With the summer travel season running, many travelers want to explore the diverse beauty and culture of Europe. However, ensuring a Schengen visa can change application requirements and processing times in different countries.
Fortunately, a list of countries with the highest approval rates in 2024 has been revealed to help you plan your trip with statistics published by Schengenvisainfo. As a result, these are Schengen countries that offer the smoothest and fastest visa approval process this summer.
According to statistics, Schengen received more than 101.7 million applications in 2024, with the state granting 84.1% of all applications. In total, Schengen generated an impressive €937.3 million (£833.6 million) from its visa application, while France received its biggest amount at €245.8 million (£220.7 million). The most applications came from China, followed by Turkey with 1.78 million applications. Meanwhile, the UK was the eighth appearance with 470,569 applications.
The approval rate was 85.65%, and Luxembourg had not made a list in 2023.
Surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany, the small European country is mostly rural, with dense Ardennes forests and natural parks to the north, rocky valleys in the Mullertal region to the east, and the Mosel River Valley to the southeast.
Its capital city, Luxembourg, is famous for its old medieval town, perched on thin cliffs.
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Central Europe Central Europe is ranked 9th in Austria, with an approval rate of 85.78%.
Austria, rooted in the Eastern Alps, is a federation of nine states, of which the capital Vienna is the most populous. It occupies more than 32,300 square miles of territory, a country adjacent to eight countries, and is home to around 9 million people.
Vienna is located east of the Danube and is known for its imperial palaces such as Schoenbrunn, a summer residence in Habsburg. Its artistic heritage is shaped by the inhabitants, including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud.
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The approval rate was 85.86%, with Greece's iconic holiday destination in eighth place.
The southeastern European country, which welcomed an incredible 40.7 million foreign visitors in 2024, is made up of thousands of islands in the Aegean and Ionian seas. This includes iconic holiday hotspots such as Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu and Crete.
On the mainland, Athens is the country's capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki and Patras.
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Norway is a Scandinavian country boasting mountains, glaciers and deep coastal fjords, and has placed 7th in the Schengen visa application after 87.20% approved.
The capital, Oslo is a city of green spaces and museums, displaying preserved 9th century viking ships that allow visitors to travel back in time. Featuring colorful wooden houses, Bergen is the starting point for a dramatic Sognafjod cruise. The country is also known for its fishing, hiking and skiing, especially at Lillehammer Olympic resorts.
(Image: Getty)
