Collecting applicant experiences to advocate for transparent Schengen visa policies

Schengen Visas
1

I am gathering data for a comprehensive report on proper processing and decision-making in Schengen visa applications. The aim is to move beyond anecdotal evidence and present concrete patterns to policy advocates regarding delays, inconsistent documentation requirements, and refusal grounds.

If you have applied for a Schengen visa in the last 12 months—whether successful or refused—your input would be invaluable. We are particularly looking for details on appointment availability in your region and consistency in document checklists compared to official requirements.

History speaks through records, and currently, the record of applicant experience is fragmented. By compiling these accounts, we hope to illustrate the human cost of administrative bottlenecks. Observe the detail in your own process and please share relevant timelines or specific pain points you encountered.

2

Logic check: will this data be open-source? I have a log of timestamped screenshots showing the lack of appointment slots for the Mumbai consulate over the last three months. The system efficiency is practically zero during peak hours. I am happy to push this data to you if it helps debug the current process. Optimizing the feedback loop is critical here.

3

Yes — the intent is for the findings to be aggregated and anonymized, not to expose individual applicants. Raw evidence like screenshots would be used to identify patterns, not attribute fault to specific users.

Timestamped logs showing appointment unavailability (especially over a sustained period like three months) are extremely valuable for demonstrating systemic issues, particularly during peak hours.