Latest news with #SchengenVisaInfo
The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
The EU countries mostly likely to approve your 2025 Schengen visa
Schengen visas are hot commodities for travellers wishing to visit European nations this Northern Hemisphere summer, and according to SchengenVisaInfo , there are 10 countries who are most likely to issue you a Schengen visa for your travels. According to statistics, the list of EU countries that had the highest approval rates in 2024 was again used to predict which would allow the most visitors in 2025. This list was led by Iceland, which approved 91.25 percent of the applications it received for 2024. The easiest countries to grant you a visa this year, based on their approval rates in 2024, are as follows: Iceland – 91.25 percent of Schengen visa applications filed in 2024 were approved. Slovakia – 89.25 percent were approved. Italy – 88.72 percent were approved. Romania – 88.36 percent of Schengen visa applications were approved. Switzerland – 88.12 percent were approved. Hungary – 87.23 percent were approved. Norway – 87.20 percent of Schengen visa applications were approved. Greece – 85.86 percent were approved. Austria – 85.78 percent of applications were approved. Luxembourg – 85.65 percent were approved. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Bourita: Morocco's Visa Policy Based on Reciprocity, National Interest
Doha – Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita outlined Morocco's visa policy principles during a session at the Chamber of Counselors on Tuesday, emphasizing that the country adopts a sovereign approach based on political, historical, economic, and social considerations. Speaking during the weekly oral questions session, Bourita explained that Morocco's visa policy rests on three fundamental principles: reciprocity, protection of economic and political interests, and flexibility adapted to specific contexts. 'Each country is free to establish its own rules,' Bourita stated as he addressed questions about Morocco's e-visa system. He noted that the cost and security features of the Moroccan e-visa have evolved in line with international standards. The minister mentioned that visa prices increased last month, with e-visa platforms charging additional fees for expedited processing, such as obtaining an e-visa within 24 hours. Regarding Schengen visas, Bourita provided specific figures, reporting that European Union countries issued approximately 610,000 visas to Moroccan citizens in 2024, with a rejection rate of about 20%. France alone granted 283,000 visas to Moroccans, representing a 17% increase compared to the previous year. According to the minister, this represents the highest number of visas France has issued to any non-OECD country. Recent data shows Morocco now ranks fourth globally for Schengen visa applications in 2024, following only China, India, and Turkey. According to SchengenVisaInfo, 11,716,723 Schengen visa applications were submitted to EU countries in 2024, marking a 13.5% increase compared to the previous year, though still below pre-pandemic levels of nearly 17 million in 2019. Read also: Morocco Signed 7,500 International Agreements, Two-Thirds Under King Mohammed VI Bourita acknowledged challenges Moroccan citizens face when applying for Schengen visas, warning against certain practices by diplomatic representations or intermediaries that 'undermine the dignity of Moroccan citizens.' He affirmed that the country cannot tolerate such behaviors and reserves the right to respond accordingly. The black market for visa appointments has become a serious issue for Moroccan applicants. Intermediaries have been exploiting online appointment systems, using advanced software to snatch slots and resell them at prices reaching up to MAD 10,000 (around $1,000). The minister also addressed complaints handling, revealing that 1,345 requests and complaints were processed in 2024 through the national complaints portal ' These were categorized into four main types: consular matters, civil status requests, criminal issues, and social concerns. Bourita explained that complaints falling within the ministry's direct jurisdiction are handled internally, while others are forwarded to relevant departments or the Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad. Close coordination with the Mediator institution ensures proper follow-up of cases. Visa injustice and diaspora potential dominate policy talks The discussion of Morocco's visa policy comes amid growing parliamentary pressure to implement reciprocal measures against European countries. In March, parliamentarians Khalid Es-Satte and Loubna Alaoui requested that the Foreign Ministry consider imposing visa requirements on European citizens entering Morocco, arguing that European countries generate significant revenue from fees charged to Moroccans while Europeans can enter the country without restrictions. This proposal emerged amid frustration over difficulties Moroccans face when applying for Schengen visas. In 2023, Moroccans lost MAD 118 million ($11.8 million) due to rejected Schengen visa applications, with a total of 136,367 refusals. More than half were processed by Spanish and French embassies and consulates. Hanane Atarguine, a deputy from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), has advocated for reimbursing fees to applicants whose visas are denied, pointing to the financial and psychological burden the current process places on many Moroccans. In contrast to potential reciprocal measures against European countries, Morocco has demonstrated restraint regarding Algeria's unilateral decision to reimpose visa requirements on Moroccan citizens in September 2024. Algeria claimed the decision was necessary to combat 