New research has shed light on the significant revenues generated by the United Kingdom and Schengen countries from rejected visa applications, particularly from Pakistan. Data published this month by Lago Collective, a community comprising researchers, policymakers, and designers, reveals that Pakistanis collectively spent £5.3 million on unsuccessful UK visa applications in 2023, with nearly 40 percent of applications from Pakistan being turned down during that period.
Similarly, approximately 50 percent of Schengen visa applications from Pakistan met rejection in the same year, amounting to €3.344 million in fees. This analysis, conducted by Marta Foresti and Otho Mantegazza at Lago Collective, underscores the substantial financial implications of visa rejections, with the total cost of Schengen visa rejections in 2023 reaching €130 million.
Foresti highlighted the notion of “reverse remittances,” emphasizing the flow of funds from poorer to wealthier countries due to visa rejections. She underscored the need to address visa inequality, noting the disproportionate burden borne by the world’s poorest individuals.
The EUobserver report echoed these findings, indicating that EU governments collectively amassed €130 million annually in fees from rejected visa applications, predominantly from African and Asian countries. The report further anticipates an increase in these revenues in 2024, coinciding with the hike in visa application fees from €80 to €90 for adults.
Foresti emphasized the stark disparities in visa regimes, citing examples such as the contrast between the ease of visa acquisition for Italian nationals visiting Sierra Leone compared to the arduous process endured by Sierra Leoneans seeking entry into Italy.
With visa application fees set to rise to €90 for Schengen/Europe and £120 for the UK, the analysis predicts a surge in rejected visas in 2024, exacerbated by tightening migration policies in several European countries.
Lago Collective emphasized the broader impact of visa rejections, highlighting additional costs incurred by applicants for visa processing services and ancillary expenses. The collective stressed that the inability to travel for business and leisure results in significant losses for all parties involved.
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