Europe continues to remain one of the most preferred travel destinations for Indian tourists. However, newly released Schengen visa data for 2025 reveals that securing a visa was far more difficult in some European countries compared to others.
Several Schengen nations recorded high non-issuance rates for Indian applicants, meaning a significant number of visa applications did not result in approvals.
Here’s a look at the European countries where Indian travellers faced the toughest visa approval challenges.
Slovenia – 46.1% Non-Issuance Rate
Slovenia emerged as the toughest Schengen destination for Indian applicants in 2025.
Nearly one out of every two visa applications submitted by Indians did not result in a visa being granted, making it the country with the highest non-issuance rate on the list.
Bulgaria – 37% Non-Issuance Rate
Bulgaria recorded the second-highest non-issuance rate among Schengen countries.
More than one-third of Indian applicants failed to secure visas, making it one of the most difficult European destinations for travellers from India.
Greece – 33% Non-Issuance Rate
Despite being one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, Greece saw nearly one in three Indian applications fail to receive approval.
More than 13,500 Indian applications reportedly did not result in visas being issued during 2025.
Malta – 31.7% Non-Issuance Rate
The Mediterranean island nation also proved challenging for Indian travellers.
Malta recorded a non-issuance rate above 30%, placing it among the stricter Schengen destinations for visa approvals.
Estonia – 30.1% Non-Issuance Rate
Estonia rounded off the group of countries where nearly three out of every ten Indian visa applications did not receive approvals.
Austria – 21.6% Non-Issuance Rate
Austria’s visa non-issuance rate remained significantly higher than the overall Schengen average.
More than one in five Indian applicants did not receive visas in 2025.
Netherlands – 20.6% Non-Issuance Rate
A major destination for tourism, education, and business travel, the Netherlands still recorded a visa non-issuance rate above 20% for Indian applicants.
Switzerland – 13.6% Non-Issuance Rate
Although Switzerland’s rejection percentage was lower than several countries on this list, it recorded the highest number of non-issued applications from Indians overall.
Around 30,700 applications reportedly did not result in visas due to extremely high demand.
Countries Offering Better Chances For Indians
While some countries showed higher rejection trends, several Schengen destinations recorded comparatively lower non-issuance rates for Indian applicants.
These included:
- Germany – 10.5%
- Italy – 12.7%
- Belgium – 7.7%
- Denmark – 6.9%
These countries offered Indian travellers comparatively better odds of securing a Schengen visa in 2025.
Why Visa Applications Get Rejected
Visa experts say common reasons for non-issuance include:
- Incomplete documentation
- Weak financial proof
- Unclear travel itinerary
- Lack of sufficient travel history
- Inconsistent information
- Insufficient proof of return to India
Travellers are advised to submit complete and accurate documents, maintain strong financial records, and apply well in advance to improve approval chances.
As Europe remains a top destination for Indian tourists, students, and business travellers, understanding country-wise visa trends can help applicants prepare better and choose destinations more strategically.