The easiest Schengen country to get a visa — what the numbers really say

Yes, refusal rates differ a lot between Schengen countries — some consulates refuse one applicant in three, others fewer than one in twenty. But the popular advice to "just apply through the easy country" gets applications refused every day, because where you apply is not a free choice: it's set by the main-destination rule. Here's the data, and the legal way to use it.

Refusal rates by destination country

Based on recent European Commission short-stay visa statistics (2023–2024, rounded — rates shift year to year and vary by the consulate handling your file):

Destination	Approx. refusal rate	Reading
Iceland	≈2–5%	Among the lowest — but few consulates worldwide; often outsourced to other countries' consulates
Switzerland	≈10–12%	Consistently below average
Italy	≈12%	High volume, relatively generous
Germany	≈14%	Around the Schengen average; thorough document checks
Spain	≈15–16%	Average; strict on financial minimums
France	≈16%	World's biggest volume; outcomes vary a lot by consulate
Denmark	≈20–22%	Above average
Sweden	≈23%	Above average, strict on ties
Belgium	≈26–27%	Among the strictest
Estonia	≈30%+	Very strict
Malta	≈35–38%	Highest refusal rate in Schengen

Why you can't just pick the easiest one

The main-destination rule: you must apply to the country where you'll spend the most nights; if nights are equal, the country of first entry. Consulates check this against your bookings, and "visa shopping" — applying to an easier country you don't really intend to visit — is itself a refusal ground and a red flag stored in VIS. A France trip filed through Iceland's consulate doesn't look clever to an officer; it looks deceptive.

The legal way to use these numbers

Plan the trip you actually want — then, if your itinerary genuinely splits between countries, weight your nights toward the destination with the friendlier consulate and apply there honestly.
Remember rates are averages across all nationalities: your own nationality's rate at that consulate matters more than the country's global figure. Check our rejection-reasons guides for your passport.
A strong, consistent file at a "hard" consulate beats a weak file at an "easy" one — the top refusal grounds (funds, ties, unreliable bookings) are the same everywhere.

Whichever consulate you choose, they all verify the same things first: flight reservation, hotel nights, insurance and a coherent plan. HatVisa builds that verifiable core for any Schengen destination.

Half of all refusals are booking & paperwork problems. We fix those.

HatVisa prepares the exact documents consulates check first: a verifiable flight reservation with a real PNR, a confirmable hotel booking, compliant travel insurance, a professional cover letter and a day-by-day trip plan — consistent with each other, matching your dates, ready to submit.

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Frequently asked questions

Which Schengen country is easiest for first-time applicants?

Statistically, Iceland, Switzerland and Italy have run the lowest refusal rates in recent years, while Malta, Estonia and Belgium the highest. But the honest answer is: the easiest country is the one that's genuinely your main destination, approached with a complete, verifiable file — first-timers get refused for thin files, not for picking the wrong flag.

Is applying through a different country than my destination illegal?

Applying to a consulate that isn't competent for your trip gets the application refused as inadmissible or rejected on reliability grounds — and repeated attempts pattern-match to visa shopping in VIS. The rule is nights-based and objective; use it, don't fight it.

Does the visa let me visit other Schengen countries anyway?

Yes — a standard short-stay visa is valid for the whole Schengen area. The main-destination rule governs where you apply, not where you may travel once the visa is issued.