Common reasons visa applications get rejected

What makes an Embassy or Consulate reject providing you with a Schengen Visa?

This is the question many people ask anytime they are about to apply for such a visa. The fact is that whenever a Schengen visa or any visa gets rejected, there is something UNSATISFACTORY as regards of that visa application.

Many visa applicants get confused and unable to exactly understand the reason for their visa refusal. That is why the article will focus on presenting the commonly known reasons for such refusal.

A visa application might be considered unsuccessful if the consular officer fails to get from the candidate all the needed information about him/her. Lacking to possess such information, the consular officer will be incapable of deciding if the candidate qualifies to be given a visa.

On the other hand, sometimes the consular might get information from the applicant that is unacceptable or beyond the fixed procedures. Sometimes the candidate is prone of illegitimate and/or dishonest activities. In all of the aforementioned cases, the officer is led to DENY offering a visa to the applicant.

LEARN which are the Most Common Reasons For Failed Schengen Visa Applications, in order to avoid being amongst those who perform them:

1. Past or Current Criminal Actions

The past and current circumstances and actions of the applicant matter a lot in the decision of the consular officer in issuing a Schengen visa. In such cases, the refusal might occur because the applicant is considered a threat to the public policy, internal security or public wealth of Schengen Area (i.e. terrorism, drug abuse, child abuse, addiction, other serious crimes).

2. False Travel Document

There is a common destiny for all the individuals (applicants) who attempt to present false travel documents to the embassy or consulate, trying to misrepresent their identity, using fake identity – and that is an absolute visa denial and other accompanying unfavourable consequences.

3. Insufficient Explanation For The Purpose And Circumstances Of The Planned Stay

Another motive to lead the consular office to deny your Schengen Visa is failing to have the needed justification for your purpose and conditions of the planned travel and stay. Such are the cases of:

Failing to present an employment and professional qualification that matches with the presented financial situation
Incapacity to provide documents that support the purpose of travel and stay in the Schengen Area
Missing to apply for a visa period in conformity with the presented travel itinerary and holiday right or revenue situation
The inability to offer unchanging declarations about the purpose of travel and stay

4. Damaged Passport

A reason for a visa refusal could be presenting a passport that is not kept in a good condition. Such case can be when passport pages are detaching or missing when the cover of the passport is damaged and so on.

5. Passport Invalidity

The alternative motive to lead the consular officer denying your visa application is presenting a passport that is not acceptable for the Embassy or Consulate. Such cases are classified the following:

Presenting a passport that does not have a valid period less than three (3) remaining months after the return from the visit in the Schengen Area
Presenting a passport that does not possess two different blank visa pages
Presenting a Travel Document Booklet instead of a valid passport
Presenting a valid passport that is older than ten (10) years

6. Lack To Proof The Travel Itinerary

An additional reason for Schengen Visa application fail, is lacking to present the proper plan of your travel within the Schengen Area. Such cases include:

Applying at the wrong Embassy of the Schengen Area (not being able to determine the main destination of your visit to the Schengen Area)
Not being able to prove to have a booked accommodation for each destination and each night to spend in the Schengen Area
Not being able to provide booked flight ticket for each applicant (when a group of travellers)
Not being able to provide travel tickets for each destination to be toured in the Schengen Area.

7. Invalid Letter of Reference

Further evidenced reason for a failed Schengen Visa application is providing a formal letter of reference that is not authenticated by the author. Such cases involve:

Lacking to offer a formal letter that has an original letterhead with the address and contact details of the company or the author issuing it
Lacking to present a formal letter issued not later than three (3) last months from the application date
Missing to have the stamp and signature of the author on the formal letter

8. Insufficient Means Of Subsistence

One of the reasons the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country might refuse to give you a visa is lacking or insufficient proof of means of existence for the duration of stay in Schengen Area, nor for the return to home country. Such cases might involve:

Failing to offer financial statements not older than one (1) month from the application date
Lacking to enjoy a current account statement (presenting credit card statements in its place)
Missing to possess enough funds in financial statements presented.
Presenting a traveller’s cheque that does not have the candidate’s name.

9. Unacceptable Birth Or Marriage Certificate

An additional cause for a failed Schengen Visa application is not being able to offer birth or marriage certificates that are accepted (not authenticated) by the embassy or consulate. Such cases include:

Failing to offer a certificate endorsed by official authorities, i.e. Ministry Interior
Failing to offer a certificate in non-English language translated by the authorised translator
Lacking to prove a civil certificate (offering a religious document instead)
Not being able to offer a certificate showing both parents of the child
Not being able to offer certificate that matches with the names of the parties presented on the submitted passports
Not being able to offer a document of the legal sole custody order for the child (if a single parent)
Not being able to offer the legal adoption documents for the adoptive child (for EU Spouse application)

10. Invalid Travel Insurance

The other reason that might lead to a Schengen Visa application fail, is the inability to present the appropriate travel insurance coverage for the duration of stay in the Schengen Area. Such cases might involve:

Failing to provide a travel insurance cover in the anticipated amount
Lacking to provide a travel insurance that does not cover the return of the candidate in home country
The inability to provide a travel insurance whose policy is valid all over the Schengen Area
The incapacity to show a travel insurance that covers the entire days of the trip in the Schengen Area

11. Lacking to present a Proof of Accommodation

An additional factor that might lead for your visa to be refused is not being able to properly demonstrate you have a place to stay during your travel abroad. Such cases include:

Not being able to present an evidence of a hotel reservation,
Lacking to provide the invitation from the host (proof of sponsorship),
Failing to present an evidence of a pre-paid tour.

12. Unfavourable Schengen Visa Situation

What else could destroy one’s Schengen Visa application is earlier history with the Schengen Visa. Such cases include:

Failing to previously respect Schengen Visa limitations (i.e. Overstay in the Schengen Area, failing to follow the presented travel itinerary – by skipping to stay mostly in the main country of destination in the Schengen Area, and so on).
Holding a passport with an active Schengen Visa.
Culled from Schengen Visa Info