The Schengen visa system witnessed a significant surge in demand throughout 2024, with total applications reaching over 11.7 million, marking a 13.4% increase compared to the 10.3 million applications filed in 2023, according to the latest statistics published by SchengenVisaInfo.com.

This continued upward trend in visa requests signals a robust resurgence in international travel interest toward Europe, particularly from countries outside the European Union. Notably, the top ten countries of origin for Schengen visa applicants remained unchanged in 2024, although internal shifts in volume and destination preferences were observed.

Top 10 Countries Account for 62.4% of All Applications

In 2024, nationals from the top ten countries filed more than 7.3 million visa applications — 62.4% of the total. This is up from 58.7% in 2023, indicating increasing concentration of applications among a few high-volume countries. Among these, China, India, and Türkiye saw notable increases in applications, while Thailand and Morocco showed slight declines.

Country-by-Country Overview

1. China

Chinese nationals topped the list once again with 1.7 million visa applications in 2024 — an impressive 59.2% increase from the 1.1 million filed in 2023.

• Top Destination: France

  • 2024: 458,018 applications (24.2% of total Chinese applications)

  • 2023: 271,111 applications

2. India

Indian applicants submitted 1.18 million visa requests in 2024, up 14.6% from the 966,687 applications filed the previous year.

• Top Destination: Switzerland

  • 217,373 applications (19.6% of Indian applications)

3. Türkiye

Turkish nationals filed 1.1 million applications, showing a 11.1% rise from 1.05 million in 2023.

• Top Destination: Greece

  • 296,377 applications (25.2% of Turkish applications)

4. Morocco

Visa demand from Morocco saw a slight 2.6% increase, totaling 606,800 applications in 2024.

• Top Destination: France

  • 2024: 282,153 applications

  • 2023: 310,057 applications (down 8.9%)

5. Russia

Despite ongoing international sanctions, Russian nationals filed 606,594 applications, a 2.5% increase from 2023.

• Top Destination: Italy

  • 161,401 applications

6. Algeria

Algerian nationals submitted 544,634 visa applications in 2024, a 14.8% rise from 474,032 in 2023.

• Top Destination: France

  • 352,295 applications (26.2% of Algerian applications)

  • 2023: 279,005 applications

7. Saudi Arabia

Saudi applicants filed 505,455 visa requests in 2024 — up from 428,954 in 2023, marking a 17.8% increase.

• Top Destination: France

  • 191,009 applications (37.8% of Saudi applications)

  • 2023: 145,096 applications

8. United Kingdom (Foreign Residents)

Residents of the UK who require Schengen visas submitted 470,569 applications, an increase of 5.74% over 2023’s 405,631.

• Top Destination: France

  • 132,469 applications

  • 2023: 130,181 applications

9. Thailand

In contrast to other top countries, Thailand recorded a 1.9% decrease in applications, with 265,243 requests in 2024.

• Top Destination: Germany

  • 39,497 applications

  • 2023’s top destination was Switzerland

10. United Arab Emirates (Foreign Residents)

Foreign nationals residing in the UAE filed 260,229 applications, up 11.2% from 233,932 in 2023.

• Top Destination: Germany

  • 32,389 applications (12.6% of UAE applications)

France Remains the Most Popular Schengen Destination

France continues to dominate as the preferred destination among Schengen visa applicants, particularly among travelers from China, Morocco, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and the UK. A recurring theme across the data shows that France receives the highest number of applications from multiple nationality groups.

Looking Ahead

The rise in visa applications in 2024 indicates a sustained rebound in post-pandemic travel, with more international tourists, business travelers, and students seeking access to the Schengen Area. However, the data also highlights the growing importance of bilateral ties, visa facilitation agreements, and travel demand management between Schengen countries and major visa applicant nations.

With new ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) regulations expected to come into force in 2025, travel and visa dynamics across Europe could undergo further transformation — a development closely watched by applicants and governments alike.