In 2022, Kenyans displayed a greater interest in obtaining Schengen visas compared to their neighbouring East African countries, as per Schengen statistics.
The report indicates that a total of 48,892 Kenyans submitted visa applications, collectively spending Sh618.5 million (€3.9 million). Notably, the majority of these applications received positive responses. The Schengen visa enables individuals to travel to any member country within the Euro area, granting a 90-day stay for purposes of tourism or business. This visa arrangement constitutes the largest free travel area worldwide. Notable member countries include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Kenya surpassed Ethiopia, the second-highest applicant, by doubling their number of requests, totalling 21,099. According to the statistics, Kenyans allocated approximately 18% of their income towards visa applications, with an average annual wage of Sh830,740 (€5,237) or a monthly wage of Sh69,162 (€436). In terms of visas issued per 100,000 individuals, Kenya ranked third among East African countries, with a rate of 65. Comoros and Djibouti boasted the highest rates, with 206 and 248 respectively. The data further reveals that Kenyans primarily sought visas for travel to Sweden (12,973 applications), Spain (4,216 applications), Netherlands (2,832 applications), and Italy (3,790 applications).
In 2022, the African region witnessed a total of 153,757 applications, out of which 35,297 applicants were unfortunately rejected, resulting in a rejection rate of 21.8 per cent. Among the countries in the region, Mozambique had the highest number of applications with 16,177, followed closely by Madagascar with 15,027. Other countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Burundi, Comoros, Zambia, Eritrea, and Mauritius also contributed to the overall application numbers. Kenyans have various reasons for travelling abroad, including leisure, business, visiting family, attending sports or cultural events, seeking medical treatment, and pursuing educational opportunities.
This is dumb.
This is dumb.