In 2023, Greece ranked as the sixth most popular Schengen Area country for visa applications, as reported by SchengenVisaInfo. According to SchengenNews, Greece received a total of 627,008 Schengen visa applications, representing over 6% of all applications submitted across the Schengen region.
Turkish citizens were the primary applicants, with 254,377 applications (40.5%), followed by Russian applicants (62,959) and Chinese applicants (35,931).
The data also reveals high rejection rates for specific nationalities, particularly from African and Asian countries. The top five nationalities facing the highest Greek visa rejection rates in 2023 were:
- Pakistanis: Of the 560 applications submitted by Pakistani nationals, 65.54% were rejected, making them the most impacted group.
- Algerians: Algerian applicants faced a 59.54% rejection rate, with 1,230 out of 2,066 applications denied.
- Tunisians: Tunisians had a 56.36% rejection rate, with 1,564 applications rejected.
- Senegalese: With a total of 240 applications, Senegalese applicants experienced a rejection rate of 56.25%, equating to 135 rejections.
- Iraqis: Iraqi nationals submitted 3,568 applications, of which 1,756 were denied, resulting in a 49.22% rejection rate.
These figures highlight the challenges faced by applicants from certain countries in obtaining a Schengen visa through Greece in 2023.
