Schengen visa rejection rate for Saudis
In 2025, Schengen states approved 94.8% of short-stay visa applications decided at consulates in Saudi Arabia (28,467 refusals out of 550,463 decisions). Austria had the highest approval rate (98.4%) and Bulgaria the lowest (44.6%). That is about the same as in 2019. Source: European Commission visa statistics.
Applying to a country you do not actually intend to visit is not a loophole. Consulates check the itinerary against the application, share data through the Visa Information System, and "application lodged at the wrong consulate" is a standard ground for refusal. Worse, if it is treated as misrepresentation rather than a mistake, the visa can be annulled after issue and the refusal follows you into every future application, because every Schengen consulate can see it.
Where this data legitimately helps: when you genuinely are visiting several countries and no single one dominates, the first-entry rule gives you a real choice — and the refusal rates below differ enough to be worth knowing before you book. It also tells you what to expect, and how much documentation to prepare, for the consulate you actually have to use.
Every Schengen state, ranked by refusal rate
| Deciding country | Applications | Issued | Refused | Refusal rate | vs 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 18,942 | 18,224 | 303 | 1.6% | ▼ -1.29 pts |
| Italy | 83,189 | 81,210 | 1,979 | 2.4% | ▼ -1.17 pts |
| Spain | 58,670 | 55,954 | 1,601 | 2.8% | ▲ +0.34 pts |
| Czech Republic | 17,706 | 17,106 | 563 | 3.2% | ▼ -2.98 pts |
| France | 234,331 | 224,205 | 8,854 | 3.8% | ▼ -2.84 pts |
| Switzerland | 31,146 | 29,593 | 1,451 | 4.7% | ▲ +1.83 pts |
| Slovakia | 376 | 354 | 18 | 4.8% | — |
| Germany | 50,921 | 46,639 | 4,049 | 8.0% | ▼ -2.19 pts |
| Denmark | 2,304 | 1,988 | 262 | 11.6% | ▼ -2.18 pts |
| Portugal | 16,501 | 14,408 | 2,093 | 12.7% | ▲ +2.31 pts |
| Poland | 1,209 | 1,051 | 157 | 12.7% | ▼ -8.80 pts |
| Netherlands | 18,930 | 15,911 | 2,819 | 15.0% | ▲ +8.16 pts |
| Malta | 621 | 508 | 106 | 17.2% | ▲ +6.70 pts |
| Hungary | 1,724 | 1,416 | 302 | 17.6% | ▲ +5.68 pts |
| Greece | 12,159 | 9,187 | 2,154 | 18.9% | ▲ +11.34 pts |
| Belgium | 1,673 | 1,265 | 370 | 22.6% | ▲ +2.37 pts |
| Sweden | 2,265 | 1,435 | 779 | 35.0% | ▲ +16.37 pts |
| Bulgaria | 1,058 | 459 | 570 | 55.4% | — |
States with fewer than 250 applications from Saudi Arabia are excluded — below that the rate swings on a handful of cases. "Refused" is the EU's uniform visas not issued. Rate is refused ÷ (issued + limited-territory visas + refused), which is the Commission's own formula.
Overall approval rate, every year
| Year | Approved |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 97.5% |
| 2015 | 97.5% |
| 2016 | 96.4% |
| 2017 | 94.5% |
| 2018 | 92.3% |
| 2019 | 94.3% |
| 2020 | 91.6% |
| 2021 | 95.7% |
| 2022 | 94.8% |
| 2023 | 94.0% |
| 2024 | 94.1% |
| 2025 | 94.8% |
2020–2021 volumes collapsed during the pandemic, so those rates describe a very different applicant pool.
Get told when this changes
The State Department publishes these figures once a year with no announcement, and has skipped years entirely. We check the source daily and will email you when the number for Saudi Arabia moves. No newsletter, no marketing — just the data changing.
By consulate
| City | Deciding country | Applications | Refused | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | Austria | 18,942 | 303 | 1.6% |
| Riyadh | Italy | 62,513 | 1,410 | 2.3% |
| Riyadh | France | 146,125 | 3,938 | 2.7% |
| Jeddah | Italy | 20,676 | 569 | 2.8% |
| Riyadh | Spain | 58,670 | 1,601 | 2.8% |
| Riyadh | Czech Republic | 17,706 | 563 | 3.2% |
| Riyadh | Switzerland | 31,146 | 1,451 | 4.7% |
| Riyadh | Slovakia | 376 | 18 | 4.8% |
| Jeddah | France | 88,206 | 4,916 | 5.6% |
| Riyadh | Germany | 50,920 | 4,049 | 8.0% |
| Riyadh | Denmark | 2,304 | 262 | 11.6% |
| Riyadh | Portugal | 16,501 | 2,093 | 12.7% |
| Riyadh | Poland | 1,209 | 157 | 12.7% |
| Riyadh | Netherlands | 18,930 | 2,819 | 15.0% |
| Riyadh | Malta | 621 | 106 | 17.2% |
| Riyadh | Hungary | 1,724 | 302 | 17.6% |
| Riyadh | Greece | 12,159 | 2,154 | 18.9% |
| Riyadh | Belgium | 1,673 | 370 | 22.6% |
| Riyadh | Sweden | 2,265 | 779 | 35.0% |
| Riyadh | Bulgaria | 1,058 | 570 | 55.4% |
Add your own interview to the record
Official data cannot tell anyone which questions get asked or which documents get demanded under 221(g). Only people who have been through it can. Nothing identifying is published — no name, no email, no employer. If you would rather not be quoted at all, say so in the notes.
Where to look next
Countries where applicants had a similar overall approval rate to Saudi Arabia, for comparison:
Indonesia 95% approved · South Africa 95% approved · Singapore 95% approved · Cyprus 95% approved · United States 95% approved
Or: which Schengen country refuses fewest applicants · what officers asked at interview · every nationality ranked
Questions people ask
What is the Schengen visa rejection rate for Saudis?
5.2% in 2025: 28,467 refusals out of 550,463 decisions on applications lodged in Saudi Arabia, on European Commission figures.
Which Schengen country is easiest for Saudis?
Austria approved the highest share in 2025 (98.4% of 18,942 applications). You must still apply to the country where you will spend the most nights.
Which Schengen country rejects the most applications lodged in Saudi Arabia?
Bulgaria, which refused 55.4% in 2025.
Can I apply to the easiest country instead of my real destination?
No. The Schengen Visa Code requires you to apply to the country of your main destination, and applying elsewhere to improve your odds is itself a ground for refusal.
Source and what this actually counts
European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs, Schengen visa statistics for consulates, 2025. Primary source ↗
Rows are grouped by where the consulate is, not by the applicant's nationality. For most people those are the same thing, but a national of one country applying while resident in another is counted where they applied. Figures cover short-stay type C visas only — not national long-stay D visas, and not airport transit.
"Issued" includes limited-territorial-validity (LTV) visas — a visa valid only for certain countries rather than the whole Schengen area. An LTV is an approval, not a refusal, so it belongs on the issued side, and the Commission's own rate calculation treats it that way. Some states issue a high share of LTVs, which is worth knowing if you need to move between countries.
Decisions in a given year include applications lodged late in the previous year, so issued plus refused does not equal applications. That is why the rate uses decisions as its denominator rather than applications.