While many Indian applicants faced denials, certain nationalities, like Pakistan, Ghana, and Congo, experienced even higher visa rejection rates.
While many Indian applicants faced denials, certain nationalities, like Pakistan, Ghana, and Congo, experienced even higher visa rejection rates.
Switzerland turned down a significant portion of visa applications filed by Indian citizens during the year 2022, recent data from Schengen Statistics showed.
Approximately 13.2 percent of the total visa applications submitted by Indian nationals faced rejection, amounting to a substantial count of 13,984 applications.
According to a report by SchengenVisaInfo.com, around 84 percent of the 106,025 applications received positive responses, indicating a relatively favorable stance towards Indian travelers.
Among the diverse range of nationalities seeking visas to enter Switzerland, Indians ranked 30th in terms of rejection rates. However, while many Indian applicants faced denials, certain nationalities, like Pakistan, Ghana, and Congo, experienced even higher visa rejection rates.
The data revealed that Pakistani nationals had the highest rejection rate, with 55.1 percent of their visa applications being turned down.
Similarly, Ghanaians and Congolese faced rejection rates of 46.5 percent and 41.5 percent, respectively.
The top five nationalities with the highest rejection rates are rounded out by Algerians and Argentinians, facing rejection rates of 39.9 percent and 35 percent, respectively.
The report also highlighted that visa applications from citizens of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, and Senegal had the highest rejection rates, ranging from 39.9 to 30.1 percent.
The rejection rate translates to varying numbers of applicants, depending on the overall volume of applications from these countries. The Swiss Schengen Visa is sought after by various nationalities, albeit in differing numbers.
The Swiss embassy in New Delhi had previously announced its temporary suspension of Schengen visa applications for Indian tours, a decision that remains effective until October.
The decision was prompted by an overwhelming influx of visa applications, necessitating the need for streamlined processing. In response, tour operators have been advised to reschedule group trips to ensure timely submission and issuance of visas prior to travel dates.
Group tours departing from India hold significant economic value for tour operators, prompting efforts to ensure seamless travel for participants to the Schengen area.
Simon Bosshart, the Head of Markets East at Switzerland Tourism, acknowledged the challenges faced but attributed the delays to a staff shortage at Swiss embassies, making the handling of large volumes of requests more complex.
Applying for a Switzerland Schengen visa entails fulfilling various requirements, including a fully completed and signed Swiss visa application form, a valid passport, two passport photos, and copies of previous visas.
Additionally, applicants are expected to furnish a round-trip flight itinerary, proof of accommodation arrangements in Switzerland, evidence of adequate financial resources, and confirmation of travel health insurance coverage, among other prerequisites.
