A recently released report by ‘Visa Info’, a website specializing in Schengen visa statistics, indicates that 26.2% of visa applications from Libyans were rejected by European consulates in 2022. This rate is relatively low, compared to other countries in the Maghreb region.
The report reveals that Libyans submitted a total of 16,543 visa applications to the consulates of Schengen zone countries last year. Of these, 4,327 were declined.
Despite the ongoing instability in Libya, the country’s rate of Schengen visa application rejection was found to be lower than several of its regional peers. For instance, Algeria saw 45.8% of its applications rejected, while Tunisia experienced a higher rejection rate of 29.1%, amounting to a total of 48,909 applications. Other countries with notable rejection rates include Nigeria with 39,189 rejections, Iran with 33,679, and Egypt with 31,271.
The report also revealed the top ten countries with the highest rates of Schengen visa rejections in 2022. Morocco and Russia feature on this list, with 119,346 and 68,753 visa application rejections respectively, equating to rejection rates of 15.5% and 28.2%. Additionally, India experienced 121,188 rejections, while Turkey saw 120,876 visa applications declined, corresponding to rejection rates of 18% and 15% respectively.
The Schengen Area is a zone of 26 European countries that abolished passports and other types of control at their mutual borders.
The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement, and is widely seen as one of the most significant accomplishments of European integration.
A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen area for a maximum stay of up to 90 days, in a 6-month period.
Libya has been grappling with civil unrest and political instability since the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The turmoil has resulted in an exodus of Libyans attempting to reach European shores for better opportunities and stability. These attempts are often made via the Mediterranean sea in hazardous conditions, prompting human rights concerns. Some Libyans apply for the Schengen visa as a legal route to enter Europe, before claiming asylum.
