Visa refusal rates for Nigeria: Schengen countries (2025), easiest and hardest, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada
How many Schengen visa applications made in Nigeria were not issued in 2025, country by country and consulate by consulate, with the easiest and hardest countries for Nigerian applicants, and how many UK visitor, study, work and family visa applications by nationals of Nigeria were refused, with the latest figures for Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Official figures only.
Schengen visas · applications made in Nigeria · 2025: 47.9% not issued (53,196 of 110,956 decisions)
Easiest Schengen visa from Nigeria, by the numbers: the lowest not-issued rate among Schengen countries with at least 500 decisions was Switzerland (27.2%); the highest was Bulgaria (66.1%). Full ranking by country and consulate. Of the 74 countries with the most applications, Nigeria ranks 70 (1 = lowest rate). Multiple-entry visas: 29.3% of uniform visas issued in 2025 (by country).
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
United Kingdom · nationals of Nigeria · July 2025 to June 202637.7% of visitor visa decisions refused (details)
Source: Home Office, entry clearance visa outcomes, published 27 August 2026, downloaded on 15 October 2026
Australia, New Zealand and Canada · by citizenship: Latest official full-year figures for nationals of this country
Sources: Home Affairs BP0015 (to 30 September 2026, CC BY 2.5 AU); Immigration New Zealand (to 30 September 2026, CC BY 3.0 NZ); IRCC (2025, Open Government Licence – Canada); downloaded on 26 October 2026. Details and definitions below.
Statistics, not advice. These are official figures for all applications made in a past period. They cannot predict the decision on your application, and a lower rate does not make a visa easier for you: you must apply to the Schengen country where you will spend the most time (or, for equal stays, the one you enter first), at the consulate responsible for the place where you legally live. Always follow the consulate's official requirements.
Schengen visa rejection rate by country, applications made in Nigeria
Tap a column heading to sort. "Not issued" includes refusals and applications whose examination was discontinued. * Fewer than 100 decisions: the rate can swing a lot.
| France | 48.5% | 44.0% | 58,583 | 29,375 | 27,778 |
| Italy | 42.2% | 37.8% | 13,563 | 7,804 | 5,759 |
| Spain | 55.8% | 61.7% | 9,489 | 3,669 | 5,005 |
| Germany | 29.2% | 36.4% | 7,712 | 5,417 | 2,244 |
| Belgium | 60.9% | 63.6% | 7,461 | 2,860 | 4,502 |
| Portugal | 56.3% | 60.2% | 3,026 | 1,313 | 1,713 |
| Switzerland | 27.2% | 20.6% | 2,597 | 1,805 | 707 |
| Bulgaria | 66.1% | 50.3% | 2,453 | 712 | 1,390 |
| Denmark | 59.2% | 63.8% | 2,434 | 964 | 1,402 |
| Austria | 39.1% | 41.0% | 1,735 | 960 | 621 |
| Finland | 55.0% | 55.3% | 1,630 | 734 | 900 |
| Poland | 46.1% | 53.8% | 669 | 352 | 309 |
| Hungary | 52.8% | 59.3% | 628 | 291 | 329 |
| Czech Republic | 41.0% | 46.9% | 610 | 345 | 250 |
| Greece | 36.5% | 62.6% | 462 | 279 | 161 |
| Romania | 40.4% | 39.1% | 303 | 177 | 126 |
| Sweden | 0.0%* | – | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Easiest Schengen visa from Nigeria: lowest and highest refusal rates (2025)
Which Schengen country has the lowest rejection rate for Nigerian applicants? Among the 14 Schengen countries that decided at least 500 applications made in Nigeria in 2025, Switzerland had the lowest not-issued rate (27.2%) and Bulgaria the highest (66.1%). Smaller numbers move too much from year to year to compare. These rates describe past decisions, not your chances. See the easiest Schengen visa from Nigeria: all countries and consulates ranked.
Lowest refusal rates
- 1Switzerland2,597 decisions27.2%
- 2Germany7,672 decisions29.2%
- 3Austria1,587 decisions39.1%
- 4Czech Republic610 decisions41.0%
- 5Italy13,649 decisions42.2%
A lower rate is not a guarantee, and you cannot choose freely. Each rate mixes different travellers, purposes and documents. You must apply to the country of your main destination: the rule is on the European Commission page on applying for a Schengen visa (checked on 15 October 2026). Applying to a country you do not plan to visit mainly can itself lead to a refusal.
