✅ Fact-checked & Reviewed by Rajibul Hasan
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, our assumptions and internal data are insufficient to determine an overall approval-to-refusal ratio. So, we had to dig deeper and collect information from the European Commission.
The Commission provides global visa approval and refusal data for all Schengen countries, including data on 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. Types A, B, C, and D. Let us discuss the types of visas first and explain which categories 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 up to 24 hours.
Type B (Transit Visa): This visa is valid for up to 5 days and is intended 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 travel to another destination. 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 stated on the visa sticker, and it must be less than 90 days. Depending on the purpose of travel, this visa can be single-, double-, or multiple-entry. This is the most common type of visa that we apply for 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 up to 90 days.
Schengen Visa Jurisdiction in Bangladesh
Although there are 29 Schengen countries at the moment, only 7 consulates process type C Schengen visas: Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, France, and Germany. The country without 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.
| Consulate | Application | Approved | Multiple Entry | ME Rate | Total LTVs issued | Refused | Refusal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 13.705,00 | 5.599,00 | 5.192,00 | 92.7% | 14 | 8.092 | 59.0% |
| Spain | 2.167,00 | 1.338,00 | 130,00 | 9.7% | 1 | 629 | 32.0% |
| Sweden | 11.416,00 | 6.363,00 | 945,00 | 14.9% | 21 | 4.793 | 42.9% |
| Switzerland | 1.600,00 | 1.245,00 | 541,00 | 43.5% | 5 | 350 | 21.9% |
| Denmark | 1.694,00 | 1.271,00 | 238,00 | 18.7% | 394 | 23.7% | |
| France | 4.391,00 | 2.808,00 | 355,00 | 12.6% | 6 | 1.618 | 36.5% |
| Germany | 4.745,00 | 3.570,00 | 3.565,00 | 99.9% | 14 | 1.139 | 24.1% |
What are our thoughts on the data?
Italy has the highest refusal rate, at 59%, whereas Switzerland has the lowest, at 21.9%. So, before you apply for your next Schengen visa, please carefully review the data and strategically decide exactly where to 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.
| Consulate | Application | Approved | Multiple Entry | Refused | Refusal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0 | |
| Spain | 4,00 | 4 | 100.0% | ||
| Sweden | 3,00 | 2,00 | 1 | 33.3% | |
| Switzerland | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0 | |
| Denmark | 2,00 | 2 | 100.0% | ||
| France | 4,00 | 2,00 | 2 | 50.0% | |
| Germany | 4,00 | 1,00 | 0,00 | 3 | 75.0% |
As the data show, the Schengen consulates in Bangladesh don’t receive many Type A visa applications, and even when they do, approvals are 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 a stopover in a Schengen country en route to the United Kingdom or North American countries, 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 up-to-date data on Schengen visa approvals and refusals from the European Commission. We have the same data from 2014 to 2022 on our website here.