Head to head · applications lodged in India, 2009 to 2025

France vs Greece: Schengen visa odds for applicants in India (2025)

In 2025, France refused 15.2% of the 204,184 applications lodged with it in India; Greece refused 33.0% of 41,009. France was the more lenient of the two by 17.8 percentage points. Multi-entry share: France 36.1%, Greece 40.7%.

Verdict from the data: France said no less often than Greece in 2025 (15.2% vs 33.0%). A large gap; if your itinerary genuinely splits between the two, the difference in odds is worth knowing before you fix your main destination. Remember: you must apply to your main destination (Article 5, Visa Code), so this page informs planning, not consulate shopping.

France

15.2%

refused of 204,184 applications (2025). Issued 172,072, 36.1% multi-entry. Consulates in India: Bengaluru (7.8%), Chennai (19.5%), Kolkata (8.6%), Mumbai (11.8%), New Delhi (27.4%).

Greece

33.0%

refused of 41,009 applications (2025). Issued 27,232, 40.7% multi-entry. Consulates in India: New Delhi (33.0%).

17 years side by side

YearFrance appliedFrance refusalGreece appliedGreece refusalGap (pp)India avg
2025204,18415.2%41,00933.0%-17.8 pp15.7%
2024197,95915.8%41,41831.3%-15.5 pp14.9%
2023176,23716.9%33,73528.2%-11.3 pp15.7%
2022138,64320.0%27,45733.2%-13.2 pp18.0%
202137,58531.2%2,61530.6%+0.7 pp22.8%
202029,62723.5%6,29817.5%+6.0 pp16.9%
2019234,00214.1%44,36616.3%-2.2 pp10.8%
2018229,15310.3%45,34111.5%-1.2 pp9.3%
2017201,1619.9%32,13413.2%-3.2 pp8.5%
2016156,1488.4%26,1978.6%-0.2 pp8.2%
2015134,2946.4%22,4549.0%-2.6 pp6.5%
201487,4726.4%18,8169.5%-3.1 pp0.0%
201365,8807.4%11,4734.5%+2.9 pp6.2%
201263,8817.8%5,6413.6%+4.2 pp6.1%
201164,5028.2%4,9615.9%+2.4 pp6.9%
201057,2627.4%3,73322.2%-14.8 pp6.5%
200958,6979.0%3,94016.4%-7.4 pp7.8%

Gap = France minus Greece refusal rate; positive means France was stricter that year.

What separates them

Over the whole period, France's refusal rate for applications lodged in India moved from 9.0% (2009) to 15.2% (2025); Greece's from 16.4% to 33.0%. Volume tells the other half: France decided 204,184 files in 2025 against Greece's 41,009, so France carries the heavier queue. On multi-entry visas, Greece was the more generous (40.7% vs 36.1%), which matters if you plan to return within the visa's validity.

Questions this page answers

Is it easier to get a France or a Greece Schengen visa from India?

On 2025 refusal rates, France (15.2%) refused a smaller share of Indian applicants than Greece (33.0%). Under the Visa Code you must apply to the state that is your main destination, so this comparison guides itinerary planning, not consulate shopping.

Which gives more multiple-entry visas to Indians, France or Greece?

In 2025, France: 36.1% multi-entry share; Greece: 40.7%.

Source: European Commission, "Visa statistics for consulates", 2009 to 2025 annual releases; figures cover uniform (short-stay, type C) visas applied for at consulates located in India, regardless of applicant nationality; airport-transit visas excluded from headline figures. Refusal rate = visas not issued / visas applied for, computed by us from the counts. Rankings use a floor of 1,000 applications. Last verified 2026-08-18. Full methodology. Download the CSV.