Planning a trip to the Schengen area can be exciting. But with a host of stunning destinations to visit, picking the perfect place can also get confusing. That’s when a hassle-free trip becomes the next best criterion to help plan your vacation. The Schengen visa statistics of 2021 reveal which countries are the easiest to get a visa for. Of the 26 Schengen countries (Croatia was not a part of the Schengen then), these countries rejected the least number of applications in 2021. Here’s the list.
Luxembourg
In 2021, Luxembourg topped the statistical list once again for the country that accepted the most number of visa applications. The country rejected only 29 visas from the 2,384 applications it received.
Go for: Hiking trails, stunning castles and fine-dining at a number of Michelin-starred restaurants.
Flights to Luxembourg: From Delhi: Rs85,500 onwards; Mumbai: Rs53,150 onwards; Kolkata: Rs56,570 onwards
Lithuania
Lithuania got 24,764 applicants and granted visas to 23,998 of them. Only 683 visas were held back.
Go for: Forested national parks teeming with wildlife, the largest outdoor festival in Vilnius, Kaziukas Fair, which celebrates St Casimir’s Day in honour of the eponymous patron saint of Luxembourg (being held in March this year) and a taste of Jewish history and culture.
Flights to Vilnius: From Delhi: Rs1,13,070 onwards; Mumbai: Rs91,220 onwards; Kolkata: Rs72,670 onwards
Slovakia
Slovakia received 3,886 applications in 2021, and rejected only 107 of them.
Go for: The spa town of Piestany, natural beauty around the Danube River, folk traditions, handicrafts and vintage architecture.
Flights to Bratislava: From Delhi: Rs64,400 onwards; Mumbai: Rs57,450 onwards
Czech Republic
Czechia approved 2,00,456 visas and rejected 6,916 of the total 2,07,470 applications.
Go for: Summer palaces, ancient fortresses and some of the world’s finest beer. Spend some time in Prague, the urban and cultural epicentre of the country.
Flights to Prague: From Delhi: Rs37,125 onwards; Mumbai: Rs63,185 onwards; Kolkata: Rs54,560 onwards
Latvia
Latvia granted 16,182 of 16,764 visas in 2021.
Go for: The Art Nouveau district in Riga; Gauja National Park, the largest in Latvia; bird watching and bobsleigh riding.
Flights to Riga: From Delhi: Rs58,340 onwards; Mumbai: Rs63,900 onwards; Kolkata: Rs64,090 onwards
Finland
Finland rejected 2,745 visas, not a bad number for a country that processed a total of 61,018 applications.
Go for: Arctic Finland, where you can spend your entire time outdoors as the sun doesn’t set for six months straight. Also look out for the Northern Lights, visit some of the 50,000 islands and mingle with people of the happiest country in the world.
Flights to Helsinki: From Delhi: Rs47,580 onwards; Mumbai: Rs52,090 onwards; Kolkata: Rs60,200 onwards
Estonia
Estonia rejected 2,210 of 40,657 visas in total.
Go for: More than 200 islands, forests that cover some 50 per cent of the land and ice roads for a thrilling winter adventure. Also visit the capital city of Tallinn, one of the best-preserved mediaeval cities in Europe.
Flights to Tallinn: From Delhi: Rs95,200 onwards; Mumbai: Rs91,190 onwards; Kolkata: Rs82,660 onwards
Iceland
Iceland approved 2,410 of 2,735 visas in 2021, rejecting only 259 of the total applications.
Go for: The phenomenal beauty of glaciers and geysers, lava fields and waterfalls, and the Northern Lights. Iceland remains the world’s most peaceful country as per the Global Peace Index of 2022.
Flights to Reykjavik: From Delhi: Rs61,160 onwards; Mumbai: Rs58,830 onwards; Kolkata: Rs1,12,100 onwards