EU Increases Schengen Visa Fee to €90

The European Union is set to increase the Schengen visa fee for African nationals, adding to the financial burden on those seeking entry into EU countries. Starting Tuesday, the fee will rise from €80 to €90, as revealed by recent Schengen visa statistics.

According to the report, in 2023 alone, African nationals faced 704,000 visa rejections, resulting in substantial financial losses. Specifically, the EU earned €3.4 million from rejected visa applications submitted by Nigerian citizens. Overall, African nationals spent €56.3 million on visa applications that were ultimately rejected, with no refunds provided for these fees.

The increase in visa fees by 12.5% is expected to exacerbate the financial strain on applicants, particularly those from African and Asian countries, which already face high rejection rates. In 2023, these regions accounted for 90% of all visa application expenses, highlighting the disproportionate impact on their citizens.

Algeria had the highest number of rejected visa applications among African countries, with 289,000 rejections, representing 42.3% of all requests from the country. Moroccan nationals faced the highest rejection rate, with 437,000 visa requests denied, amounting to €10.9 million in wasted application fees.

The financial implications of these rejections are significant, especially for nations with low average wages. Marta Foresti, founder of LAGO Collective, pointed out the inequity in the system, referring to the costs of rejected visas as “reverse remittances”—funds flowing from poorer to wealthier nations. She emphasized the need for greater awareness and policy change regarding these hidden costs.

In 2023, Schengen visa rejections generated €130 million, an increase from €105 million the previous year, illustrating a troubling trend of rising expenses and rejection rates for visa applicants.