As Bangladesh’s top visa processing agency, we are often asked about the Schengen visa ratio from Bangladesh and which consulates issue the most visas. Since we help many clients, we have our assumptions and internal data, which is insufficient to conclude an overall approval and refusal ratio. So, we had to dig deeper and collect information from the European Commission.
The Commission provides global visa approval and refusal data from all Schengen countries, including visa applications at consulates and border checkpoints. We analyzed the data and picked the one that’s related to Bangladesh.
Below are our findings and analysis of your most frequently asked questions – What’s the Schengen visa ratio, and where should I apply for a better chance of getting my Schengen visa approved?
Type of Schengen Visas Issued
Schengen consulates issue four primary types of visas. Type A, B, C, and D. Let us discuss the type of visas first and explain which category of visas we mainly apply for from Bangladesh.
Type A (Airport Transit Visa): This visa allows you to transit through the international zone of an airport in a Schengen country, but you cannot leave the airport’s international zone. Validity is upto 24 hours.
Type B (Transit Visa): This visa is valid for a maximum of five days and is meant for those passing through the Schengen Area by road, car, or plane to reach a non-Schengen country. Basically, you use this transit visa to leave the airport and go to another destination country. Validity is 5 days.
Type C (Short-Stay Visa): This is the most common type of visa and is issued for short stays within the Schengen Area. The duration of the stay is mentioned on the visa sticker itself, and it must be less than 90 days. Based on travel purposes, this visa can be single, double, or multiple entries. This is the most common type of visa that we apply from Bangladesh.
Type D (National Visa): This is a long-term visa issued for those travelling to a Schengen country for specific purposes, such as work, study, or other long-term stays. It can be single-entry or multiple-entry. The visa is valid for longer than 90 days and has no maximum validity period. It is at the discretion of the consulate.
Limited Territorial Validity Visas (LTV): Out of the four major visa categories, there is another type of visa that is issued under special circumstances: Limited Territorial Validity Visas (LTV). We have seen this visa issued for humanitarian or compassionate reasons. Visa validity is upto 90 days.
Schengen Visa Jurisdiction in Bangladesh
Though there are 29 Schengen countries at this moment, only 7 consulates process type C Schengen visit visas: Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, France, and Germany. The country that doesn’t have a consulate in Dhaka is represented by another consulate. We have a detailed Schengen jurisdiction guide to help you understand the Schengen consulates and their jurisdictions.
Schengen Type C Visa Statistics
The data presented is for the visitor/ business visas (Type - C) applied in various consulates in Bangladesh.
What are our thoughts on the data?
Italy has the highest refusal rate, standing at 59%, whereas Switzerland has the lowest refusal rate at 21.9%. So, before you apply for your next Schengen visa, please carefully look at the data and strategically decide exactly where you should apply.
Schengen Type A Visa Statistics
The data presented is for the Airport transit visas (ATVs) applied for (Type - A & B) applied in various consulates in Bangladesh.
As the data says, the Schengen consulates in Bangladesh don’t receive many type A visa applications, and even if they do, the approval case is rare.
Per our understanding, we have many flight alternatives to the destination country from Bangladesh that don’t involve or have a stopover in Schengen countries. Since direct or Middle Eastern stopover flights are available, Schengen consulates tend to refuse stopover/ type A visa applications for us.
So, if you are planning for a stopover in a Schengen country en route to the United Kingdom or countries in North America, don’t just do it! Instead, you can apply for a type C visa, spend a few days in Schengen countries, and then fly to your last destination. Otherwise, book a flight that doesn’t involve a Schengen airport!
This is the most updated Schengen visa approval and refusal data from the European Commission. We have the same data on our website from 2014 to 2022 here.