Schengen countries under the European Union are making a whole ton of cash from visa applications denials from Kenya.
According to an analysis of data and statistics the Lago Collective immigration research and the Schengen Visa Trends research, the amount that was generated from rejected visa applications from Kenya in the full year 2023 stood at Sh. 150.2 million (€1,036,320 at an exchange rate of 145 per €).
Among the denials, Finland was cited as the most likely to reject visa applications from Kenya, with 56.13 percent of all visa applications denied.
Germany was cited as the top destination for visa applicants from Kenya, followed by France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and Sweden. Czechia on the other hand received the least visa applications from Kenya.
Italy had the highest approval rates at 89.03 per cent while Sweden granted the highest number of visas to Kenyan applicants with an approval rate of 67.14 per cent. The rejection rates for all Kenyan applicants in 2023 was higher than in 2022.
The analysis stated that over the past ten years, Kenyans have spent over Sh. 3.8 billion on visa application fees these countries. Across Africa in 2023, these countries made over Sh. 7.7 billion from rejecting Schengen visa applications by Africans.
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As of 2024, Kenyan nationals must apply for a visa to enter the Schengen area countries. The countries in this area include Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
In most cases, the 27 countries in this area have common rules about visas and controls at external borders and have abolished checks within the Schengen area’s internal borders.
There are however some countries that may require travelers to register with local authorities upon arrival, especially if these travelers are staying in private accommodations.