Libya ranks 51st among nationalities applying for Schengen visas, according to the latest statistics from Visa Info, a site specializing in Schengen visa data.
Last year, Libyans submitted 24,428 visa applications to consulates of Schengen countries.
Libyan passport holders enjoy visa-free access to several countries, including Algeria, Malaysia, Dominica, and 34 other nations across Africa and Asia.
However, no European countries are on this list. Consequently, Libyans wishing to visit Europe must obtain a Schengen visa to enter any of the Schengen Area countries, such as Italy, France, and Germany.
Securing a Schengen visa allows Libyan travelers to spend up to 90 days within the entire Schengen Zone.
Despite this opportunity, obtaining the visa can be challenging due to high rejection rates, particularly for applicants from Africa and Asia.
In 2023, African citizens collectively spent 56.3 million euros on visa application fees, representing 43% of the total expenses incurred by all applicants.
Visa Info notes that the upcoming increase in visa fees by the European Union, which will rise to 90 euros starting next week, is expected to further elevate these costs by 12.5%.
The high rate of visa application rejections has significant financial implications for African applicants. In 2023 alone, African nationals received 704,000 negative responses to their visa applications, resulting in millions of euros in non-refundable fees going to EU countries.
