While thousands of UAE residents are rushing to finalise travel plans ahead of the upcoming two-month school summer break, securing a European visa is proving to be a major challenge for many holidaymakers.
A smooth Schengen getaway is far from guaranteed, with the latest visa statistics from the European Commission highlighting sharp differences in approval and rejection rates across consulates handling applications from the UAE.
Globally, EU and Schengen-associated consulates received nearly 12 million short-stay visa applications in 2025, marking a 1.8 percent rise from 2024 and a 15.5 percent increase compared to 2023. However, demand still remains below pre-pandemic levels, with 17 million applications recorded in 2019.
Over 10 million visas were issued worldwide in 2025, reflecting a 3 percent increase from the previous year. While the global refusal rate stood at 14.8 percent, figures from the UAE show a much more uneven picture depending on the destination country.
As reported on Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No.1 Radio Station, several European consulates operating in the country have recorded significantly higher rejection rates, with some turning away more than one-third—and in certain cases, over half—of all applicants.
According to the data, Bulgaria ranks as the hardest Schengen visa to obtain from the UAE, with a rejection rate of 58.2 percent. Out of 4,494 applications, 2,473 were refused.
Luxembourg follows with a 48.5 percent refusal rate, denying nearly one in two applicants, while Estonia ranks third at 46.4 percent across 468 applications processed.
Other popular destinations also show relatively high rejection levels. Malta recorded a 45.9 percent refusal rate from 7,079 applicants, while Croatia rejected 42.6 percent of 2,092 applications. Sweden, a popular Nordic destination, turned down 40.7 percent of its 6,312 applicants.
Hungary, which crossed 10,000 applications from the UAE, rejected 35.2 percent of applicants, amounting to 3,636 refusals. Poland also remains on the higher end with a 32.5 percent rejection rate.
Denmark and Slovakia complete the list of the top ten most restrictive Schengen destinations for UAE applicants. Denmark processed 17,288 applications but rejected 31.8 percent, while Slovakia recorded a 31.5 percent refusal rate from 1,110 applications.
Experts note that while smaller European states often show higher percentages due to lower application volumes, several mainstream destinations also feature surprisingly strict approval trends for UAE travellers.
The data further suggests that travellers looking for smoother approval chances may benefit from focusing on countries with stronger approval records such as Spain, France and Germany, which continue to remain among the more accessible Schengen destinations for UAE residents planning summer travel.
