Pakistanis spent £5.3 million on UK visa applications and €3.344 million on Schengen visas.
In 2023, about 40 percent of UK, 50 percent of Schengen visas from Pakistan were rejected
Dr. Akhtar Gulfam
LONDON: Britain and Schengen countries collect millions of pounds and euros in fees for rejected visa applications from Pakistan, a new study has revealed.
Analysis released by Lagos Collective, a community of researchers, policymakers, and designers, shows that Pakistanis spent £5.3m on rejected UK visa applications, with almost 40% of applications from Pakistan rejected in 2023.
In the same year, nearly 50 percent of Schengen visas from Pakistan were also rejected, costing €3.344 million on applications.
The data, published in collaboration with EUobserver, showed that EU governments earned €130m a year in fees from rejected visa applications, known as ‘reverse remittances’.
The data shows that Pakistanis spent £5.3 million on the UK and €3.344 million on EU visa applications that were unsuccessful.
Analysis compiled by Marta Foresti and Otho Montegazza at Lago Collective found that the cost of Schengen visa refusals in 2023 was €130m.
