Schengen visa statistics for India, 2020: who applied, who was refused, and by whom
In 2020, 167,562 uniform visa applications were lodged at Schengen consulates in India (1.7 lakh). 138,484 visas were issued and 28,291 were refused, a refusal rate of 16.9% against 10.8% in 2019. India was the #5 country of application worldwide, behind Russian Federation and Turkey and China and Morocco. Worldwide, 2,924,365 applications were decided that year with a refusal rate of 13.5%.
28,291 refusals out of 167,562 applications lodged in India, 2020
Lowest refusal rate for applicants in India in 2020: 7.3% on 3,156 applications.
Country page →Every state, 2020 (ranked by refusal rate, 1,000+ applications)
| # | Country | Applied | Issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multi-entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 3,156 | 2,620 | 231 | 7.3% | 79.2% |
| 2 | Switzerland | 21,825 | 20,069 | 1,737 | 8.0% | 87.2% |
| 3 | Belgium | 4,994 | 4,424 | 409 | 8.2% | 81.8% |
| 4 | Sweden | 3,935 | 3,638 | 428 | 10.9% | 55.3% |
| 5 | Spain | 11,333 | 9,761 | 1,304 | 11.5% | 10.9% |
| 6 | Finland | 2,424 | 2,116 | 308 | 12.7% | 40.9% |
| 7 | Norway | 2,412 | 2,056 | 353 | 14.6% | 7.1% |
| 8 | Austria | 4,251 | 3,611 | 640 | 15.1% | 99.5% |
| 9 | Germany | 30,793 | 25,847 | 4,895 | 15.9% | 93.0% |
| 10 | Netherlands | 17,027 | 14,066 | 2,789 | 16.4% | 63.7% |
| 11 | Greece | 6,298 | 5,181 | 1,104 | 17.5% | 99.7% |
| 12 | Italy | 15,196 | 12,013 | 3,144 | 20.7% | 95.4% |
| 13 | Hungary | 3,322 | 2,557 | 711 | 21.4% | 41.7% |
| 14 | France | 29,627 | 22,945 | 6,967 | 23.5% | 13.9% |
| 15 | Portugal | 2,214 | 1,663 | 549 | 24.8% | 53.4% |
| 16 | Czech Republic | 3,879 | 2,683 | 1,196 | 30.8% | 40.6% |
| 17 | Poland | 1,685 | 1,145 | 538 | 31.9% | 22.1% |
Consulate table, 2020 (ranked by refusal rate)
| # | Consulate | Applied | Refused | Refusal rate | Multi-entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France in Kolkata | 1,351 | 63 | 4.7% | 13.9% |
| 2 | Spain in Mumbai | 6,467 | 309 | 4.8% | 10.9% |
| 3 | Belgium in Mumbai | 3,399 | 184 | 5.4% | 91.3% |
| 4 | Germany in Kolkata | 1,200 | 75 | 6.2% | 100.0% |
| 5 | Denmark in New Delhi | 3,156 | 231 | 7.3% | 79.2% |
| 6 | Hungary in Mumbai | 1,862 | 140 | 7.5% | 51.0% |
| 7 | Switzerland in New Delhi | 21,825 | 1,737 | 8.0% | 87.2% |
| 8 | Germany in Bengaluru | 7,706 | 824 | 10.7% | 88.1% |
| 9 | Italy in Mumbai | 9,257 | 990 | 10.7% | 96.9% |
| 10 | Sweden in New Delhi | 3,935 | 428 | 10.9% | 55.3% |
| 11 | Germany in Mumbai | 9,514 | 1,093 | 11.5% | 96.0% |
| 12 | France in Mumbai | 8,255 | 1,029 | 12.5% | 14.5% |
| 13 | Finland in New Delhi | 2,424 | 308 | 12.7% | 40.9% |
| 14 | Belgium in New Delhi | 1,595 | 225 | 14.1% | 58.7% |
| 15 | Norway in New Delhi | 2,412 | 353 | 14.6% | 7.1% |
| 16 | France in Puducherry | 3,751 | 559 | 14.9% | 20.2% |
