Schengen Visa Approval Rates 2024 show that more than half of all applicants were successful, with the overall approval rate sitting at 52.20 percent. But some countries stood out with even better odds. If you’re planning to visit Europe this year, knowing which Schengen states approve more visas can save you time, money, and unnecessary stress.
Once again, Iceland leads the list. In 2024, it approved 91.25 percent of all Schengen visa applications it received. That’s a small dip from the previous year’s 94.26 percent, but there’s a reason. Applications jumped from 22,541 in 2023 to 35,416 in 2024 — an increase of 57.1 percent. Despite the spike, Iceland kept its spot as the most visa-friendly Schengen country.
Schengen Visa Approval Rates 2024: Top Countries You Should Consider
If you’re planning to apply for a Schengen visa this year and want the highest chance of success, these are the countries that topped the list in 2024:
Iceland: 91.25 percent approval
Slovakia: 89.25 percent approval
Italy: 88.72 percent approval
Romania: 88.36 percent approval
Switzerland: 88.12 percent approval
Hungary: 87.23 percent approval
Norway: 87.20 percent approval
Greece: 85.86 percent approval
Austria: 85.78 percent approval
Luxembourg: 85.65 percent approval
These countries have made the process smoother and more efficient, with consulates showing more leniency and consistency in their decision-making. Compared to 2023, there’s a slight shift in rankings, but overall, European destinations like Iceland, Italy, and Switzerland continue to offer good prospects for travelers.
Schengen Visa Approval Rates 2024 by Nationality: Who Had the Best Chances
While country selection matters, your nationality can also play a huge role in whether your visa is approved. In 2024, applicants from certain countries saw extremely high approval rates, particularly those with lower application volumes.
Take Liberia, for example — 97.6 percent of applicants got their visa approved. The numbers were small, with only 125 applications, but nearly all were successful. Vanuatu followed closely with a 95.79 percent approval rate from 261 applications, 250 of which were accepted.
Here are other nationalities that had better-than-average success with their Schengen visa requests:
Liberia: 97.6 percent approved
Vanuatu: 95.79 percent
Zambia: 88.87 percent
Botswana: 83.10 percent
Niger: 78.86 percent
Tajikistan: 60.54 percent
Burundi: 58.63 percent
Haiti: 52.02 percent
Guinea-Bissau: 43.84 percent
Comoros: 36.35 percent
Even though some countries like Comoros had a high number of applicants (2,853) with lower success rates (only 1,037 approved), others like Botswana and Zambia had thousands apply and still came out with strong results. Botswana filed 1,633 applications with 1,357 accepted, while Zambia submitted 2,750 applications and had 2,444 granted.
