Latest news with #LAGOCollective
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Cameroonian sued France over denied Schengen visa, won €1,200 in compensation
Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian won a landmark legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was rejected on questionable grounds. Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian, won a legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was unjustly rejected. Despite his rejection, Mboulè successfully contested the decision in French courts, receiving compensation and his visa. In 2024, African applicants collectively lost €60 million in non-refundable Schengen visa fees, with prices recently increased further. Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian won a landmark legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was rejected on questionable grounds. Mboulè's experience has brought renewed attention to long-standing frustrations among African travellers over what many view as discriminatory and opaque visa policies enforced by European countries. Visa rejection despite stronger credentials Mboulè, who was born in France, had applied for the visa alongside his wife, a South African citizen, according to a report by CNN. Though she was unemployed at the time and had no personal income, she received a visa based on Mboulè's financial documents. His application, however, was rejected. 'The embassy said they refused my application because my documents were fake, and they weren't sure I would come back to South Africa, where I am a permanent resident," Mboulè said. The 39-year-old regional executive took legal action in French courts and won, forcing the French embassy in Johannesburg to grant his visa and pay him a fine of 1,200 euros. After he got the visa, he chose to go to Mauritius instead as he didn't want to spend his money in France. But even after he got the visa, he chose to go to Mauritius instead as he didn't want to spend his money in France. Millions lost to Schengen Visa rejections. The Cameroonian's case is unique as many Africans denied Schengen visas rarely appeal or contest the decisions in court. Instead, applicants often reapply, incurring additional costs in the process. In 2024 alone, African applicants lost nearly €60 million ($67.5 million) in non-refundable Schengen visa fees, according to data from the LAGO Collective, a London-based research group tracking global mobility. 'The financial cost of rejected visas is just staggering; you can think of them as 'reverse remittances,' money flowing from poor to rich countries, which we never hear about,' the LAGO Collective's Foresti says.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Cameroonian sues France over denied Schengen visa, wins €1,200 in compensation
Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian won a landmark legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was rejected on questionable grounds. Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian, won a legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was unjustly rejected. Despite his rejection, Mboulè successfully contested the decision in French courts, receiving compensation and his visa. In 2024, African applicants collectively lost €60 million in non-refundable Schengen visa fees, with prices recently increased further. Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian won a landmark legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was rejected on questionable grounds. Mboulè's experience has brought renewed attention to long-standing frustrations among African travellers over what many view as discriminatory and opaque visa policies enforced by European countries. Visa rejection despite stronger credentials Mboulè, who was born in France, had applied for the visa alongside his wife, a South African citizen, according to a report by CNN. Though she was unemployed at the time and had no personal income, she received a visa based on Mboulè's financial documents. His application, however, was rejected. 'The embassy said they refused my application because my documents were fake, and they weren't sure I would come back to South Africa, where I am a permanent resident," Mboulè said. The 39-year-old regional executive took legal action in French courts and won, forcing the French embassy in Johannesburg to grant his visa and pay him a fine of 1,200 euros. After he got the visa, he chose to go to Mauritius instead as he didn't want to spend his money in France. But even after he got the visa, he chose to go to Mauritius instead as he didn't want to spend his money in France. Millions lost to Schengen Visa rejections. The Cameroonian's case is unique as many Africans denied Schengen visas rarely appeal or contest the decisions in court. Instead, applicants often reapply, incurring additional costs in the process. In 2024 alone, African applicants lost nearly €60 million ($67.5 million) in non-refundable Schengen visa fees, according to data from the LAGO Collective, a London-based research group tracking global mobility. 'The financial cost of rejected visas is just staggering; you can think of them as 'reverse remittances,' money flowing from poor to rich countries, which we never hear about,' the LAGO Collective's Foresti says.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Cameroonian denied Schengen visa sued France and won €1,200 in compensation
Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian won a landmark legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was rejected on questionable grounds. Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian, won a legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was unjustly rejected. Despite his rejection, Mboulè successfully contested the decision in French courts, receiving compensation and his visa. In 2024, African applicants collectively lost €60 million in non-refundable Schengen visa fees, with prices recently increased further. Jean Mboulè, a Cameroonian won a landmark legal case against France after his Schengen visa application was rejected on questionable grounds. Mboulè's experience has brought renewed attention to long-standing frustrations among African travellers over what many view as discriminatory and opaque visa policies enforced by European countries. Visa rejection despite stronger credentials Mboulè, who was born in France, had applied for the visa alongside his wife, a South African citizen, according to a report by CNN. Though she was unemployed at the time and had no personal income, she received a visa based on Mboulè's financial documents. His application, however, was rejected. 'The embassy said they refused my application because my documents were fake, and they weren't sure I would come back to South Africa, where I am a permanent resident," Mboulè said. The 39-year-old regional executive took legal action in French courts and won, forcing the French embassy in Johannesburg to grant his visa and pay him a fine of 1,200 euros. After he got the visa, he chose to go to Mauritius instead as he didn't want to spend his money in France. But even after he got the visa, he chose to go to Mauritius instead as he didn't want to spend his money in France. Millions lost to Schengen Visa rejections. The Cameroonian's case is unique as many Africans denied Schengen visas rarely appeal or contest the decisions in court. Instead, applicants often reapply, incurring additional costs in the process. In 2024 alone, African applicants lost nearly €60 million ($67.5 million) in non-refundable Schengen visa fees, according to data from the LAGO Collective, a London-based research group tracking global mobility. 'The financial cost of rejected visas is just staggering; you can think of them as 'reverse remittances,' money flowing from poor to rich countries, which we never hear about,' the LAGO Collective's Foresti says.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Top 10 African countries that lost the most money to EU visa rejections
In 2024, African countries collectively lost tens of millions of euros in non-refundable application fees due to European Union (EU) visa rejections, indicating a growing financial and mobility burden for African travelers. Business Insider Africa presents African countries that lost the most money to E.U. visa rejections The ranking is courtesy the LAGO Collective Nigeria experienced the highest losses, amounting to €4.3 million, followed by Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. These losses incurred by African countries from rejected visa applications stem from a broader category of EU-issued visas, including national visas for study, employment, and long-term residence. Applicants from Africa continue to face some of the highest visa rejection rates globally, often paying high processing fees only to be denied entry, without refund or recourse. In a previous report, Business Insider Africa estimated that African nations lost roughly €60 million (about $67.5 million) due to Schengen visa rejections alone. Alarmingly, six of the ten countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection rates globally are in Africa. Comoros leads with a staggering 61.3% rejection rate, followed by Guinea-Bissau (51%), Ghana (47.5%), Mali (46.1%), Sudan (42.3%), and Senegal (41.2%). New data from the LAGO Collective, reveals the African countries that incurred the highest estimated financial losses from rejected EU visas in 2024. VISA Nigeria tops the list, with €4.3 million lost, followed by Senegal (€2.8 million) and Côte d'Ivoire (€2.2 million). Beyond restricting movement, these high rejection rates and financial loses have real economic consequences, draining resources from individuals and families who often save extensively to afford these applications. The growing trend has intensified calls for more transparent, equitable, and accountable visa processes for African nationals. African countries with most financial loses from rejected E.U visas The table below ranks the top 10 African countries with the highest estimated financial losses from EU visa rejections in 2024. Rank Country Estimated Cost of Rejections (€) 1 Nigeria €4.3 million 2 Senegal €2.8 million 3 Côte d'Ivoire €2.2 million 4 Ghana €2.1 million 5 Cameroon €1.7 million 6 Kenya €1.6 million 7 DR Congo €1.5 million 8 Angola €1.1 million 9 South Africa €927.4 thousand 10 Mali €390.2 thousand
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rejected visa application to Europe cost Africa $68M
Africans paid €60 million ($68 million) for European short-term visa applications that ended up being rejected in 2024. That comprised 40% of the total amount the European Union received from fees for rejected visa applications. Comoros, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, and Ghana had the highest rejection rates for EU visas in 2024, above 45% in each case. But the African countries that experienced the highest year-on-year increases in the cost of rejected visas in 2024 were Eritrea, Botswana, and DR Congo, according to LAGO Collective, a research and creative organization based in London. The agency's analysis concluded that rejected visas are disproportionately more expensive for low- and middle-income countries. 'The financial cost of rejected visas is just staggering,' said Marta Foresti, LAGO Collective's founder. 'You can think of the costs of rejected visas as 'reverse remittances' — money flowing from poor to rich countries — which we rarely hear about,' she said.