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Multiple-entry Schengen visas issued in Nigeria (2025)
Schengen visas issued in Nigeria · 2025: 29.3% were multiple-entry visas (16,700 of 57,061 uniform visas issued)
Among the 11 Schengen countries that issued at least 500 visas in Nigeria in 2025, Italy gave the highest share of multiple-entry visas (51.7%) and Bulgaria the lowest (7.3%). All Schengen visas issued worldwide in 2025: 51.7% multiple-entry. Multiple-entry Schengen visas by country and by place of application.
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Schengen countries that issued at least 500 uniform visas in Nigeria in 2025, from the highest share of multiple-entry visas. Tap a column heading to sort. "Change" is in percentage points; * fewer than 500 visas issued in 2024. Not shown (fewer than 500 visas issued): Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden.
| Italy | 51.7% | 52.1% | −0.4 pts | 7,804 | 4,032 |
| Belgium | 49.8% | 57.7% | −7.9 pts | 2,860 | 1,424 |
| Portugal | 47.9% | 48.9% | −1.0 pts | 1,313 | 629 |
| Germany | 34.4% | 43.4% | −9.0 pts | 5,417 | 1,863 |
| France | 24.8% | 32.1% | −7.3 pts | 29,375 | 7,277 |
| Switzerland | 19.2% | 22.0% | −2.8 pts | 1,805 | 346 |
| Austria | 16.2% | 68.3% | −52.0 pts | 960 | 156 |
| Denmark | 12.9% | 28.3% | −15.4 pts | 964 | 124 |
| Finland | 11.6% | 8.8% | +2.8 pts | 734 | 85 |
| Spain | 10.0% | 13.5% | −3.5 pts | 3,669 | 366 |
| Bulgaria | 7.3% | 39.9%* | – | 712 | 52 |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
What this share means, and what it does not. A multiple-entry visa "allows several visits to the Schengen area for as long as the visa is valid"; a single-entry visa allows one entry (European Commission, checked on 30 October 2026). Every visit is still a short stay, of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A multiple-entry visa is not a long-stay visa, a work permit or a residence permit. The Commission's file only says whether each visa allows multiple entries: it does not say how long the visas were valid for. The share describes visas issued in the past, not your chances: the consulate decides the number of entries and the validity of each visa.
By consulate
Each Schengen country's consulates (or visa sections) in Nigeria, by number of applications in 2025. Where a country is represented by another, the applications appear under the country that decided them.
| France | Lagos | 50.7% | 40,515 | 19,872 |
| France | Abuja | 43.6% | 18,068 | 7,906 |
| Italy | Lagos | 44.9% | 12,698 | 5,703 |
| Spain | Lagos | 58.1% | 8,706 | 4,866 |
| Belgium | Abuja | 60.9% | 7,461 | 4,502 |
| Germany | Lagos | 32.3% | 5,660 | 1,824 |
| Portugal | Abuja | 56.3% | 3,026 | 1,713 |
| Switzerland | Abuja | 27.2% | 2,597 | 707 |
| Bulgaria | Abuja | 66.1% | 2,453 | 1,390 |
| Denmark | Abuja | 59.2% | 2,434 | 1,402 |
| Germany | Abuja | 20.8% | 2,052 | 420 |
| Austria | Abuja | 39.1% | 1,735 | 621 |
| Finland | Abuja | 55.0% | 1,630 | 900 |
| Italy | Abuja | 6.0% | 865 | 56 |
| Spain | Abuja | 23.5% | 783 | 139 |
| Poland | Abuja | 46.1% | 669 | 309 |
| Hungary | Abuja | 52.8% | 628 | 329 |
| Czech Republic | Abuja | 41.0% | 610 | 250 |
| Greece | Abuja | 36.5% | 462 | 161 |
| Romania | Abuja | 40.4% | 303 | 126 |
| Sweden | Abuja | 0.0%* | 4 | 0 |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
UK visa refusal rate for nationals of Nigeria: visitor, study, work and family visas
From July 2025 to June 2026, the UK refused 37.7% of visitor visa decisions for nationals of Nigeria (63,558 refused out of 168,745). 11.6% of study visa decisions were refused (37,434 decisions); 36.0% of work visa decisions were refused (13,497 decisions); 19.1% of family visa decisions were refused (1,705 decisions). For partner (spouse) visas alone the rate was 10.9% (123 refused out of 1,124 decisions; compare all nationalities). Unlike the Schengen figures, the UK counts applicants by nationality, wherever they apply.