'organized crime networks, drug and human trafficking, illegal immigration, and espionage,' allegedly conducted by Morocco—accusations made without supporting evidence. When Morocco imposed visas on Algerians in 1994 following a hotel bombing in Marrakech, Algeria reciprocated. Morocco unilaterally lifted the requirement for Algerians in 2004, with Algeria following suit for Moroccans in 2005. Despite Algeria's recent reimposition of visa requirements on Moroccans, Morocco has chosen not to respond in kind for Algerian citizens. As the visa policy debate continues, Bourita stressed the need to better leverage the potential of Moroccan expatriates, particularly through creating a dedicated database of Moroccan talents abroad. He noted that investments from the Moroccan diaspora, estimated at 6 million people across more than 100 countries (with 80% concentrated in six European countries), represent only about 10% of their remittances. This figure must be increased to make these competencies a true driver of national development, Bourita concluded. Tags: Nasser BouritaVisas
Morocco World
22-05-2025
- Morocco World
‘MAD 6,000 for Visa Slot': Outcry Over Intermediary Exploitation
Rabat – Moroccan YouTuber and streamer Bilal Fraiha has taken to social media to share his frustration over intermediaries who demand exorbitant fees in exchange for securing visa appointments. His video has reignited a long-standing public outcry, as many Moroccans continue to struggle with intermediaries who book all available appointments and then resell them at unreasonably high prices, leaving genuine visa-seekers unable to apply through official channels. 'This is not okay, we should not normalize such actions .. Why should I have to give someone MAD 4,000 just to book me a visa appointment?' Fraiha questioned. 'And on top of that, my application could easily be rejected, for no clear reason, and the MAD 4,000 would go to waste,' added the social media personality. While Fraiha personally encountered intermediaries asking for MAD 4,000, he noted that some people have been asked to pay up to MAD 5,000 and MAD 6,000. He called on authorities to intervene and put an end to these exploitations and brokers who manipulate the appointment system. This troubling trend has persisted for years now, with Moroccan Schengen visa applicants, including students, professionals, and tourists, falling victim to these practices. 'Students who have already enrolled in European Union universities are currently the most affected, as they need to obtain a visa in order to be able to enter the country they will be pursuing their studies,' Schengen Visa Info said in a 2023 report. According to reports, these intermediaries use automated bots to secure appointments as soon as they become available, leaving no choice for visa seekers but to pay the unreasonably high prices, sometimes reaching MAD 10,000. Tags: Moroccovisa applicationsvisa fees
Morocco World
19-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Ranks 4th Globally for Schengen Visa Applications in 2024
Doha – Morocco has secured the fourth position worldwide for Schengen visa applications in 2024. The North African country follows only China, India, and Turkey in the global ranking, according to recent data. SchengenVisaInfo reveals that 11,716,723 Schengen visa applications were submitted to EU countries in 2024. This represents a 13.5% increase compared to the previous year. Despite this growth, numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels of nearly 17 million in 2019. Moroccans now outrank Russians, who were once the largest group of Schengen visa applicants. Several factors explain this slow recovery, including persistent restrictions for certain nationals and higher rejection rates that discourage potential applicants. France remains the top destination for Schengen visa seekers, receiving over a quarter of all applications worldwide. Moroccans constitute the second-largest group of applicants for France, after Algerians, with 282,153 applications in 2024. Spain has overtaken Germany as the second most popular Schengen destination, with 1.6 million applications. Meanwhile, Germany has dropped to third place with 1.5 million applications in 2024. The rejection rate for Schengen visas decreased to 14.8% in 2024, down from 16% in 2023 and the all-time high of 17.9% in 2022. Among the countries with the highest number of rejected applications in 2024 are France (481,139), Spain (244,432), and Germany (206,733). Read also: Schengen Visas and the Neocolonial Violation of Moroccans' Right to Travel Morocco currently ranks 67th globally in passport strength, according to CEOWORLD magazine's Passport Ranking Index. Moroccan citizens enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 72 countries and territories worldwide. A study from SchengenVisaInfo compiled by Schengen News in August 2024 identified the top five Schengen countries with the highest approval rates for Moroccan applicants. Switzerland led with an 83.9% approval rate, followed by Poland (83.1%), France (81.3%), Portugal (80.05%), and Czechia (75.60%). The black market for visa appointments has become a serious issue for Moroccan applicants. Intermediaries have been exploiting online appointment systems, using advanced software to book and resell appointments at prices reaching up to MAD 10,000 (approximately $1000). Visa service providers have implemented new systems to combat these fraudulent practices. TLScontact has expanded its automated visa appointment allocation system across Morocco for France visas, while BLS International has introduced strict measures to ensure fair and transparent appointments for Spain visas. Tags: Schengen visa applicationschengen visa for Moroccansschengen visas
