Faith Nyasuguta
For many Africans hoping to visit Europe for education, tourism, conferences, or family reunions, securing a Schengen visa is becoming increasingly difficult. Fresh data from the European Commission has revealed an alarming pattern: African applicants are facing some of the highest rejection rates for Schengen visas globally.
In 2024, rejection rates for several African nations ranged from 45% to as high as 63%, dashing the hopes of thousands across the continent. Countries like Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana are among the worst affected. The numbers are stark—Comoros, for instance, saw 62.8% of its applicants denied entry into the Schengen zone.
The Schengen area, which includes 29 European countries such as France, Germany, and Spain, received more than 11.7 million short-stay visa applications this year—a 13.6% global increase in demand. Yet for many African applicants, this surge has not translated into opportunity, but into growing frustration.
Africa’s Costly Struggle To Gain Entry
A single Schengen visa application costs €90 (around $100), a non-refundable fee that is required even when the application is denied. With soaring rejection rates, this means Africans are often paying simply to be turned away, without detailed reasons or recourse.
According to a report by the LAGO Collective, African applicants collectively lost an estimated €60 million (about $67.5 million) in visa fees in 2024 alone—money that went into administrative processes, not travel experiences.
“The poorest countries in the world are paying the richest countries not to let them in,” said Marta Foresti, founder of the UK-based group. “The poorer the country of origin, the higher the rejection rates.”
Top African Countries Hit Hardest
Data from the European Commission highlights the ten most affected African nations in 2024:
• Comoros : 62.8% rejection rate
• Guinea-Bissau : 47.0%
• Senegal : 46.8%
• Nigeria : 45.9%
• Ghana : 45.5%
• Congo-Brazzaville : 43.0%
• Mali : approximately 43%
• Guinea : 41.1%
• Burundi : 40.0%
• Ethiopia : 36.1%
By comparison, the global average rejection rate stands at about 18%, underscoring the disproportionate hurdles facing African applicants.
An Opaque & Uneven System
European embassies claim each application is evaluated on its own merits, focusing on travel intent, financial capability, and the applicant’s likelihood of returning home. However, many African applicants say the process is far from transparent.
Despite submitting complete and accurate documentation—ranging from job letters and bank statements to travel insurance—many report receiving vague rejection letters, sometimes multiple times, with no specific reasons or guidance for future success.
“These high rejection rates are not just administrative,” Foresti argues. “They reflect deeper issues—inequality, mistrust, and systemic discrimination.”
A Double Standard?
While African citizens face mounting challenges to travel to Europe, European nationals enjoy largely unrestricted access to much of Africa. This imbalance raises pressing questions about fairness, reciprocity, and the real meaning of global partnership.
As African nations continue to engage Europe in trade, education, and development, the lack of travel access risks widening inequality and weakening trust.
For many Africans, it’s no longer just about visiting Europe—it’s about dignity, justice, and being treated as equals on the global stage.
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