Ghana Ranked 5th Among Countries With Highest Schengen Visa Rejection Rates
- Ghana has been ranked 5th among countries with highest Schengen Visa rejection rates across the world
- According to a report by Henley & Partners, 18,363 out of a total of 42,124 Ghanaians were rejected by Schengen countries
- This represents a 43.6 per cent rejection rate, one of the highest in the world
Ghana has ranked 5th among countries with the highest Schengen Visa rejection rates.
In a new report by migration consultancy firm Henley & Partners, 18,363 Ghanaians out of a total of 42,124 Ghanaians who applied for a Schengen Visa in 2022 were rejected.
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This represents a 43.6 per cent rejection rate.
The country came after Algeria, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.
Over the years, there has been a steady decline in the number of applications for Schengen Area visas in Europe, coinciding with a significant rise in rejection rates.
Particularly noteworthy is the stricter scrutiny African visa applicants face compared to those from other regions, resulting in a disproportionately high rate of rejections.
In 2022, Africa topped the charts with a rejection rate of 30%, equivalent to one in three denied applications, despite having the lowest per capita visa application numbers.
This rejection rate exceeded the global average by 12.5%.
According to Henley & Partners, rectifying these disparities would demonstrate Europe's dedication to fostering robust business and trade ties between Africa and Europe.
Ghana sees surge in visa applications
The number of visa applications processed in 2023 from Ghana has nearly doubled compared to 2022.
According to Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at VFS Global, applications processed at the Ghana Passport Premium Application Centres run by VFS Global saw a 30% increase in 2023.
It said this reflects a growing desire among Ghanaians to travel abroad.
Ghana filed over 42,000 Schengen visa applications in 2022, with Germany receiving the highest number of applications, followed by France.
Germany also had the highest approval rate for Ghanaian visa applications at 75.4%, while Malta had the lowest approval rate at 26%.
There was also a significant rise in global outbound travel in 2023 in Ghana. Factors contributing to the increased demand for visas included tourism, family visits, educational trips, and business travel.
Viswanathan was speaking during a media outreach session in Accra and advised applicants to apply for visas early due to limited appointment slots.
He also guided applicants, urging them to carry all necessary documentation.
Ghana warned about exodus of nurses
YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana has been warned about the number of annual flights of Ghanaian nurses to the UK and the US.
The International Council of Nurses told the BBC that Ghana's health system could pay a great price in the coming years if the situation persists.
According to the ICN, Ghanaian patients are most at risk of the situation that poor working conditions for health workers in Ghana have triggered.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
