Austria Processed Just 2% of Schengen Visa Applications in 2024

Austria processed a total of 262,017 Schengen visa applications in 2024, accounting for just 2.24% of the 11.7 million applications submitted to Schengen member states last year. While this places Austria in eighth position among Schengen countries by application volume, its rejection rate and fee revenue stand out.

Over 35,000 Visa Applications Rejected in Austria

Out of the total applications received, 35,817 were rejected by Austrian authorities, resulting in a rejection rate of 13.7%. This means roughly 1 in 7 applicants were denied a visa to enter Austria or the Schengen Area through Austrian consulates.

Top Countries Applying for Austrian Visas in 2024

The majority of Schengen visa requests to Austria came from just five countries, which together accounted for 60% of all applications — a total of 157,641.

Here’s a breakdown of top nationalities applying for Austrian Schengen visas in 2024:

• ?? China: 51,761 applications (~20%)
• ?? India: 43,504 applications (16.6%)
• ?? Saudi Arabia: 24,782 applications (9.4%)
• ?? Türkiye: 23,171 applications (8.8%)
• ?? Thailand: 14,423 applications (5.5%)

Highest Visa Approval Rates by Nationality

Some nationalities had exceptionally high visa approval rates when applying through Austrian consulates:

• ?? Taiwan – 100% approval, all 174 applications approved
• ?? Ireland – 99.51% approval, with 1,215 visas issued (Note: Irish citizens don’t need Schengen visas; these may involve dual nationals or residents)
• ?? Indonesia – 99.02% approval, with 4,126 out of 4,167 approved
• ?? Thailand – 98.29% approval, with 14,177 out of 14,423 approved
• ?? Australia – 98.27% approval, with 4,603 out of 4,684 approved

Austria Earned €22.2 Million in Visa Fees in 2024

Based on an estimated average visa fee of €85, Austria generated approximately €22.2 million in Schengen visa fee revenue in 2024. This figure factors in the visa fee hike from €80 to €90, which took effect in June 2024.

• Revenue from rejected applications alone was over €3 million, derived from the 35,817 denied requests.

Nationalities With the Highest Rejection Rates

Certain nationalities faced particularly high rejection rates for Austrian Schengen visas:

• ?? Pakistan – 83.55% rejection rate
• ?? Syria – 50.84%
• ?? Senegal – 50.65%
• ?? Ethiopia – 41.8%
• ?? Morocco – 41.17%

Austria’s share of Schengen visa activity remains relatively modest compared to major destinations like France, Spain, or Germany. However, the data highlights meaningful insights into visa demand by nationality, approval trends, and financial implications of visa processing.