Schengen statistics have revealed that in 2022, citizens of Kosovo submitted a total of 121,097 visa applications, amounting to 4.2 million euros spent on visa fees within the Schengen area.
The forthcoming visa liberalization in 2024 is poised to not only grant Kosovo residents greater global mobility but also result in substantial cost savings. Visa fees, which typically set individuals back around 35 euros per application, will no longer be a financial burden.
Expenses can escalate further as citizens often incur additional charges for various services during the visa application process, sometimes totaling between 150 to 200 euros, as reported by SchengenVisaInfo.com.
According to Schengen statistics, the 121,097 visa applications submitted by Kosovo citizens in 2022 translated into 4.2 million euros being directed towards visa fees in Schengen member states. Last year, 13,674 applications faced rejection, incurring a cost of over 478,000 euros.
In 2022, visa applications by Kosovo residents reached an all-time high, and these figures could continue to rise as more Kosovo nationals seek visas for travel to the Schengen region.
Over the past nine years, Kosovo citizens have channeled approximately 22.3 million euros into visa applications. The highest expenditures were recorded in the periods preceding and following the pandemic, specifically in 2022 and 2019, with 108,774 visa applications submitted in 2019.
During the pandemic, the number of visa applications surged, with 24,566 applications in 2020 and 44,666 in 2021.
Moreover, the average number of applications submitted between 2014 and 2022 amounted to 71,860, totaling 2.5 million euros. However, costs were even higher in the pre-pandemic era when, despite fewer applications, the refusal rate was significantly elevated compared to the post-2020 period.
In particular, the refusal rate stood at 24% in 2014, with 17,831 visa requests denied. In 2015, the refusal rate was 19.6%, gradually declining in the post-pandemic period, with only 11.2% of applications meeting rejection.
In the past year, 102,017 visa applications met with success, affording Kosovo applicants the opportunity to explore the Schengen area. The cumulative number of multiple-entry visas issued throughout the last year reached 4,360.
