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Schengen visa refusal reason 10 explained: "information submitted was not reliable"

Reason 10 is not "your documents were missing". It is "your documents were there and we did not believe them". That distinction decides the repair.

Last verified 2026-08-17
Answers: schengen visa refusal reason 10

The text

Ground 10 on the Annex VI refusal form reads, verbatim: "the information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable". Its legal parent is Article 32(1)(b) of the Visa Code, which requires refusal where "there are reasonable doubts as to the authenticity of the supporting documents submitted by the applicant or the veracity of their contents, the reliability of the statements made by the applicant or his intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for".

Annex VI refusal form: the 17 groundsANNEX VI, VISA CODE (CONSOLIDATED 2 FEBRUARY 2020)STANDARD FORM FOR NOTIFYING REASONS FOR REFUSAL,ANNULMENT OR REVOCATION OF A VISA☐ The visa has been refused ☐ The visa has been annulled ☐ The visa has been revokedThis decision is based on the following reason(s):1.a false/counterfeit/forged travel document was presented2.justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was notprovided3.you have not provided proof of sufficient means of subsistence, for theduration of the intended stay or for the return...4.you have not provided proof that you are in a position to lawfully acquiresufficient means of subsistence...5.you have already stayed for 90 days during the current 180-day period on theterritory of the Member States...6.an alert has been issued in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for thepurpose of refusing entry by ...7.one or more Member States consider you to be a threat to public policy orinternal security8.one or more Member States consider you to be a threat to public health asdefined in point (21) of Article 2 of the Schengen Borders Code9.one or more Member States consider you to be a threat to their internationalrelations10.the information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose andconditions of the intended stay was not reliable11.there are reasonable doubts as to the reliability of the statements made asregards ... (please specify)12.there are reasonable doubts as to the reliability, as to the authenticity ofthe supporting documents submitted or as to the veracity of their contents13.there are reasonable doubts as to your intention to leave the territory of theMember States before the expiry of the visa14.sufficient proof that you have not been in a position to apply for a visa inadvance, justifying application for a visa at the border, was not provided15.justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended airport transitwas not provided16.you have not provided proof of possession of adequate and valid travel medicalinsurance17.revocation of the visa was requested by the visa holderYou may appeal against the decision to refuse/annul/revoke a visa.The rules on appeal ... are set out in (reference to national law): ...Competent authority with which an appeal may be lodged (contact details): ...An appeal must be lodged within (indication of time-limit): ...Shaded: the grounds behind most refusals of complete tourist and family files (2, 3, 10, 12, 13).Ground text verbatim from the Regulation; "..." marks a shortening.
The Annex VI standard form as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/1155, with the five grounds that decide most ordinary files shaded. Read the ticked number first.

What triggers it in practice

Ground 10 is ticked when the purpose-of-stay evidence exists but does not convince. Typical patterns:

  • Hotel and flight bookings that look made to be cancelled (free-cancellation reservations for every night, or reservations that were already cancelled when the consulate checked).
  • An itinerary that no one would follow: five countries in seven days, or overnight jumps that ignore geography.
  • An invitation letter the consulate could not verify by phone or that contradicts the applicant's stated relationship.
  • A cover letter that describes a different trip from the bookings, or copies a template so closely that it reads as generic.
  • A business trip with no meeting agenda, no counterpart letter, or a counterpart who cannot be reached.

Reason 10 versus reason 13

Reason 13 ("reasonable doubts as to your intention to leave") is about you: your anchors to India. Reason 10 is about the trip: whether it is real. A file can fail either alone or both together, and consulates often tick both. If only 10 is ticked, your ties were accepted; the repair is entirely on the trip side. If both, rebuild both.

The repair

  1. Build the itinerary first, then the bookings, then the letter, and make them agree to the day and the city.
  2. Prefer bookings you can hold through the decision. Refundable is fine; visibly cancelled is not.
  3. Give the consulate things it can check: a hotel it can call, an inviter with a landline and an address, an employer letter with a name that will answer.
  4. Write a cover letter that is specific to this trip: dates, cities, who you are seeing, what you are paying, why now. Cut every generic sentence.
  5. If the trip is to visit family or friends, prove the relationship (photos are weak; residence permits, prior visits, and a properly witnessed invitation form where the state uses one are strong).

After a reason-10 refusal

An appeal succeeds only if you can show the consulate misread evidence that was in the file. Because reason 10 is a judgment call on the file's credibility, most applicants do better with a rebuilt application than an appeal. The refusal is recorded in the VIS (Article 32(5)), so the second file will be read against the first; it must be visibly stronger on the exact point that failed.

FAQ

Is reason 10 the same as reason 2?

No. Ground 2 says justification "was not provided" (missing). Ground 10 says what was provided "was not reliable" (present but not believed). The repair for 2 is completeness; for 10 it is credibility.

Can I appeal a reason-10 refusal?

Yes, under Article 32(3), through the deciding state's national procedure stated on your form. Whether it is worth it depends on whether the consulate overlooked evidence you actually submitted.

Sources
  1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20200202

Questions this page answers

Is reason 10 the same as reason 2?

No. Ground 2 says justification "was not provided" (missing). Ground 10 says what was provided "was not reliable" (present but not believed). The repair for 2 is completeness; for 10 it is credibility.

Can I appeal a reason-10 refusal?

Yes, under Article 32(3), through the deciding state's national procedure stated on your form. Whether it is worth it depends on whether the consulate overlooked evidence you actually submitted.