Ecuador Leads South American Visa Applications in 2022

Ecuadorians took the lead among South American nationals seeking visas in 2022, comprising 34.7% of all applications, which totaled 75,094, according to data from Schengen Statistics. Dominicans followed with 20.3% (43,996 applications), and Cubans accounted for 18.4% (39,931 applications). These three nationalities collectively made up 73.6% of all applications, totaling 159,021.

Besart Bajrami, Founder of SchengenVisaInfo.com, noted, "Except for Ecuadorians, Dominicans, and Cubans, some of the nationalities with the highest visa application rates for the year were Bolivia and Suriname, with their top destinations being Spain and the Netherlands."

Predominance of South American Visa Applications for Spain

Spain emerged as the primary destination for South Americans applying for Schengen visas. Of all the nationalities from South America, only Surinamese applicants directed 99.6% of their applications to Dutch authorities, totaling 16,990 applications. Meanwhile, seven nationalities from South America, including Ecuadorians, Dominicans, Chileans, Bolivians, Mexicans, Guatemalans, and Cubans, constituted 62% of visa applications for a Spanish Schengen visa, totaling 121,030 applications.

Low Rejection Rates for South American Applicants

South American applicants experienced low rejection rates, indicating that only a small proportion of visa requests were denied. The countries with the highest rejection rates among applicants were Haiti (43.2%), Bolivia (31.4%), and Brazil (29.6%). The rejection rates for top applicants were as follows:

• Ecuador: 22.2%

• Dominican Republic: 22.4%

• Cuba: 25.2%

• Suriname: 20.30%

Additionally, data revealed that per 100,000 inhabitants, around 293 Dominicans and 314 Ecuadorians received positive responses to their visa applications, highlighting the relatively high approval rates.

Visa Applications Expenses

Collectively, South Americans spent approximately €17.2 million on visa application fees, with an average expenditure of approximately €719,896 per country. The highest expenditures were made by Ecuadorians (€6 million), Dominicans (€3.5 million), Cubans (€3.1 million), and Bolivians (€1.4 million). Notably, the highest expenditure per capita was observed in Suriname, averaging €2.18 per person, signifying that each individual in the population contributed €2.18 to the total visa expenditure in the country.

In summary, Ecuadorians led South American visa applications in 2022, with Spain being the favored destination for most applicants. South American applicants had low rejection rates, and the overall expenses incurred for visa applications were substantial, with notable variations between countries and per capita expenditure.

By fLEXI tEAM