Visa refusal rates for South Africa: Schengen countries (2025), easiest and hardest, the UK, New Zealand and Canada
How many Schengen visa applications made in South Africa were not issued in 2025, country by country and consulate by consulate, with the easiest and hardest countries for South African applicants, and how many UK visitor, study, work and family visa applications by nationals of South Africa were refused, with the latest figures for New Zealand and Canada. Official figures only.
Schengen visas · applications made in South Africa · 2025: 5.3% not issued (10,203 of 194,250 decisions)
Easiest Schengen visa from South Africa, by the numbers: the lowest not-issued rate among Schengen countries with at least 500 decisions was Greece (1.8%); the highest was Croatia (21.9%). Full ranking by country and consulate. Of the 74 countries with the most applications, South Africa ranks 11 (1 = lowest rate). Multiple-entry visas: 73.1% 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 South Africa · July 2025 to June 20264.4% 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: 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 South Africa
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.
| Italy | 3.0% | 3.5% | 33,532 | 32,525 | 1,007 |
| France | 8.5% | 9.4% | 32,905 | 29,622 | 2,742 |
| Germany | 3.5% | 5.3% | 24,717 | 23,819 | 853 |
| Netherlands | 3.0% | 2.9% | 21,622 | 20,631 | 637 |
| Spain | 2.3% | 4.1% | 21,450 | 20,571 | 490 |
| Greece | 1.8% | 2.9% | 12,730 | 12,461 | 228 |
| Portugal | 7.2% | 4.5% | 10,787 | 10,008 | 779 |
| Switzerland | 11.0% | 8.0% | 8,223 | 7,228 | 908 |
| Croatia | 21.9% | 15.9% | 6,124 | 4,745 | 1,330 |
| Austria | 3.7% | 5.7% | 5,699 | 5,293 | 201 |
| Belgium | 6.2% | 6.1% | 4,782 | 4,372 | 288 |
| Norway | 5.7% | 8.4% | 3,829 | 3,610 | 219 |
| Czech Republic | 2.7% | 4.6% | 2,673 | 2,602 | 71 |
| Hungary | 4.8% | 5.2% | 1,918 | 1,814 | 91 |
| Finland | 5.3% | 6.4% | 1,845 | 1,735 | 97 |
| Poland | 7.9% | 20.8% | 1,313 | 1,208 | 104 |
| Romania | 5.3% | 3.9% | 742 | 701 | 39 |
| Bulgaria | 17.2% | 10.7% | 713 | 524 | 109 |
| Lithuania | 3.9% | 19.1% | 235 | 223 | 9 |
| Slovakia | 1.0% | 0.5% | 102 | 101 | 1 |
| Sweden | 0.0%* | – | 5 | 5 | 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 South Africa: lowest and highest refusal rates (2025)
Which Schengen country has the lowest rejection rate for South African applicants? Among the 18 Schengen countries that decided at least 500 applications made in South Africa in 2025, Greece had the lowest not-issued rate (1.8%) and Croatia the highest (21.9%). 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 South Africa: all countries and consulates ranked.
Lowest refusal rates
- 1Greece12,689 decisions1.8%
- 2Spain21,066 decisions2.3%
- 3Czech Republic2,673 decisions2.7%
- 4Netherlands21,397 decisions3.0%
- 5Italy33,534 decisions3.0%
Highest refusal rates
- 1Croatia6,079 decisions21.9%
- 2Bulgaria633 decisions17.2%
- 3Switzerland8,223 decisions11.0%
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 South Africa (2025)
Schengen visas issued in South Africa · 2025: 73.1% were multiple-entry visas (134,338 of 183,798 uniform visas issued)
Among the 18 Schengen countries that issued at least 500 visas in South Africa in 2025, Italy gave the highest share of multiple-entry visas (100.0%) and Bulgaria the lowest (11.6%). 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 South Africa 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): Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden.
