Chinese nationals have been top applicants for French visas for the last six years despite application rates experiencing a steep drop in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. - Advertisement -Data by Schengen Statistics reveals that between 2017 and 2022, Chinese nationals have filed 2.3 million visa applications, and the majority of those were filed before the outbreak, but application rates are gradually recovering in 2022, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. With more than two million visa applications filed, Algerians take the second spot for Schengen visa applications filed at French consulates located in four Algerian cities: Algier, Annaba, Hydra and Oran. Although Algerians have been top applicants historically, their popularity rose particularly after the pandemic, while Chinese were particularly more interested in French visas in pre-pandemic times. COVID-19 Impact: Application Rates Drop Among Chinese, Vietnamese & RussiansComparing the 2022 application rates to those in 2019, it is evident that visa applications are lower among all applicants – 96.2 per cent for Chinese applicants, 57.5 per cent for Moroccans and 49.8 per cent for Algerians.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 25, 2023 14:36 UTC