| Visa type | Refused 12 months to Jun 2026 | Year before 12 months to Jun 2025 | Decisions | Granted | Refused |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor visas | 37.7% | 39.2% | 168,745 | 105,187 | 63,558 |
| Study visas | 11.6% | 5.2% | 37,434 | 33,082 | 4,352 |
| Work visas | 36.0% | 29.5% | 13,497 | 8,641 | 4,856 |
| Family visas | 19.1% | 22.5% | 1,705 | 1,379 | 326 |
| of which partner (spouse) visas | 10.9% | 10.6% | 1,124 | 1,001 | 123 |
| Other visas | 53.0% | 54.9% | 3,284 | 1,543 | 1,741 |
| All visas | 33.3% | 33.8% | 224,665 | 149,832 | 74,833 |
Source: Home Office, Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes detailed datasets, year ending June 2026 (XLSX, published 27 August 2026, downloaded on 15 October 2026; next update 26 November 2026). Refusal rate = refused ÷ (granted + refused), as in the Home Office grant rate; withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded. Figures from 2026 Q1 are provisional.
Visitor visas, quarter by quarter
- 42.4%Q3
2024 48,977 decisions - 44.1%Q4
2024 40,507 decisions - 37.2%Q1
2025 34,603 decisions - 33.6%Q2
2025 49,492 decisions - 40.6%Q3
2025 47,481 decisions - 42.2%Q4
2025 38,263 decisions - 37.5%Q1
2026 36,790 decisions - 31.0%Q2
2026 46,211 decisions
Source: Home Office, same file as above (published 27 August 2026, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Each bar is the share of visitor visa decisions taken in that quarter that were refusals; 2026 figures are provisional.
Study, work and family visas, quarter by quarter
| Q3 2024 | 5.3% | 12,129 | 23.8% | 5,180 | 23.0% | 725 |
| Q4 2024 | 6.1% | 6,550 | 29.5% | 4,370 | 19.5% | 487 |
| Q1 2025 | 4.7% | 7,108 | 32.1% | 4,905 | 23.1% | 493 |
| Q2 2025 | 4.4% | 5,546 | 32.9% | 5,090 | 23.9% | 515 |
| Q3 2025 | 4.0% | 19,279 | 36.5% | 4,645 | 22.3% | 444 |
| Q4 2025 | 17.0% | 7,643 | 37.4% | 3,298 | 19.1% | 503 |
| Q1 2026 | 21.4% | 6,223 | 35.2% | 2,963 | 21.5% | 376 |
| Q2 2026 | 22.1% | 4,289 | 34.1% | 2,591 | 13.1% | 382 |
Source: Home Office, Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes detailed datasets, year ending June 2026 (XLSX, published 27 August 2026, downloaded on 15 October 2026). "Study" is the Home Office group for sponsored study (Student, Child Student) and short-term study visas; "Work" groups all work routes (Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, temporary and seasonal work, Global Business Mobility, talent and business visas, and their dependants). "Family" is the Home Office group for people joining a British citizen or a person settled in the UK (partners, children and other relatives) and for refugee family reunion; "partner" is the Home Office visa type "Family: Partner", the route for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners. * Fewer than 100 decisions; 2026 figures are provisional.
Australia student visa refusal rate for nationals of Nigeria (2025-26)
In the Australian financial year 2025-26 (July 2025 to June 2026), Australia refused 30.8% of student visa decisions for primary applicants who are nationals of Nigeria and applied from outside Australia (182 refused out of 591). In 2024-25: 37.4% (−6.6 pts). From July to September 2026: 77.6% (159 of 205 decisions, a small number: read with care). Like the UK, Australia counts applicants by citizenship, wherever they apply.
| Primary applicants applying from outside Australia | 30.8% | 37.4%* | 77.6%* | 591 | 182 |
| Primary applicants applying in Australia | 14.1% | 16.9% | – | 673 | 95 |
| Family members (secondary applicants) | 16.6% | 16.8% | 57.9%* | 728 | 121 |
| All student visa applicants | 20.0% | 20.6% | 62.7%* | 1,992 | 398 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, BP0015 Student visa grant rates (XLSX on data.gov.au, decisions to 30 September 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026), licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU. Student visas (subclass 500); refusal rate = refused ÷ (granted + refused), the complement of the Department's grant rate. The Department says the figures are provisional and is not responsible for our analysis. * Fewer than 500 decisions; – fewer than 100.
