The Moroccan government is forced to demand reimbursement for Schengen visa refusals that cost the EU €10.9 million in 2023.

The issue has become political: Moroccan MPs have called on the government to demand reimbursement for rejected Schengen visa applications. It is led by Hanane Atargin of the Authenticity and Modernity Party.

Morocco is the fourth most frequently rejected country for Schengen visas, which cost citizens a quarter of Morocco's annual national salary to apply for. According to Schengen News, the country also ranks fifth in the world in the number of visa applications submitted.

Atargin said that refund of visa refusal fees should be a fundamental right of affected citizens, APA reports News.

Data shows the EU has accumulated €56.3 million from rejected visa applications from African countries in 2023, €776,880 from South Africa alone.

Source: travelnews.co.za

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