Shapes of Visa Inequality: Federica Fragapane X LAGO

Rejections and Costs - 2025 Edition

Visa rejections (slide 1): the poorer a person’s country of application, the more likely that their Schengen visitor and tourist short term visa will be rejected. As a result, African applicants are disproportionately affected.  

Visa costs (slide 2 & 3): the total loss in non-refundable fees (€90) for rejected short-term Schengen visas is €145M, 90% in Africa and Asia (slide 2). Once the number of applications is taken into account, people in Africa are again disproportionately affected, paying €60M in rejected visas (slide 3).

The Value of $100 - 2025 Edition

Visa rejections (slide 1): the poorer a person’s country of application, the more likely that their Schengen visitor and tourist short term visa will be rejected. As a result, African applicants are disproportionately affected.  

Visa costs (slide 2 & 3): the total loss in non-refundable fees (€90) for rejected short-term Schengen visas is €145M, 90% in Africa and Asia (slide 2). Once the number of applications is taken into account, people in Africa are again disproportionately affected, paying €60M in rejected visas (slide 3).

Rejections - 2023 Edition

Visa rejections (slide 1): the poorer a person’s country of application, the more likely that their Schengen visitor and tourist short term visa will be rejected. As a result, African applicants are disproportionately affected.  

Visa costs (slide 2 & 3): the total loss in non-refundable fees (€90) for rejected short-term Schengen visas is €145M, 90% in Africa and Asia (slide 2). Once the number of applications is taken into account, people in Africa are again disproportionately affected, paying €60M in rejected visas (slide 3).