- Thousands of Kenyans have been seeking to travel to European Union countries in search of jobs and for studies
- However, according to a new report by the European Union Commission, many Kenyans applying for Schengen visas to travel to Europe have been getting rejected
- Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) CEO Nicanor Sabula explains that rejections in visa approvals could be attributed to incomplete application forms submitted by applicants in large volumes
Don’t miss out! Join Tuko.co.ke Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Bonface Kanyamwaya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than 10 years of financial, economic, business, markets, and aviation expertise, providing insights into Kenya and global trends.
Kenya is among the top 10 African nations with the highest visa rejection rates for Schengen visas.
A report released by the European Union Commission earlier this week said that Kenya has a rejection rate of 29.1%, one of the highest among African countries.
The move is a major blow to thousands of travellers from Kenya who wish to visit European Union nations for business and trade in the coming months.
PAY ATTENTION:TUKO is in WhatsApp Channels now! Subscribe and read news in favourite messenger.
“This is interesting. I think the rejection can be attributed to the high volume of submissions. Remember, some of these applications are usually submitted in a hurry, and applicants may forget to key in crucial details in the forms,” KATA CEO Nicanor Sabula told TUKO.co.ke on Friday, May 23.
“In any normal circumstances, if you are dealing with high volumes of applications, the chances that you will reject some are very high. The embassies doesn’t have time and remembers they can also admit only a required number of citizens at a time,” he said.
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa is a short-stay permit that allows visitors to travel to any of the 26 member states of the Schengen area for up to 90 days for tourism and business.
The permit enables the holder to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen zone from any of the member states.
The states include countries like Finland, Estonia, Belgium, France, Germany, and others in the European Union.
How was the Visa rejection rate in other African nations?
Interestingly, the visa rejection rate in Kenya is higher than several regional counterparts.
According to the report, Tanzania’s rejection rate stands at 20.1%, Zimbabwe’s at 16.2%, Botswana’s at 16.3%, and Zambia’s at 10.8%.
Southern African nations like South Africa (5.7%), Mauritius (5.6%), and Namibia (5.2%) reported significantly lower denial rates, indicating relatively smoother access to the Schengen area.
On the other hand, Comoros (62%), Senegal (46.8%), and Guinea-Bissau (45.9%) top the list with the highest rejection rates, while Liberia (0.8%) and São Tomé (0.9%) enjoy near-universal approval.
Ruto declares Kenya a Visa-Free Entry Country
The new report has been released at a time Kenya’s Pesident William Ruto officially declared Kenya a visa-free country to relieve travellers of the burden of applying for visas manually.
The president stated there would be a digital programme to register travellers and issue them with an electronic travel authorisation.
He made the historic announcement at the Jamhuri Day celebrations marking Kenya’s 60th year of independence.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
