As Schengen visa rejections increase in Turkey, a new study reveals that European Union (EU) states earn $130 million annually from rejected Schengen visa applications.
As Schengen visa applications in Turkey continue to rise amid ongoing debates over rejections, EU Observer has examined the revenue generated by the EU from these applications. Even if visa applications to Schengen countries are rejected, the application fees paid to missions are not refunded. Currently, the application fee stands at 80 Euros for adults, but it is expected to increase to 90 Euros on June 11th following a decision by the EU Commission.
According to findings by Marta Foresti and Otho Mantegazza from LAGO Collective, the EU earned 130 million Euros from visa rejections in 2023. The revenue generated in 2022 was 105 million dollars. According to the findings, 90% of this 130 million Euro revenue came from applications made in African and Asian countries. The research suggests that rejection rates are very high in low-income African countries. EU Observer noted that the number of rejected applications in countries like Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria has reached up to 400% and 50%.
"There are tangible consequences of visa inequality, and the world's poorest are paying the price," said Marta Foresti, founder of LAGO Collective. Foresti added, "You can think of the revenue generated from visa rejections as 'reverse transfers'; money flowing from poor countries to wealthy countries. We never talk about these fees when discussing aid or migration; it's time to change that."
DEFENSE OF REFUGEES ENTERING AND STAYING WITH SCHENGEN
The EU argues that approximately half of the refugees in its 27 member states stay in the Schengen area by exceeding their visa duration. According to the EU Commission, more than 83,000 people were sent back to their countries outside the EU last year.
EU Observer noted that the EU began using Article 25a of the 2019 Visa Code as a political tool to impose visa restrictions on countries with low rates of return migration. This article allows for the imposition of visa restrictions on countries where return migration is low.