Italian Schengen Visa Rejection Rates Higher for Certain Nationalities, Data Shows

While the process for obtaining an Italian visa is theoretically the same for everyone, applicants from certain nationalities, particularly in Africa and Asia, face significantly higher rejection rates compared to others. Recent data reveals that nationals from several countries on these continents are less likely to be granted a Schengen visa by Italy, with rejection rates exceeding the average approval rate of 87.55 per cent, according to recent reports.

In 2023, Italy received 1.1 million applications for Schengen visas, ranking fourth in Europe for the number of visa requests, behind France, Germany, and Spain.

Bangladeshi Nationals Face Highest Rejection Rate for Italian Schengen Visas

Bangladeshi nationals encounter the most difficulty when applying for an Italian Schengen visa. Data from 2023 shows that 59.04 per cent of visa applications filed by Bangladeshis were rejected, making them the nationality with the highest rejection rate by Italian authorities. Of the 13,705 visa applications submitted by Bangladeshi nationals, only 5,599 (40.85 per cent) were approved, while 8,092 were rejected.

Despite the high rejection rate, Italy remains the top destination for Bangladeshi Schengen visa applicants, accounting for 34.5 per cent of all their applications in 2023. Sweden was the second most popular destination, with 11,416 applications filed by Bangladeshi nationals, representing 28.7 per cent of their total requests.

Other Nationalities Struggling to Obtain Italian Visas

Aside from Bangladeshi nationals, several other nationalities have faced significant challenges in obtaining Italian visas due to high rejection rates. The top ten nationalities with the most difficulty, based on their rejection percentages, include:

- Gabonese: In 2023, Gabonese nationals filed 705 visa applications to Italy, with 45.18 per cent of those being rejected.

- Sri Lankans (Sinhalese): Out of 4,031 visa applications filed by Sri Lankan nationals, 2,240 were approved, while 44.43 per cent were rejected.

- Ghanaians: With a rejection rate of 44.29 per cent, Ghanaians saw 1,230 visa approvals out of 2,208 applications.

- Dominicans: Out of 7,314 visa applications submitted by Dominican nationals, 3,196 were rejected, representing a rejection rate of 43.7 per cent.

- Ivorians: Visa applications from Ivorians were also rejected at a rate of 43.7 per cent, amounting to 1,540 denied requests.

- Angolans: Of all applications filed by Angolan nationals, 41 per cent were rejected, totaling 615 visa denials.

- Algerians: Algerians had the highest number of total visa rejections, with 10,453 applications turned down, equating to a 39.92 per cent rejection rate.

- Cameroonians: Cameroonians saw 2,271 of their visa applications rejected, resulting in a rejection rate of 38.66 per cent.

- Sudanese: Sudanese nationals experienced a rejection rate of 38.63 per cent, with 107 visa requests being denied.

These figures highlight the varying difficulties that applicants from different nationalities face when attempting to secure an Italian Schengen visa, with many African and Asian nationals encountering higher barriers to approval than the general average.

By fLEXI tEAM