| 17 | Austria in New Delhi | 4,251 | 640 | 15.1% | 99.5% |
| 18 | Netherlands in New Delhi | 17,027 | 2,789 | 16.4% | 63.7% |
| 19 | France in Bengaluru | 5,927 | 1,009 | 17.0% | 5.7% |
| 20 | Greece in New Delhi | 6,298 | 1,104 | 17.5% | 99.7% |
| 21 | Germany in Chennai | 3,666 | 688 | 18.8% | 89.2% |
| 22 | Spain in New Delhi | 4,866 | 995 | 20.4% | 11.0% |
| 23 | Germany in New Delhi | 8,707 | 2,215 | 25.4% | 94.9% |
| 24 | Portugal in New Delhi | 1,753 | 484 | 27.6% | 69.4% |
| 25 | Czech Republic in New Delhi | 3,879 | 1,196 | 30.8% | 40.6% |
| 26 | Italy in New Delhi | 4,982 | 1,771 | 35.5% | 90.9% |
| 27 | Hungary in New Delhi | 1,460 | 571 | 39.1% | 22.7% |
| 28 | France in New Delhi | 10,343 | 4,307 | 41.6% | 16.4% |
Who moved, 2019 to 2020
Percentage-point change in refusal rate for applications lodged in India, states with 1,000+ applications in both years. Negative = easier.
| Country | 2019 | 2020 | Change | Applied 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 6.7% | 7.3% | +0.6 pp | 3,156 |
| Greece | 16.3% | 17.5% | +1.2 pp | 6,298 |
| Belgium | 6.5% | 8.2% | +1.6 pp | 4,994 |
| Switzerland | 5.9% | 8.0% | +2.1 pp | 21,825 |
| Spain | 7.7% | 11.5% | +3.8 pp | 11,333 |
| Sweden | 7.0% | 10.9% | +3.9 pp | 3,935 |
| Germany | 9.9% | 15.9% | +6.0 pp | 30,793 |
| Finland | 6.0% | 12.7% | +6.7 pp | 2,424 |
| Netherlands | 9.3% | 16.4% | +7.1 pp | 17,027 |
| Norway | 7.5% | 14.6% | +7.2 pp | 2,412 |
| Italy | 13.3% | 20.7% | +7.4 pp | 15,196 |
| Portugal | 16.5% | 24.8% | +8.3 pp | 2,214 |
| Austria | 6.0% | 15.1% | +9.0 pp | 4,251 |
| Hungary | 12.3% | 21.4% | +9.1 pp | 3,322 |
| France | 14.1% | 23.5% | +9.5 pp | 29,627 |
| Czech Republic | 20.6% | 30.8% | +10.2 pp | 3,879 |
| Poland | 13.6% | 31.9% | +18.3 pp | 1,685 |
What refusals cost in 2020
The visa fee is not refunded on refusal. At the standard adult fee in force (EUR 80 per application; the standard adult fee rose from EUR 60 to EUR 80 on 2 February 2020), the 28,291 refusals of 2020 represent up to EUR 2,263,280 in non-refundable visa fees alone. This is an upper-bound estimate: children aged 6 to 11 pay half, some categories are exempt, and it excludes outsourcer service charges, insurance, and any bookings lost. The Visa Code fee schedule is on our fee guide.
Questions this page answers
How many Schengen visas were refused for Indians in 2020?
28,291 uniform visa applications lodged in India were refused in 2020, out of 167,562 decided (16.9%).
Which Schengen country refused Indians the most in 2020?
By rate, among states with at least 1,000 applications: Poland at 31.9%. By absolute number: France with 6,967 refusals.
Where did India rank among countries of application for Schengen visas in 2020?
India ranked 5, behind Russian Federation, Turkey, China, Morocco.
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.