All countries have specific visa requirements that you must meet in order to enter your desired destination. Therefore, all the paperwork and numerous other required documents or information make the visa application process a time-consuming and frustrating process. Planning ahead is always a good idea.
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In the last year, Schengen states have issued over 2.4 million visas for short stays. While the processing time can vary, waiting for a long time and not receiving a positive answer is not a good feeling.
Use this list to take a look at the statistics of the easiest European countries to get a visa, which will ultimately make your application process easier and smoother.
Which Are the Easiest EU Countries to Get a Schengen Visa?
The easiest European countries to get a Schengen visa from are:
- Lithuania
- Estonia
- Finland
- Iceland
- Luxembourg
- Slovakia
- Latvia
- Czech Republic
The list is a representation of the year 2021.
1. Lithuania
Lithuania is one of the easiest European countries to get a visa. In 2021, 98.7% of applications were granted, meaning only 2.8% of visa applications were rejected.
For example, from a total of 3,481 visa applications from Kazakhstan, 3,090 were issued, including airport transit visas, multiple entry visas, and long-term visas.. Armenian citizens rank second on the list, with the highest number of people who have applied for a Lithuanian visa in 2021. Of 449 applications, 436 were issued. The rate for non-issued ATVs and uniform visas is only 1,36%.
See Lithuania visa entry and requirements here.
2. Estonia
Estonia is next on the list of the easiest countries to get a visa in Europe. Estonia has a visa approval rate of 98.4%. Schengen Visa Statistics tell us that from a total of 40,657 applicants, 38,389 were granted an Estonian visa in 2021. The country with the most applicants is Russia; from 23,268 applications, 22,856 were granted.
The Estonian visa processing time normally takes up to 15 days but may take longer in extreme situations.
See Estonia visa entry and requirements here.
3. Finland
The Nordic country, Finland, is one of the easiest European countries to get a visa. Although Finland receives a high number of applications yearly, from a total of 61,018 visa applications in 2021, 55,882 of them were granted. In general, Finland has an approval rate of 98,3%.
A total of 103 states, which are excluded from visa-free to Finland/the Schengen area, are eligible to apply for a Schengen visa to Finland. Third-party nationals from Kosovo and Palestine are also required to apply for a Schengen visa.
See Finland visa entry and requirements here.
4. Iceland
If you are looking to apply for a visa to a country that won’t keep you waiting on the status of your application, then Iceland is the perfect place. From a total of 2,735 applicants, 2,410 were granted visas to visit Nordic Island. Applicants who applied for an Icelandic visa in the New Delhi consulate are at the receiving end of the highest rate of non-issued ATVs and uniform visas.
The type of Schengen visa you are supposed to apply for depends on the reason for your visit.
See Iceland visa entry and requirements here.
5. Luxembourg
Luxembourg is one of the easiest European countries to get a visa, with one of the lowest rejection rates, specifically 1.3%. The total number of applications in 2021 was 2,384, from which 2,296 were issued. While the rejection rate is not high, the number of applicants is relatively low as well, making Luxembourg a good option for Schengen visa applicants. So whether you are looking to visit Luxembourg and all it has to offer or visit its neighbouring countries, Germany, Belgium, and France, your visa is unlikely to get rejected.
6. Slovakia
Slovakia is ranked as the fifth Schengen country with the least visa applications. However, it is also one of the easiest European countries to get a visa. In 2021, 3,886 of those who applied at the Slovak embassy 3,806 were granted a visa.
On the other hand, according to Schengen Visa Statistics, the Slovak Embassy in Uzbekistan has the highest rate of total ATVs and uniform visas not issued, specifically 23.91%.
See Slovakia visa entry and requirements here.
7. Latvia
Latvia, the third one of the Baltic states, registers a high number of visa applications granted as well. As per 2021, 97,9% of applications were issued, making Latvia one of the easiest European countries to get a visa. In general, twenty-one Latvian consulates received a total number of 13,764 visa applications, from which 16,182 were issued, including multiple Airport transit visas, multiple entry visas, and limited territorial entry visas.
General required documents for Latvian Schengen Visa do not necessarily differ from other countries; however other documents are required to be attached to your application accordingly, all depending on the purpose of your application.
See Latvia visa entry and requirements here.
8. Czech Republic
Czechia has one of the lowest rejection rates when it comes to visa applications, with only a 3,3% refusal rate. This makes the Czech Republic one of the easiest European countries to get a visa.
From the total number of 207,470 applicants, 200,456 of them received a positive answer regarding their application status in 2021. Processing time for Czech Schengen Visa is usually 15 days, although it might take more time in certain cases.
See the Czech Republic visa entry and requirements here.
