Countries That Shifted the Most in Schengen Visa Application Rankings in 2024

In 2024, Schengen states received approximately 11.7 million visa applications, a 13.5% increase compared to 2023. While the overall trend was upward, some countries experienced dramatic shifts — either rising in rank or seeing a steep decline in visa application volumes.

Countries With the Most Significant Increases in Visa Applications

Some countries, including those whose citizens do not normally require Schengen visas, saw a surge in visa applications due to filings by foreign nationals residing there. The top climbers include:

1. France

France saw the largest upward shift, jumping 81 places in the ranking. In 2023, it ranked 137th with only 164 applications, but in 2024, that figure skyrocketed to 22,087, making France 56th on the list. This reflects foreign nationals in France filing Schengen visa applications for onward travel.

2. Sweden

Visa applications in Sweden rose from 196 in 2023 to 7,518 in 2024. That moved Sweden up 51 positions, from 135th to 84th. As with France, most of these applications were filed by foreign residents.

3. Eritrea

Eritrea climbed 16 spots, from 104th in 2023 to 88th in 2024. Applications increased from 3,317 to 5,255, showing an increased interest in Schengen travel.

4. Cape Verde

Cape Verde jumped from the 61st to the 49th position, thanks to a 43% increase in applications — from 18,341 in 2023 to 26,204 in 2024.

5. Central African Republic

Applications from this country increased by 35.5%, moving it from 111th in 2023 to 101st in 2024. The number of visa applications rose from 2,211 to 2,996.

Countries With the Sharpest Declines in Visa Applications

On the flip side, several countries witnessed notable drops in visa application volume — primarily due to changes in visa requirements or internal conflict.

1. Kosovo

With the implementation of visa-free travel to the Schengen Area in 2024, Kosovo experienced a 94-position drop — from 21st in 2023 (120,573 applications) to 115th in 2024 (1,499 applications), a 98.7% decrease.

2. Sudan

Due to ongoing conflict and instability, no visa data was recorded for Sudan in 2024. In 2023, Sudanese nationals submitted 2,552 applications.

3. Bulgaria

Bulgaria dropped 33 places, from 91st in 2023 (5,459 applications) to 124th in 2024 with just 650 applications — an 88% decline. This likely reflects reduced filings by foreign nationals.

4. Romania

Visa applications from Romania dropped nearly 79%, from 6,053 in 2023 to 1,292 in 2024. The country fell 31 spots, from 86th to 117th.

5. Greece

Greece fell 29 positions, from 94th in 2023 (4,894 applications) to 123rd in 2024 (762 applications), marking an 84% year-over-year drop.