Ghanaians spent around GHS88 million on Schengen visa applications in 2024, but nearly half of those who applied didn’t get a visa.
According to official EU figures, Ghana recorded 56,032 Schengen visa applications last year. With each application costing €90, that’s a total of €5 million, or about GHS88 million at an average exchange rate of GHS17.5 to €1.
But for almost 25,000 people, that money was lost.
Rejection Rate Remains High
Out of all applications, 29,890 were approved. The remaining 24,945 were denied, putting Ghana’s visa rejection rate at 45.5%—one of the highest in Africa.
Visa fees are non-refundable, meaning applicants who are denied receive nothing in return.
In 2023, Ghana recorded 45,421 applications; the total spent was just over GHS41 million. That means in 2024, the number of applications increased, and the total amount spent nearly doubled due to the increase in Schengen visa fees.
Despite the increase, most approved applications didn’t receive multiple-entry visas. Only 39.5% got MEVs, which allow repeat travel without reapplying.
Many applicants spend weeks gathering documents, paying service fees, and waiting in long queues, only to lose their money.
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