Spain and Italy Compete as Top Schengen Visa Destinations

Spain and Italy, two of Europe’s most sought-after tourist destinations, continue to attract visitors with their unique charms. Renowned for their rich arts and cultural heritage, these countries also stand out for specific offerings—Italy for its exceptional gastronomy and Spain for its exquisite beaches. However, practical considerations such as Schengen visa rejection rates and appointment availability significantly influence their popularity among visa applicants.

Recent statistics reveal that Spain surpassed Italy in receiving Schengen visa applications in 2023, with a total of 1.4 million requests compared to Italy’s 1.1 million. This placed Spain as the third most popular Schengen state for visa applications, while Italy secured the fourth spot.

Spain’s status as a top Schengen visa recipient has solidified over the last four years. Since 2020, the country has consistently ranked second or third in terms of the most visa applications received. In 2023, Spain was the third-most popular destination for visa applicants, following a similar trend from 2022 when it ranked second. In that same year, Italy placed fourth with 727,490 applications, as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to influence travel patterns.

During the pandemic years, visa application rates fluctuated significantly due to travel restrictions and limited mobility. In 2021, Spain held the second position for visa requests, while Italy dropped to sixth place. In the previous year, Spain had also ranked second, with Italy in fourth. Before the pandemic, Italy received more than two million visa applications in 2019, ranking as the third most popular Schengen destination. However, following the pandemic, Spain began to outpace Italy in application numbers, becoming a preferred destination for visa applicants.

The shift in popularity between these two countries can also be traced to the nationalities of the applicants. Spanish Schengen visa requests predominantly come from South American countries, including El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. In contrast, Italy remains a preferred destination for applicants from countries like Bangladesh, Libya, and Ethiopia.

Approval rates further distinguish the two nations, with Italy consistently outperforming Spain in this regard. Italy has maintained approval rates between 86% and 92% over the years. In 2023, Italy approved 87.5% of visa applications, significantly higher than Spain’s approval rate of 77.4%. This disparity highlights Italy’s advantage in providing more favorable outcomes for visa applicants, despite receiving fewer requests in recent years.

By fLEXI tEAM