In 2023, the European Union (EU) generated €3,435,200 from the refusal of Schengen visa applications submitted by Nigerian citizens, as reported by Schengen visa statistics. Globally, these visa denials brought in a staggering €130 million for the EU.
The burden of these costs was predominantly borne by countries in Africa and Asia, which accounted for 90% of the total, according to insights from EUobserver.com.
Morocco and Algeria are among the countries with the highest number of Schengen visa applications.
The data further reveals that African nations face a significant impact. The rejection rates for Schengen visas reaching 40-50% in countries like Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria.
The financial impact of these rejections extends beyond just the application fees. They also include the lost opportunities for business and leisure travel, as well as the expenses incurred for legal services and private agencies that assist in the visa application process.
Disparity in Visa Approvals
Many opinion leaders find the situation unfortunate. “If you think about it, part of the loans African countries get from EU is probably our own money. And we pay interest too!”, the Ghanaian sports journalist Gary Al-Smith commented.
Marta Foresti, who founded the LAGO Collective and is a senior visiting fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, emphasized the harsh consequences of what she terms “visa inequality.” She noted, “Visa inequality has very tangible consequences and the world’s poorest pay the price.”
Foresti likened the costs associated with rejected visas to ‘reverse remittances’. She described them as funds flowing from poorer to wealthier nations. Foresti also called for a broader discussion about these hidden costs within the context of aid and migration policies.
The EU estimates that roughly half of the irregular migrants in its 27 member countries overstay their visas. In the previous year, more than 83,000 non-EU nationals were deported, reflecting a return rate of 19%, as stated by the EU Commission.
In recent times, the EU has started leveraging visa restrictions as a means of political pressure. Under Article 25a of the 2019 visa code, the EU can impose visa limitations on countries that do not sufficiently cooperate in repatriating their nationals.
For example, in April, the EU Council decided to apply visa sanctions on Ethiopia. This included banning multiple-entry visas for Ethiopian nationals and removing visa fee exemptions for diplomatic and service passport holders due to Ethiopia’s inadequate cooperation in returning its nationals.
Impact of Visa Denials
The concept of ‘reverse remittances,’ as detailed in an analysis by EUobserver, highlights the financial loss borne by applicants when their visa applications are rejected. These fees are non-refundable, regardless of the visa outcome.
The data shows that visa rejection rates for short-term visits to Europe and the UK are typically higher for applicants from lower and middle-income countries.
In 2023, the cost of Schengen visa rejections rose to €130 million, up from €105 million in 2022. The rejection rate is anticipated to increase further in 2024, as the EU plans to raise the visa application fee. The fee for adults will increase from €80 to €90 starting June 11, as decided by EU Commission.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom reported earnings of £44 million (€50 million) from rejected visa applications.
