.54% rejection rate, with 1,230 out of 2,066 applications denied)
• Tunisians (56.36% rejection rate, with 1,564 out of 2,774 applications denied)
• Senegalese (56.25% rejection rate, with 135 out of 240 applications denied)
• Iraqis (49.22% rejection rate, with 1,756 out of 3,568 applications denied)

These rejection rates indicate significant disparities in visa approval rates among different nationalities. Greek authorities’ stringent evaluation processes and requirements may contribute to these variations.

The data underscores the importance of understanding visa application trends and requirements for travelers from diverse countries. As Greece continues to attract visitors and business travelers, navigating visa regulations remains crucial for successful applications.