More than 10 million Schengen visas were issued in 2025. The figure may seem impressive. However, it tells a more nuanced story. Six years after the last reference year before the pandemic, the Schengen Area has still not returned to its pre-crisis pace. Applications are increasing, but the recovery remains incomplete.
For tourism professionals, these statistics published by the European Commission offer a valuable indicator of the real state of international flows to Europe.
Summary
The recovery is continuing, but at a moderate pace
Consulates in Schengen Area countries received 11.93 million applications for short-stay visas in 2025. This represents an increase of 1.8% compared to 2024 and 15.5% compared to 2023.
The trend is positive, but the gap with 2019 remains significant. Before the pandemic, more than 17 million applications had been registered. Despite several years of recovery, Europe therefore remains below its historical levels.
The same observation applies to visas issued. Just over 10 million visas were granted in 2025, compared to 9.7 million the previous year. In 2019, this figure was close to 15 million.
The issue is no longer about restarting. It is now about the speed of recovery.
China confirms its return as the leading source market
The main countries from which applications are submitted have changed little.
China regains its position as the leading market with 1.81 million applications registered in 2025. It is far ahead of Turkey, which has 1.27 million applications, and India with 1.15 million.
Russia retains fourth position with nearly 679,000 applications, ahead of Morocco which exceeds 620,000 applications.
This ranking confirms Asia's growing importance in migration flows to Europe. It also highlights the significance of several long-standing markets such as Turkey, Morocco, and Russia, despite sometimes complex geopolitical contexts.
Significant differences in rejection rates
The global rejection rate remained stable at 14.8% in 2025, the same level as in 2024.
Behind this stability, however, lie marked differences between countries.
Senegal has a refusal rate of 51.9%, Burundi 53.4%, Nigeria nearly 48%, and Ghana 46.5%. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the rate reaches 40.1%.
Conversely, several markets are registering much lower levels. China is at just over 4%, while Saudi Arabia remains around 6%.
These differences continue to fuel debates about the accessibility of the Schengen area for certain nationalities.
France remains the main gateway to the Schengen Area
With more than 3.1 million applications registered in 2025, France remains by far the leading country receiving Schengen visa applications.
French consulates issued approximately 2.65 million visas during the year.
Spain comes in second place with more than 1.7 million applications, ahead of Germany which is approaching 1.5 million applications.
Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Switzerland are also among the most sought-after countries.
This concentration illustrates the importance of major European tourist and economic destinations in international flows.
Multiple-entry visas remain the most common
More than half of the Schengen visas issued in 2025 allowed multiple entries into the Schengen area.
In total, 51.2% of the visas granted were multiple-entry visas, representing more than 5.1 million documents.
The proportion even exceeds 85% in several Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman or Kuwait.
This trend reflects the importance of frequent travelers, whether they travel for business, family or tourism reasons.
What these figures really say about European tourism
At first glance, Schengen visas seem like an administrative matter. In reality, they offer a very concrete glimpse into Europe's attractiveness.
The figures published for 2025 show that international demand continues to grow. They also show that the return to pre-Covid levels is taking longer than anticipated.
Even more interestingly, the markets driving growth today are not necessarily the same as before the pandemic. China is regaining its central position, while several Gulf countries are confirming their growing importance in European tourism strategies.
For destinations, airlines, hoteliers and tour operators, the challenge is no longer simply to recover lost volume. It is to understand where international demand now lies and how to better capture it.
Frequently asked questions about Schengen visas
How many Schengen visas were issued in 2025?
The Schengen Area states issued just over 10 million short-stay visas in 2025.
Has the pre-Covid level been returned?
No. Applications remain significantly lower than the 17 million recorded in 2019.
Which country submits the most Schengen visa applications?
China leads the way with 1.81 million applications in 2025.
What is the average rejection rate?
The overall rate remained stable at 14.8%.
Which country receives the most applications?
France remains the top recipient country with over 3.1 million applications submitted.
Europe remains attractive, but global competition is intensifying
Ten million visas issued is considerable. Yet, the gap with 2019 remains immense.
For a long time, Europe enjoyed an almost natural appeal to international travelers. Today, the landscape is different. Asia, the Middle East, and several emerging destinations are investing heavily to attract the same clientele.
The figures for 2025 show that the Schengen Area continues to attract visitors. They also serve as a reminder that no destination can take its attractiveness for granted.
This is probably where part of European tourism competitiveness will be determined in the years to come.
Sources
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