Student visas by education sector (primary applicants outside Australia)
| Higher education (university) | 29.4%* | 37.6%* | 479 | 141 |
Source: Home Affairs, BP0015 Student visa grant rates, same file as above (decisions to 30 September 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026, CC BY 2.5 AU). * Fewer than 500 decisions; – fewer than 100. Not shown (fewer than 100 decisions in 2025-26): Postgraduate research, Vocational education and training (VET), Non-award courses, Foreign Affairs or Defence, Schools, English language courses (ELICOS).
Month by month (primary applicants outside Australia)
- 32%Oct
2025 19 decisions - 20%Nov
2025 41 decisions - 13%Dec
2025 39 decisions - 17%Jan
2026 65 decisions - 10%Feb
2026 50 decisions - 29%Mar
2026 59 decisions - 19%Apr
2026 37 decisions - 81%May
2026 42 decisions - 83%Jun
2026 64 decisions - 76%Jul
2026 74 decisions - 81%Aug
2026 59 decisions - 76%Sep
2026 72 decisions
Source: Home Affairs BP0015, same file as above (decisions to 30 September 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026, CC BY 2.5 AU). Each bar is the share of decisions in that month that were refusals; monthly figures can be small and move a lot.
Year by year
| 2016-17 | 26.8% | 1,182 | 20.5% | 2,220 |
| 2017-18 | 58.7% | 1,188 | 39.1% | 2,566 |
| 2018-19 | 45.4% | 881 | 34.8% | 2,242 |
| 2019-20 | 42.4% | 630 | 21.8% | 1,797 |
| 2020-21 | 30.0%* | 333 | 11.5% | 1,205 |
| 2021-22 | 14.3% | 899 | 12.7% | 1,656 |
| 2022-23 | 32.6% | 1,740 | 22.9% | 3,478 |
| 2023-24 | 64.5% | 1,447 | 43.2% | 2,871 |
| 2024-25 | 37.4%* | 294 | 20.6% | 1,607 |
| 2025-26 | 30.8% | 591 | 20.0% | 1,992 |
| July to September 2026 (2026-27) | 77.6%* | 205 | 62.7%* | 370 |
Source: Home Affairs, BP0015 Student visa grant rates, same file as above (decisions to 30 September 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026, CC BY 2.5 AU). Financial years run from July to June.
All nationalities, by sector and month: Australia student visa refusal rate by nationality.
New Zealand visa decline rate for nationals of Nigeria (2025/26)
In the New Zealand financial year 2025/26 (July 2025 to June 2026), Immigration New Zealand declined 87.2% of visitor visa applications from nationals of Nigeria (2,339 declined out of 2,682 decided). INZ counts applications by the country that issued the passport, and its "declined" figure includes applications that were withdrawn, so these rates are not directly comparable with the UK or Australian refusal rates.
| Visitor visas | 87.2% | 75.9% | 81.9% | 2,682 | 2,339 |
| Student visas | 35.6%* | 39.8%* | 39.9%* | 491 | 175 |
| Work visas | 8.9%* | 11.9%* | 11.5%* | 315 | 28 |
Source: Immigration New Zealand (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment): Visitors Visas decided (applications), by nationality and financial year of decision; Student Visas decided (applications), by nationality and financial year of decision; Work Visas decided (applications), by nationality and financial year of decision (PDF, prepared 8 October 2026, decisions to 30 September 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026). Crown copyright, licensed under CC BY 3.0 NZ (copyright notice). Decline rate = declined ÷ (approved + declined), applications; INZ counts withdrawn applications as declined. Financial years run from July to June.
New Zealand, year by year
| 2016/17 | 61.8%* | 372 | 30.7%* | 231 | 16.1%* | 137 |
| 2017/18 | 71.7% | 523 | 33.3%* | 222 | 16.7%* | 132 |
| 2018/19 | 65.2% | 526 | 42.7%* | 260 | 18.6%* | 156 |
| 2019/20 | 51.1%* | 280 | 34.6%* | 188 | 9.0%* | 144 |
| 2020/21 | – | 80 | 3.4%* | 146 | 5.8%* | 137 |
| 2021/22 | – | 54 | 3.4%* | 116 | 2.2%* | 135 |
| 2022/23 | 70.5% | 614 | 26.8%* | 276 | 11.1%* | 216 |
| 2023/24 | 76.6% | 1,189 | 29.7%* | 276 | 10.7%* | 233 |
| 2024/25 | 75.9% | 1,548 | 39.8%* | 387 | 11.9%* | 261 |
| 2025/26 | 87.2% | 2,682 | 35.6%* | 491 | 8.9%* | 315 |
| July to September 2026 (2026/27) | 81.9% | 568 | 39.9%* | 218 | 11.5%* | 113 |
Source: Immigration New Zealand statistics, same PDFs as above (prepared 8 October 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026, Crown copyright, CC BY 3.0 NZ). Declined includes withdrawn applications.
