Named the leading countries in the number of issued Schengen visas
Russia It retains the world leadership in the number of Schengen visas issued, but Russian residents applied less for permission to enter Europe in 2018.
According to the European Commission (EC), in 2018, consulates of Schengen countries received more than 16 million visa applications worldwide: 0.9% less compared to 2017, when for the first time in 5 years there was an increase in the number of applications by 6.3%.
In 2018, 14.26 million Schengens were issued (by 2.7% less than in 2017). France issued the most visas: consulates issued 3.34 million visas in 2018. The top 5 are included Germany (1.84 million visas), Italy (1.7 million) Spain (1.5 million), Greece (805.1 thousand). The lowest number of visas granted to foreign applicants Iceland (8,900).
One in ten applicants did not receive a Schengen visa (9.6% of total applications), and in 2017 - 8.2%.
Most often refused to issue a Schengen consulate of Malta (20.4% of cases), Belgium (16.8%), Portugal (16.6%). The most loyal in the visa issue - diplomats Lithuania (1.3% of refusals), Estonia (1.6%) Iceland, Finland (1.7%).
The lowest number of people denied entry to Europe Belarus (0.33% of refusals), San Marino (0.46%), Botswana (0.48%).
The share of multivisas is declining: in 2017 - 59.2%, in 2018 - 57.9%.
In 2018, citizens of the Russian Federation submitted 3,695,670 visa applications to the consulates of European countries included in the Schengen zone, 5% less than in 2017. The Russians received 3,631,318 visas (minus 5.1% compared to 2017). Every fourth visa issued by the consulates of the Schengen countries in 2018 was issued to Russians.
The share of multivisas in the total volume of issued visas in the Russian Federation is 81.9% (in 2017 - 83.8%). The percentage of visa refusals rose from 1.4% in 2017 (52,770 applications) to 1.6% (57,425 applications) in 2018.
Russia remains the leader in the number of issued Schengen visas in 2018. Citizens of the PRC in second place in the overall standings, they have 2.7 million visas, but the total number of applications from citizens China increased by 11.3 percent.
TOP-10 countries whose residents go for a visa to Europe: Turkey, Algeria, Belarus, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Thailand.
According to information: atorus
Photo: detrip