| Italy | 100.0% | 98.9% | +1.1 pts | 32,525 | 32,513 |
| Austria | 99.9% | 99.8% | +0.1 pts | 5,293 | 5,289 |
| Germany | 99.8% | 99.8% | no change | 23,819 | 23,760 |
| Greece | 97.0% | 97.0% | no change | 12,461 | 12,091 |
| Netherlands | 96.7% | 97.9% | −1.2 pts | 20,631 | 19,954 |
| Belgium | 95.3% | 76.6% | +18.7 pts | 4,372 | 4,166 |
| Portugal | 93.7% | 86.1% | +7.6 pts | 10,008 | 9,374 |
| Croatia | 92.6% | 92.5% | +0.1 pts | 4,745 | 4,393 |
| Finland | 72.9% | 88.8% | −16.0 pts | 1,735 | 1,264 |
| Norway | 63.2% | 40.8% | +22.4 pts | 3,610 | 2,281 |
| Romania | 55.5% | 30.1% | +25.4 pts | 701 | 389 |
| Switzerland | 54.4% | 68.7% | −14.3 pts | 7,228 | 3,929 |
| Poland | 37.5% | 28.1% | +9.4 pts | 1,208 | 453 |
| France | 34.5% | 30.2% | +4.3 pts | 29,622 | 10,232 |
| Hungary | 29.9% | 28.2% | +1.7 pts | 1,814 | 542 |
| Czech Republic | 25.4% | 29.7% | −4.3 pts | 2,602 | 660 |
| Spain | 13.5% | 12.0% | +1.5 pts | 20,571 | 2,769 |
| Bulgaria | 11.6% | 27.5%* | – | 524 | 61 |
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 South Africa, by number of applications in 2025. Where a country is represented by another, the applications appear under the country that decided them.
| France | Johannesburg | 8.5% | 32,785 | 2,742 |
| Netherlands | Pretoria | 3.0% | 21,549 | 636 |
| Italy | Johannesburg | 3.3% | 20,725 | 678 |
| Germany | Pretoria | 3.3% | 14,458 | 477 |
| Italy | Cape Town | 2.3% | 11,891 | 277 |
| Spain | Cape Town | 2.3% | 11,002 | 246 |
| Spain | Pretoria | 2.4% | 10,448 | 244 |
| Germany | Cape Town | 3.7% | 10,259 | 376 |
| Switzerland | Pretoria | 11.0% | 8,223 | 908 |
| Greece | Johannesburg | 2.7% | 7,521 | 202 |
| Portugal | Johannesburg | 9.0% | 7,072 | 639 |
| Croatia | Pretoria | 21.9% | 6,124 | 1,330 |
| Austria | Pretoria | 3.7% | 5,699 | 201 |
| Greece | Cape Town | 0.5% | 5,209 | 26 |
| Norway | Pretoria | 5.7% | 3,829 | 219 |
| Portugal | Cape Town | 3.8% | 3,715 | 140 |
| Belgium | Pretoria | 7.7% | 3,050 | 228 |
| Czech Republic | Pretoria | 2.7% | 2,673 | 71 |
| Hungary | Pretoria | 4.8% | 1,918 | 91 |
| Finland | Pretoria | 5.3% | 1,845 | 97 |
| Belgium | Cape Town | 3.5% | 1,732 | 60 |
| Poland | Pretoria | 7.9% | 1,313 | 104 |
| Italy | Pretoria | 5.7% | 916 | 52 |
| Romania | Pretoria | 5.3% | 742 | 39 |
| Bulgaria | Pretoria | 17.2% | 713 | 109 |
| Lithuania | Pretoria | 3.9% | 235 | 9 |
| France | Cape Town | – | 120 | 0 |
| Slovakia | Pretoria | 1.0% | 102 | 1 |
| Netherlands | Cape Town | 1.5%* | 73 | 1 |
| Sweden | Pretoria | 0.0%* | 5 | 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 South Africa: visitor, study, work and family visas
From July 2025 to June 2026, the UK refused 4.4% of visitor visa decisions for nationals of South Africa (3,270 refused out of 74,412). 8.6% of study visa decisions were refused (606 decisions); 5.7% of work visa decisions were refused (3,204 decisions); 6.9% of family visa decisions were refused (696 decisions). For partner (spouse) visas alone the rate was 6.1% (33 refused out of 538 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 | 4.4% | 3.4% | 74,412 | 71,142 | 3,270 |
| Study visas | 8.6% | 7.3% | 606 | 554 | 52 |
| Work visas | 5.7% | 6.7% | 3,204 | 3,021 | 183 |
| Family visas | 6.9% | 6.4% | 696 | 648 | 48 |
| of which partner (spouse) visas | 6.1% | 4.5% | 538 | 505 | 33 |
| Other visas | 7.7% | 4.2% | 4,313 | 3,979 | 334 |
| All visas | 4.7% | 3.7% | 83,231 | 79,344 | 3,887 |
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
- 3.9%Q3
2024 20,663 decisions - 3.5%Q4
2024 17,982 decisions - 3.8%Q1
2025 13,661 decisions - 2.7%Q2
2025 29,960 decisions - 3.9%Q3
2025 19,824 decisions - 5.5%Q4
2025 15,708 decisions - 4.5%Q1
2026 13,631 decisions - 4.0%Q2
2026 25,249 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 | 5.8% | 516 | 9.0% | 1,214 | 6.7% | 373 |
| Q4 2024 | 19.4%* | 72 | 6.9% | 1,057 | 6.7% | 270 |
| Q1 2025 | 9.1%* | 33 | 6.6% | 1,052 | 9.6% | 188 |
| Q2 2025 | 4.3%* | 46 | 4.6% | 1,450 | 2.5% | 201 |
| Q3 2025 | 6.2% | 448 | 8.2% | 818 | 7.7% | 183 |
| Q4 2025 | 19.2%* | 78 | 6.2% | 594 | 5.2% | 191 |
| Q1 2026 | 16.7%* | 48 | 4.2% | 931 | 13.2% | 129 |
| Q2 2026 | 3.1%* | 32 | 4.6% | 861 | 3.6% | 193 |
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
In 2025-26 Australia decided 249 student visa applications from primary applicants who are nationals of South Africa and applied from outside Australia, fewer than the 500 we need to show a meaningful rate. See Australia visa refusal rates for all nationalities.
