EU Says Pakistan's Almost 50% Schengen Visa Refusal Rate Is Excessive

EU internal affairs commissioner Magnus Brunner called Pakistan's near-50% Schengen visa rejection rate 'too much' during his first visit, urging improvements on both sides.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 15, 2026 · 3:05 PM 1 min read

Key takeaways

EU internal affairs commissioner Magnus Brunner called Pakistan's near-50% Schengen visa rejection rate "too much."

Brunner said Pakistani applicants need better document quality and the EU must improve legal travel facilitation.

He noted that visa decisions are mainly made by individual EU member states, but the Commission is working on coordination.

Irregular migration from Pakistan to the EU has fallen by over 50% through bilateral cooperation, with officials citing a 64% decline in 18 months.

Brunner warned against human smuggling routes via Gulf countries, Egypt and Libya, urging legal travel and skill development.

European Union Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner described Pakistan's almost 50% Schengen visa rejection rate as "too much," urging both Pakistan and the EU to tackle the problem.

During his inaugural trip to Pakistan, Brunner told The Express Tribune that the paperwork submitted by Pakistani applicants must be of higher quality, while the EU also needs to make legal travel easier.

"We have to do a better job there as a European Union," he said, referring to visa access. He noted that poor document quality contributed to the high refusal rate and emphasized that both parties must act.

Brunner recognized the challenges Pakistanis encounter in securing visa appointments, calling the process frustrating for those wanting to travel legally to the EU. He explained that visa decisions remain largely the remit of individual member states, but the European Commission is seeking better coordination and faster processing through its visa strategy.

The commissioner said irregular migration from Pakistan to the EU had dropped by more than 50% thanks to bilateral cooperation, while Pakistani officials reported a 64% decline over the past 18 months.

He warned young Pakistanis against depending on human smugglers, labeling routes through Gulf nations, Egypt and Libya toward Italy and Greece as especially hazardous, and urged them to focus on education, skill development and legal pathways to Europe.

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