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

Spain vs Switzerland: Schengen visa odds for applicants in India (2025)

In 2025, Spain refused 15.2% of the 90,720 applications lodged with it in India; Switzerland refused 13.6% of 226,044. Switzerland was the more lenient of the two by 1.7 percentage points. Multi-entry share: Spain 16.1%, Switzerland 80.6%.

Verdict from the data: Switzerland said no less often than Spain in 2025 (13.6% vs 15.2%). The gap is under 2 points, which is noise at the level of an individual file: your documents matter far more than this choice. Remember: you must apply to your main destination (Article 5, Visa Code), so this page informs planning, not consulate shopping.

Spain

15.2%

refused of 90,720 applications (2025). Issued 75,906, 16.1% multi-entry. Consulates in India: Mumbai (11.6%), New Delhi (19.8%).

Switzerland

13.6%

refused of 226,044 applications (2025). Issued 195,369, 80.6% multi-entry. Consulates in India: New Delhi (13.6%).

17 years side by side

Year	Spain applied	Spain refusal	Switzerland applied	Switzerland refusal	Gap (pp)	India avg
2025	90,720	15.2%	226,044	13.6%	+1.7 pp	15.7%
2024	97,204	15.6%	217,373	12.0%	+3.6 pp	14.9%
2023	91,863	14.6%	189,646	11.9%	+2.7 pp	15.7%
2022	80,098	18.5%	106,025	13.2%	+5.4 pp	18.0%
2021	12,688	21.5%	19,645	21.0%	+0.5 pp	22.8%
2020	11,333	11.5%	21,825	8.0%	+3.5 pp	16.9%
2019	74,028	7.7%	171,004	5.9%	+1.9 pp	10.8%
2018	67,248	7.7%	161,403	5.3%	+2.4 pp	9.3%
2017	54,431	9.2%	130,857	5.2%	+4.0 pp	8.5%
2016	53,048	8.8%	103,300	6.8%	+2.0 pp	8.2%
2015	42,544	7.4%	109,487	2.8%	+4.6 pp	6.5%
2014	34,910	7.2%	89,051	3.0%	+4.3 pp	0.0%
2013	31,146	7.1%	93,438	4.7%	+2.3 pp	6.2%
2012	28,789	9.7%	94,724	3.7%	+6.0 pp	6.1%
2011	27,860	10.2%	74,983	2.8%	+7.4 pp	6.9%
2010	18,856	8.5%	63,541	2.7%	+5.8 pp	6.5%
2009	16,740	8.6%	50,822	6.2%	+2.5 pp	7.8%

Gap = Spain minus Switzerland refusal rate; positive means Spain was stricter that year.

What separates them

Over the whole period, Spain's refusal rate for applications lodged in India moved from 8.6% (2009) to 15.2% (2025); Switzerland's from 6.2% to 13.6%. Volume tells the other half: Spain decided 90,720 files in 2025 against Switzerland's 226,044, so Switzerland carries the heavier queue. On multi-entry visas, Switzerland was the more generous (80.6% vs 16.1%), which matters if you plan to return within the visa's validity.

Questions this page answers

Is it easier to get a Spain or a Switzerland Schengen visa from India?

On 2025 refusal rates, Switzerland (13.6%) refused a smaller share of Indian applicants than Spain (15.2%). 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, Spain or Switzerland?

In 2025, Spain: 16.1% multi-entry share; Switzerland: 80.6%.

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.