The Russians are on TOP in the number of issued Schengen visas

Russia continues to maintain world leadership in the number of issued Schengen visas, although in 2018 they began to apply less for permission to enter Europe.  In 2018, citizens of the Russian Federation made 3 695 670 applications for visas at the consulates of European countries within the Schengen zone. This is 5% less than it was recorded in 2017. As a result, the Russians get 3,631,318 visas (minus 5.1% compared with 2017). Thus, every fourth visa issued by the consulates of the Schengen countries in 2018 was issued to citizens of the Russian Federation.  The share of multi visas in the total volume of issued visas in the Russian Federation was 81.9% (in 2017 - 83.8%). At the same time, the share of visa refusals increased: from 1,4% in 2017 (52,770 applications) to 1,6% (57,425 applications) in 2018.  

According to the European Commission (EC), in 2018 the consulates of the Schengen countries issued over 16 million visas worldwide: this is 0.9% less than in 2017.  In total, in 2018 14,26 million Schengen visas were issued (a decrease of 2.7% compared with 2017).

France issued the biggest number of visas: in 2018 the consulates of this country issued 3,34 million visas. The TOP-5 also includes Germany (1,84 million visas), Italy (1,7 million) Spain (1,5 million) and Greece (805,1 thousand). The least amount of visas to foreign applicants was granted by Iceland (8.9 thousand).  The top 10 countries whose residents most often apply for a visa to Europe include Turkey, Algeria, Belarus, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.