With a 97.8 percent approval rate, Iceland approved the majority of visa applications it received in 2023. Out of 22,500 visa requests directed to Iceland, over 21,000 were approved, while only 474 were rejected. This suggests that visa applicants to Iceland are highly likely to have their requests granted. According to SchengenNews, Schengen states approved an average of 84 percent of all visa applications, with 8.4 million approved out of 10.3 million requests.

Malta, which received 33,000 applications, had the lowest approval rate among Schengen states. In 2023, Maltese authorities approved around 63 percent of requests, issuing over 20,000 visas. According to European Commission data, Iceland, Switzerland, and Latvia had the highest visa approval rates, indicating a higher likelihood of visa approval for applicants to these countries.

Iceland led with a 97.8 percent approval rate. Switzerland followed with an 89.3 percent approval rate, granting over 506,000 out of 603,000 applications in 2023. Latvia had an 88.3 percent approval rate, approving 88.3 percent of its 19,000 requests. Italy (88 percent) and Luxembourg (87.3 percent) also had high approval rates.

The list of Schengen states with the easiest visa approval process continues with Lithuania (87.2 percent) and Slovakia (87.1 percent). 

Applicants to Germany, Austria, and Greece had a good chance of approval as well, with approval rates of 85.7 percent for Germany and Austria, and 85.3 percent for Greece, all above the Schengen average of 84 percent. In 2023, Malta approved around 20,000 visa requests out of a total of 33,000, resulting in an approval rate of 62 percent. This made Malta the toughest country to obtain a visa from during the year.

According to EU Commission data, Estonia had the second-lowest approval rate at 66.9 percent, followed by Belgium at 73.5 percent. In addition to these three countries, applicants for Schengen visas in Sweden, Denmark, and Croatia also faced lower approval rates, all below the EU average of 84 percent.