* Fewer than 500 decisions; – fewer than 100. All nationalities: New Zealand visa decline rate by nationality.
Canada: temporary resident applications from Nigeria approved (2025)
In 2025, IRCC approved 40.6% of the temporary resident applications from Nigeria that it processed (120,290 approved out of 296,495 people). This share mixes visitor visas, study permits and work permits, first applications and extensions; "processed" includes applications refused and withdrawn, so the other 59.4% were refused or withdrawn. In 2024: 34.4%. January to August 2026: 51.3% (160,775 processed).
No study permit or visitor visa refusal rate. For each country IRCC publishes only the number of new study permit applications processed (28,295 from Nigeria in 2025) and the number of visitor visas approved (45,460), never both for the same visa, so a study permit or visitor visa refusal rate cannot be calculated from the official files.
| January to August 2026 | 51.3% | 160,775 | 82,510 | 17,495 | 26,210 |
| 2025 | 40.6% | 296,495 | 120,290 | 28,295 | 45,460 |
| 2024 | 34.4% | 365,170 | 125,710 | 57,590 | 51,425 |
| 2023 | 47.5% | 325,190 | 154,350 | 90,160 | 79,275 |
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Operational Processing – Monthly IRCC Updates: temporary resident applications processed, temporary resident applications approved, new study permit applications processed, visitor visas (V-1) approved (XLSX, data as of September 1, 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. IRCC rounds counts to the nearest 5 and does not publish counts from 1 to 4; the data are operational and subject to change.
Approved share, month by month (all temporary resident applications)
- 46%Sep
2025 23,360 processed - 46%Oct
2025 23,005 processed - 51%Nov
2025 19,180 processed - 54%Dec
2025 17,755 processed - 56%Jan
2026 16,890 processed - 50%Feb
2026 23,615 processed - 55%Mar
2026 20,140 processed - 43%Apr
2026 21,605 processed - 49%May
2026 20,065 processed - 54%Jun
2026 20,315 processed - 53%Jul
2026 19,090 processed - 52%Aug
2026 19,050 processed
Source: IRCC, same files as above (data as of September 1, 2026, downloaded on 26 October 2026). Each bar is approved ÷ processed in that month. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
All countries: Canada temporary resident approval rate by country.
Travel medical insurance
AffiliateA Schengen visa application must include medical insurance covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation (European Commission, checked on 15 October 2026). SafetyWing's own FAQ says many members have used its Nomad Insurance for visa applications, Schengen included, but that it cannot guarantee every authority will accept it (SafetyWing FAQ, read on 31 October 2026). Check the minimum cover, the countries and the dates the consulate asks for, and the certificate you need, before you buy any policy.
See SafetyWing travel medical insurance (opens in a new tab)
SafetyWing sells travel medical insurance for travellers and nomads online. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Buying insurance does not change the decision on your visa, and we do not know whether a given consulate accepts a given policy: check before you pay.
How to read these figures
- Where you apply, not your passport. The Schengen figures count applications made in Nigeria, including residents of other nationalities, and leave out nationals of Nigeria who applied elsewhere.
- Not-issued rate = visas not issued ÷ (uniform visas issued + visas with limited territorial validity + visas not issued), the formula in the Commission's file. Applications still pending at the end of the year are not counted.
- If you are refused, the consulate must tell you why and how to appeal (European Commission).
- Australia, New Zealand and Canada count applicants by citizenship (Canada: "source country"), like the UK, and each authority defines its rate differently: see the notes under each table.
- Full method: how we calculate the rates.
Other countries where people apply
Schengen visa refusal rates by country, 2025 · Multiple-entry Schengen visas by country · UK visa refusal rates by nationality · Australia · New Zealand · Canada · Visa income calculator
How many Nigerians moved abroad? How many Nigerians moved to Europe in 2025 (first residence permits by country and reason, Eurostat).