New Zealand visa decline rate for nationals of South Africa (2025/26)
In the New Zealand financial year 2025/26 (July 2025 to June 2026), Immigration New Zealand declined 3.3% of visitor visa applications from nationals of South Africa (361 declined out of 10,876 decided); 3.5% of student visa applications (1,437 decisions); 3.4% of work visa applications (3,305 decisions). 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 | 3.3% | 6.6% | 3.2% | 10,876 | 361 |
| Student visas | 3.5% | 4.7% | 4.5%* | 1,437 | 50 |
| Work visas | 3.4% | 4.2% | 5.8% | 3,305 | 111 |
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 | 3.2% | 11,661 | 3.5% | 1,946 | 6.2% | 5,352 |
| 2017/18 | 3.9% | 13,640 | 3.2% | 2,209 | 6.6% | 5,791 |
| 2018/19 | 3.8% | 15,208 | 3.6% | 3,696 | 5.0% | 8,439 |
| 2019/20 | 3.9% | 12,523 | 3.7% | 4,263 | 5.4% | 9,446 |
| 2020/21 | 5.8% | 1,425 | 3.9% | 2,143 | 5.5% | 4,981 |
| 2021/22 | 3.9% | 1,902 | 3.0% | 2,889 | 3.9% | 6,220 |
| 2022/23 | 3.1% | 14,262 | 3.4% | 3,134 | 2.8% | 7,199 |
| 2023/24 | 5.3% | 11,609 | 6.8% | 2,144 | 2.9% | 4,643 |
| 2024/25 | 6.6% | 11,442 | 4.7% | 1,395 | 4.2% | 3,676 |
| 2025/26 | 3.3% | 10,876 | 3.5% | 1,437 | 3.4% | 3,305 |
| July to September 2026 (2026/27) | 3.2% | 2,767 | 4.5%* | 264 | 5.8% | 652 |
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 South Africa approved (2025)
In 2025, IRCC approved 66.2% of the temporary resident applications from South Africa that it processed (10,670 approved out of 16,115 people). This share mixes visitor visas, study permits and work permits, first applications and extensions; "processed" includes applications refused and withdrawn, so the other 33.8% were refused or withdrawn. In 2024: 75.8%. January to August 2026: 68.4% (9,690 processed).
No study permit or visitor visa refusal rate. For each country IRCC publishes only the number of new study permit applications processed (500 from South Africa in 2025) and the number of visitor visas approved (6,005), 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 | 68.4% | 9,690 | 6,625 | 225 | 3,365 |
| 2025 | 66.2% | 16,115 | 10,670 | 500 | 6,005 |
| 2024 | 75.8% | 13,155 | 9,965 | 665 | 5,130 |
| 2023 | 81.1% | 16,700 | 13,550 | 1,015 | 7,525 |
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)
- 71%Sep
2025 945 processed - 78%Oct
2025 945 processed - 69%Nov
2025 1,000 processed - 70%Dec
2025 530 processed - 59%Jan
2026 790 processed - 70%Feb
2026 950 processed - 76%Mar
2026 1,035 processed - 78%Apr
2026 1,275 processed - 66%May
2026 1,290 processed - 70%Jun
2026 1,375 processed - 56%Jul
2026 1,565 processed - 73%Aug
2026 1,405 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 South Africa, including residents of other nationalities, and leave out nationals of South Africa 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 South Africans moved abroad? How many South Africans moved to Europe in 2025 (first residence permits by country and reason, Eurostat).