All 17 Schengen visa refusal reasons explained, from the official form

The list below reproduces the grounds exactly as they appear in Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/1155 (consolidated text of 2 February 2020). The plain-language reading after each one is ours.

#	Text on the form (verbatim)	What it usually means, and the repair
1	a false/counterfeit/forged travel document was presented	Rare for genuine applicants. If it happens by mistake (a damaged or tampered passport), get a new passport and evidence of the replacement.
2	justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not provided	The file did not explain the trip well enough: missing itinerary, hotel proof, invitation, or a cover letter that did not match the bookings. Make every document tell the same story.
3	you have not provided proof of sufficient means of subsistence, for the duration of the intended stay or for the return to the country of origin or residence, or for the transit to a third country into which you are certain to be admitted	Bank statements too thin, too short, or unexplained. Show the account your salary lands in over several months, plus fixed deposits or ITRs. See the proof-of-funds guide.
4	you have not provided proof that you are in a position to lawfully acquire sufficient means of subsistence...	The consulate doubted the money is yours to spend (sponsor not credible, sudden deposits). Document the sponsor's relationship and their own means.
5	you have already stayed for 90 days during the current 180-day period on the territory of the Member States on the basis of a uniform visa or a visa with limited territorial validity	The 90/180 rule. Use the calculator before you plan.
6	an alert has been issued in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for the purpose of refusing entry by ...	An entry ban exists. This needs the issuing state's authority, not a new visa file.
7	one or more Member States consider you to be a threat to public policy or internal security	Security ground; rare; contest via the appeal route of the deciding state.
8	one or more Member States consider you to be a threat to public health as defined in point (21) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code)	Public health ground; rare outside epidemic contexts.
9	one or more Member States consider you to be a threat to their international relations	Rare; diplomatic ground.
10	the information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable	The most-searched ground from India. The trip story existed but the consulate did not believe it: cancelled-looking bookings, an itinerary nobody would follow, an invitation that could not be verified. Rebuild the trip so it is coherent and checkable. Dedicated page: reason 10.
11	there are reasonable doubts as to the reliability of the statements made as regards ... (please specify)	Something you wrote or said at the counter contradicted a document. Align the form, the letter and the interview answers.
12	there are reasonable doubts as to the reliability, as to the authenticity of the supporting documents submitted or as to the veracity of their contents	A document looked wrong or could not be verified (employer did not answer, bank letter odd). Use documents that will survive a phone call.
13	there are reasonable doubts as to your intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa	The "ties to home" ground. Employment with approved leave, family, property, business ownership, prior travel history with returns. See how consulates decide.
14	sufficient proof that you have not been in a position to apply for a visa in advance, justifying application for a visa at the border, was not provided	Only applies to visas requested at the external border.
15	justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended airport transit was not provided	Airport transit visas only.
16	you have not provided proof of possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance	The policy did not meet Article 15 (EUR 30,000, all Schengen states, whole stay, repatriation and emergency treatment). See the insurance guide.
17	revocation of the visa was requested by the visa holder	Not a refusal at all; you asked for your visa to be revoked.

Two things the form must also tell you

The form ends with the appeal section: the national law that governs appeals, the authority to lodge with, where to find the procedure, and the deadline. Article 32(3) obliges the deciding state to give this information. If your form's appeal box is blank, that is itself something to raise.

Where these come from in the Regulation

Grounds 1 to 9 and 16 mirror the mandatory refusal grounds in Article 32(1)(a); grounds 10 to 13 mirror Article 32(1)(b), the "reasonable doubts" limb about authenticity, veracity, reliability and intention to leave. That is why 10 to 13 dominate refusals of otherwise complete files: they are the consulate's judgment call.

FAQ

Which refusal reason is most common for Indian applicants?

The European Commission's statistics do not break refusals down by ground, so nobody has an official answer. From the structure of the form, grounds 2, 3, 10, 12 and 13 are the ones that apply to ordinary complete files, and 10 and 13 are the two applicants search for most.

Can two reasons be ticked at once?

Yes. Consulates frequently tick a factual ground (2 or 3) together with a judgment ground (10 or 13).