Recent official statistics from the European Commission for 2026 revealed that Morocco ranked fifth globally in the number of Schengen visa applications during 2025. The data indicated that Moroccan applicants submitted nearly 620,000 applications for short-stay visas. In contrast, European consulates rejected over 114,000 files, raising the rejection rate for Moroccan citizens to 19.2 percent, a figure significantly exceeding the global average recorded during the same period.
These updated figures hold significant political and economic importance, given the strategic and historical ties between Morocco and the European space. This comprehensive statistical report reflects the depth of family connections of the Moroccan diaspora abroad, alongside daily investment, trade, and tourism relations. This news report will provide an accurate analysis of the global distribution of applications, monitoring the differences in acceptance and rejection rates among countries in the Maghreb region, in addition to the logistical and financial challenges faced by those seeking to travel to Europe.
This statistical resurgence occurred in an international context witnessing a gradual recovery of global travel after years of stagnation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consulates of Schengen area countries received a total of 11.93 million short-stay visa applications in 2025, marking an increase of 1.8 percent compared to 2024, and a growth of 15.5 percent compared to 2023. Despite these positive indicators, international mobility remains far from pre-pandemic levels, where the number of applications exceeded 17 million in 2019.
According to official data, the ranking of countries with the most Schengen visa applications was as follows:
- China: Topped the global list with over 1.81 million applications.
- Turkey: Ranked second globally in terms of submitted files.
- India: Occupied the third position among countries with the most travel applications.
- Russia: Ranked fourth globally with approximately 679,000 applications.
- Morocco: Ranked fifth globally and first in the Maghreb region and Africa.
Moroccan citizens received a total of 480,354 accepted visas in 2025, affirming the continued flow of travel towards the northern shore of the Mediterranean. Despite this acceptance, applicants faced higher rejection probabilities than the international average, with 114,320 Moroccan files rejected, representing 19.2 percent, compared to a global average not exceeding 14.8 percent. These disparities raise widespread discussions, especially given that the Kingdom is a key strategic partner for the European Union in areas such as security, counter-terrorism, and migration flow management.
Travel applications face increasing criticism due to complexities associated with intermediary agencies and consular appointment bookings, which now take weeks and months. The cost of preparing files has significantly increased due to visa fees, translation costs, health insurance, and travel to major cities, making a rejection decision a heavy financial burden borne by the citizen without the possibility of cost recovery. An international comparison reveals sharp disparities in consular treatment; Russia recorded a low rejection rate not exceeding 6.4 percent, while Algeria led global rejection rates at 31 percent, despite its total number of applications remaining lower than Morocco's.
In contrast to the rejection indicators, European statistics carried a positive variable for Moroccans, represented by the continued granting of a high percentage of Multiple-entry visas. The number of these visas reached 265,244, accounting for 55.2 percent of the total visas granted to Moroccan citizens. This grants holders flexible privileges to enter and exit the Schengen area multiple times during the validity period without needing new procedures. This is typically aimed at regular travelers who possess a positive record and stable financial and professional guarantees. Regarding the most attractive destinations, France continued to top the European list after its consulates worldwide processed over 3.1 million applications, attracting the largest volume of travelers from North Africa.
These annual data from the European Commission for 2026 summarize the reality that the visa file remains one of the most sensitive issues in diplomatic relations between Rabat and Brussels. Stakeholders continuously call for consular policies to align with the advanced partnership and the existing trade and economic exchange between the two parties. Hajir.ma encourages all readers interested in international mobility to follow legislative updates and consult periodic updates through official platforms and portals of the European Commission and relevant country embassies to ensure accuracy of procedures and avoid illegal intermediary networks.
You can access the full statistical report and annual official data via the Official Website of the European Commission for Home Affairs.