Thirty Percent Of African Applicants Are Denied Schengen Visas

Africans experienced the highest number of visa rejections in 2022, with an average refusal rate of 30%, despite having the lowest number of visa applications per capita.

These figures were revealed in the latest Africa Wealth Report by Henley & Partners, titled 'Predetermined Bias: Comparing the Visa Rejection Rate of Africans versus the Rest of the World,' which was released last week.

The report highlights that Africa's visa rejection rate surpassed the global average by 12.5%, highlighting the challenges faced by African travellers in obtaining visas for international travel.

From 2014 to 2022, there was a significant 12% increase in the rejection rate for African applicants seeking Schengen visas, reaching 30%.

Even as global Schengen visa applications saw a decline of 54.7% during the same period, the total rejection rate increased by 12.5%. This trend was particularly pronounced in Africa, where one in three applicants faced rejection for Schengen visas, compared to one in 25 from the US, Canada, or the UK, and one in 10 from Russia.

However, some African countries such as South Africa , Botswana, and Namibia demonstrated a significantly lower rejection rate of less than 7%, indicating variations in visa approval processes across the continent.

Contrary to common beliefs attributing visa refusals to concerns over illegal overstays, the report found a strong correlation between rejection rates and the gross national income per capita of countries, as well as their ranking on the Henley Passport Index. This suggests underlying biases within the visa application process.

Despite justifications based on security or economic concerns, the European visa system demonstrates apparent bias against African applicants. This undermines relationships and mobility goals. Visa restrictions and refusals also hinder private sector involvement in trade and business partnerships with Africa, said Mehari Taddele Maru, who is a contributer to the report.

The European Union must address the current discriminatory practices within its visa application process and work towards promoting fair and equal opportunities for legal pathways to mobility between Africa and Europe, he concludes.