Key Takeaways_
The easiest Schengen visas to obtain in 2024 are those issued by Iceland, Switzerland, Latvia and Italy.
These countries have a lower rejection rate, thus lowering the chances for an applicant to receive a negative response in their application.
Malta, Estonia, and Belgium are the world’s worst countries to apply for a Schengen visa, due to their high rejection rates._
Schengen member states continue to remain popular holiday destinations for foreigners regardless of the season, particularly for those who do not need a visa and can always plan a last-minute vacation.
However, for the nationals of the majority of world countries, planning a last-minute vacation to Europe is not a possible scenario, Schengen.News reports.
The process of applying for a Schengen visa alone should start a few weeks before a planned trip to one of the Schengen states, which period depends on the nearest slots available for visa appointments at the embassy or visa centre representing the same Member State in the applicant’s home country.
According to Besart Bajrami, founder of SchengenNews, sometimes, even making an appointment can take months.
Given that the European destinations are popular all year round, those who plan on entering the bloc need to take care of their applications ahead of time.
Schengen Visa Statistics for 2023, published by SchengenVisaInfo, show that while some countries are more inclined to reject a larger share of visa applications they receive, there are others which tend to reject fewer visas. Filing an application to visit one of the latter, means an applicant has higher chances of getting a visa.
According to the numbers, the top ten easiest Schengen visas to obtain in 2024 are as follows:
Iceland with only a 2.2 percent rejection rate
Switzerland – 10.7 percent
Latvia – 11.7 percent
Italy – 12 percent
Luxembourg – 12.7 percent
Lithuania – 12.8 percent
Slovakia – 12.9 percent
Germany – 14.3 percent
Austria – 14.3 percent
Greece — 14.7 percent