8 Reasons for Schengen visa denial,& how to avoid them
Reasons for Schengen visa denial that you’ve not been paying attention to (and how to avoid them)
Some reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria are just too difficult to figure out on your own. So, if you would soon apply for a Schengen visa, reading this post will help you.
Most Schengen embassies are too occupied with applications that they do not breakdown the reasons for a refusal. Instead, they just say: justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable.
In reality, this can mean a lot of different things. It just depends on the profile of the applicant and what the applicant has submitted for their application.
Sadly, many Nigerians do not have the secrets shared in this post. And this is why they keep applying for a Schengen visa and getting denied.
So, as a would-be applicant, it is your duty to study the reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria. Only then would you be able to avoid them.
Visa denial is prone to happen when there is a mistake in your application. It also occurs when you provide false documentation. But there are other reasons why the embassy may decide to deny your visa request. Learn about these reasons below.
Some major reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria
Watch out for the major reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria. Already, many applications from Nigeria contain these errors. Avoiding them will help your application stand out at once. Then you can use this advantage to draw the attention of a visa officer and get your Schengen visa.
#1 – Unreasonable travel duration and purpose of the trip
The embassy may not approve your Schengen visa if you do not have a genuine purpose for a visit. Applicants must provide a document that states the reasons for their trips to Schengen countries. These documents include invitation letters, hotel and flight reservations, and leave letters from work.
The Schengen visa officer is an expert at identifying applicants who do not have valid travel purposes. One of the ways to know this person is through their travel dates.
To these officers, it is unreasonable to ask for a visa to travel for months when you have responsibilities to attend to in Nigeria.
Once there is the error of unreasonable travel date or purpose of visit, the visa officer denies the application. They fear that you are planning to travel out and not return to Nigeria. Or that you plan to seek jobs in the Schengen country while holding a tourist visa.
#2 – Failure to disclose previous Schengen visa refusal and having an existing criminal record
Some applicants wrongly believe that not mentioning their previous Schengen visa refusal is safe. For example, they think they can apply for a France Schengen visa without disclosing their previous refusal at the German embassy. But this is not true.
Schengen countries share the same data bank. So, they can see your previous refusal and the reasons for it. So, the best way to handle a previous refusal is to mention it on the application form.
Moreover, if an applicant with a criminal record applies for a visa, the embassy will notify the ban. So it is not recommended to apply for a visa with an existing criminal record.
#3 – Irrelevant financial document and insufficient funds for the trip
Many Nigerian applicants wrongly assume that any close tie can sponsor their trip for their visa application. And this is one of the reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria.
Those that may sponsor your trip, to increase your chances of getting the visa, are your parents and spouse. But it is not enough that your sponsor is your spouse or parent.
You also have to prove that they are your relative – especially when they have different surnames. This evidence includes a marriage certificate and birth certificate.
If you are not a student, it is better to be your own sponsor. Schengen visa officers find it hard to believe that a relative is willing to sponsor your trip. Also, the officer is concerned about your personal financial ties to Nigeria and not your sponsors.
Moreover, there is a minimum balance required for a Schengen visa application for a single applicant. It is better to submit a bank statement with more than the required balance to increase your chances of getting a visa.
#4 – Lack of previous travel history
While there are many first-timer who got their Schengen visas at the first trial, Schengen countries prefer those with travel experience.
So, try to visit Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, or Dubai before applying for a Schengen visa. Your travel experience will help you stand out.
However, note that the travel experience is not as important as your bank statement of account. It is also not as prominent as an unreasonable travel duration on the application.
#5 – Failure to provide valid flight and hotel reservations
This is also one of the major reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria. An applicant visa approval is at stake when there is no proper proof of travel itinerary. As an applicant, you need to have a proper plan for your trip to Schengen Area. Therefore, you will need a proper travel itinerary to safeguard your Schengen visa approval. In other words, proof of your reserved flight tickets and accommodation are required to get a Schengen visa approval.
An applicant that fails to present proof of accommodation at the embassy may experience visa denial. As a Nigerian applicant, you need to present proof of accommodation. This may be an invitation letter (if someone is inviting you over) or a hotel booking.
Flyibat helps Nigerian applicants make hotel and flight reservations at affordable fees. If you do not want to pay expensive nightly rates at hotels for your visa application, speak to us at Flyibat. We will help make these reservations without wasting time.
#6 – Invalid/fake documentation
This is a serious reason for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria. An applicant that provides fake travel documents can never get visa approval. In fact, it may cause a visa ban. As a Nigerian applicant, you must provide valid travel documents before getting a Schengen visa approval.
#7 – Lack of appropriate Schengen travel insurance
The other reason for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria is the lack of proper Schengen travel insurance. Your Schengen visa application may be denied if you fail to provide travel insurance that works for Schengen countries. Also, the insurance duration has to fit your proposed travel date.
Talk to us at Flyibat for your Schengen travel insurance. We are partners with top insurance companies whose coverage has been approved by Schengen embassies. Our rates are cheap as well.
#8 – Lack of cover letter in a Schengen visa application
Only a few Schengen countries interview a visa applicant. Some of them are Germany and Austria. The rest of them like France, Netherlands, Spain, and Italy do not hold visa interviews.
In this case, it is difficult for a visa applicant to provide detailed information about themselves and their trip. And this is a Major reason for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria.
The right thing to do is to include a cover letter that explains more about the documentation and trip. Additional information may cover the use of two bank statements or a breakdown of daily activities for a trip.
Flyibat helps plan and construct cover letters that convince the embassy of the genuineness of the purpose of the trip. If you require one, speak to us. Our visa officers are expert trip planners and will work with you closely to get your Schengen visa.
Other concerns on the major reasons for Schengen visa denial
- Chances of getting a Schengen visa after rejection
Are you unsure about the chances of getting a Schengen visa after rejection? This post also highlights the chances of getting a Schengen visa after rejection.
As a Nigerian applicant, you can apply for a Schengen visa almost immediately after rejection.
But, it is better when you understand why your application was rejected at first. Providing the same documents and information may result in rejection for the second time. Therefore, adjusting and providing additional information may increase your chances of getting a Schengen visa after reapplying.
- Do Embassies know about visa refusal in other countries?
Some embassies share information about visa applications while others do not. However, it all depends on which country you are talking about. Schengen countries do share information about their visa applications.
Schengen countries use the same visa application system and can use that to pull your visa refusal information. So, if any Schengen embassy rejects your visa, the information about your visa refusal may get to the other Schengen embassy.
It is recommended that you involve experts when applying for a Schengen visa in Nigeria. Contact Flyibat and discuss your profile and circumstance. And we will help you avoid costly visa application mistakes.
- Schengen visa rejection letter
A visa rejection does not come in an oral presentation but rather as a document. So, a Schengen visa rejection letter is a document that states the official statement of applicants’ visa rejection.
This letter is issued by the embassy to the applicant whenever there is an unsatisfying report/information on the visa application.
- Schengen visa refusal rate by country
Wondering about the country with the highest Schengen visa refusals? Well, scroll down a little. A recent study carried out by the European Commission revealed that France issued 3.3 million visas in 2018.
Making France the country with the highest Schengen visa. Germany is the second country that issued the highest Schengen visa in 2018, then followed by Italy.
However, here is the list of the top 10 countries with the highest rate of Schengen visa refusals. Also, this post provides information on the top 10 countries with the lowest rate of Schengen visa refusals.
Starting with the top 10 countries that grant Schengen visas the most:
- Lithuania – 1.33%
- Estonia – 1.61%
- Iceland – 1.67%
- Finland – 1.75%
- Latvia – 2.09%
- Poland – 2.98%
- Luxembourg – 3.69%
- Slovakia – 4.17%
- Czech Republic – 4.71%
- Greece – 4.91%
Top 10 countries that denials Schengen visas the most:
- Malta – 20.45%
- Belgium – 16.79%
- Portugal – 16.58%
- France – 15.71%
- Netherlands – 12.62%
- Sweden – 11.69%
- Slovenia – 9.97%
- Norway – 9.50%
- Spain – 9.26%
- Germany – 9.08%
Conclusion on the major reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria
Note that, some of the information listed is not ONLY applicable to Schengen visa but any type of visa application. However, Schengen visa denial mostly occurs when there is something unsatisfactory about an applicant’s visa application.
Also, an applicant may reapply for a Schengen visa when the first visa application is rejected. As a determined Nigerian applicant, the need to evaluate the reasons for Schengen visa denial in Nigeria is very crucial.
Ask Flyibat to help you evaluate your visa application. This will help you avoid making another mistake that may lead to yet another refusal. For evaluation and professional advice, click here