Schengen Member States Deny Accusations of Using Secret Algorithms for Processing Visa Applications
However, many of them are feeling reluctant following reports that they could potentially be subject to profiling systems, through which the authorities decide to issue or reject a visa based on the applicant’s ethnicity.
The Netherlands was just recently accused of using a secret and potentially illegal algorithm to profile Schengen visa applicants based on their ethnicity, with an investigation by Lighthouse Reports and the NRC revealing the wide-scale use of algorithmic risk profiling systems across the Netherlands.
The investigation said that the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been using such a system since 2015, preventing family members of Dutch citizens with a migration background from getting a short-stay visa.
“Unknown to the public, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been using a profiling system to calculate the risk score of short-stay visa applicants applying to enter the Netherlands and Schengen area since 2015,” Lighthouse Reports highlighted.
According to the investigation, since then, millions of applicants have been profiled by the Dutch authorities by using variables like nationality, age, and gender.
Applicants that are scored as “high risk” are moved automatically to a so-called “intensive track”, which involves delays as well as extensive investigation that, in most cases, leads to visa rejection.
This raised concerns among many third-country nationals who need a Schengen visa in order to be permitted entry into the Schenge]n Area, pushing them to think that other Schengen countries might also be using such algorithms.
For this reason, AtoZSerwisPlus.com required Schengen visa-issuing relevant authorities to share their stance on the use of algorithms to profile Schengen visa applicants just in time before the official summer travel season begins.
Swedish & Spanish Officials Claim They Do Not Use Any Algorithmic Profiling of Schengen Visa Applicants
AtoZSerwisPlus.com has contacted some of the Schengen-visa issuing countries receiving the highest number of applications to get a better understanding of their rules and regulations and of the potential use of illegal and secret profiling algorithms.
While several Schengen countries have been reached out to, only two of them decided to speak on the matter.
Sweden, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, said that the country does not use any kind of algorithms to profile Schengen visa applicants based on their ethnicity, gender, age, and economic background.
When asked whether all applicants go through the same processing procedures regardless of their ethnicity, the spokesperson of the Swedish Migration Agency told AtoZSerwisPlus.com that all applications are handled in line with the Schengen visa application code.
“Applications for Schengen visas are handled in accordance with the Schengen visa application code. According to its article 23,” Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with Article 19,” the spokesperson said while adding that the period may be extended to a maximum of 45 days for certain individual cases.
In addition to the above-mentioned, when asked why it takes longer for certain applicants to receive an answer on their visa application, the Swedish Migration Agency spokesperson said that this mainly happens because Member States need time to consult with the authorities of other countries.
“The time it takes for an applicant to receive an answer could vary within the time limit of 15 + 45 days. This may be due to the need of member states to consult the authorities of other Member States,” the spokesperson said, highlighting that they do not discriminate against applicants.
The Spanish authorities gave a similar response on the matter too. The Diplomatic Information Office of Spain said for AtoZSerwisPlus.com that the country does not use algorithms to profile Schengen visa applicants, regardless of whether they apply for a short-term or national visa.
“Spain does not use any algorithm or any type of filter in relation to visa applications, whether they are Schengen visas or national visas,” the statement of the Diplomatic Information Office reads.
As for the processing time, the authority stressed that they apply the same rules for everyone and noted that the time varies depending on the volume of applications.
“Visa processing is the same for all applicants, regardless of their ethnic origin or any other personal circumstance. The processing time may vary for various reasons, such as the volume of work of the consular office that processes the visa,” the statement of the Diplomatic Information Office of Spain reads,” the Diplomatic Information Office stated.
Other Schengen visa-issuing countries that receive a high number of applications each year, such as France and Switzerland, were also contacted. However, they did not make an official statement on the matter, raising concerns among third-country nationals who need a visa to enter the bloc.
VFS Global Says They Do Not Keep Appointment Slots Available Only for Certain Applicants
VFS Global, which is a visa outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, has also commented on the matter, saying that the company does not discriminate against Schengen visa applicants.
A VFS Global spokesperson told AtoZSerwisPlus.com that despite the company being contracted by the Netherlands to manage administrative tasks related to visa applications since 2016, they have never been involved in the potential filtering of applicants, stressing that they only manage administrative tasks related to visa applications.
“We have been working with the Government of the Netherlands since September 2016. VFS Global manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for our client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical task of assessment,” the VFS Global spokesperson said.
Moreover, the spokesperson stressed that VFS Global does not keep Schengen visa appointment slots available only for certain third-country nationals. According to the spokesperson, appointment slots vary from one mission to another, and they are made available based on the requirements of the respective client government.
At the same time, the same highlighted that Schengen visa appointments are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, meaning that they are unable to offer additional appointment slots if the allocated number has already been filled.
“Decisions on visa applications, including the availability of appointment slots and the timelines to process them, are at the sole discretion of the respective client governments and may vary from one mission to another. Visa appointments are available online on a first-come, first-served basis to customers, in line with the directives of the client governments,” the spokesperson emphasised.
When asked whether any of their customers have complained about being discriminated against due to their ethnicity when applying for a Schengen visa, VFS Global did not make an official statement in this regard.
Applicants Share Their Experiences, Accusing Netherlands of Using Profiling Algorithms
Not long after the report on the Netherlands using secret and potentially illegal algorithms to filter Schengen visa applicants was shared, several applicants said that they might have been victims of such practices.
Parth Punter from India wrote earlier this month on his Twitter account that he and his friends might have been victims of the algorithms that the Netherlands is suspected of using.
Punter said that despite him and his friends submitting all the required documents, not all of them were issued visas.
Of the friend group, only Punter was issued the visa, with the Dutch authorities stating the reason for rejection for the others as “insufficient proof of stay”. This to Punter did not make sense as they all booked the same accommodation, and if the proof of stay was insufficient, his visa should have been rejected too.
“We applied for the Schengen visa through the Netherlands. We had our tickets, stay, IT returns, and bank statements in place. Every requirement on that checklist was ticked. My visa was approved. My friends’ visas were rejected. But here’s the funny part The reason behind their rejection was cited: insufficient proof of stay. It made zero sense because my bookings and their bookings were identical. We had booked the same hotels and Airbnb. If the proof of stay was insufficient, even my visa should have been rejected,” Punter wrote on Twitter.
Another Twitter user also complained about being discriminated against by the Netherlands. The user said that they were rejected the visa to attend a fully funded conference in the Netherlands, while the authorities issue “visas for honeymoon”.
“This strengthens beliefs that they are using secret and illegal algorithms to filter Schengen visa applicants,” the Twitter user wrote.
These Countries Issue the Highest & Lowest Number of Schengen Visas
While some travellers might be worried about their visa being rejected following reports on the use of secret and potentially illegal algorithms used to profile applicants, AtoZSerwisPlus.com has compiled a list of the top ten easiest countries to get a Schengen visa.
Based on the rejection rate they had in 2022, the top ten easiest countries to get a Schengen visa this summer are as follows:
- Italy
- Greece
- Switzerland
- Poland
- Luxembourg
- Finland
- Slovakia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Iceland
According to data provided by Schengen Visa Statistics, all these ten countries had a rejection rate of 12.7 per cent and below in 2022.
On the other hand, based on their rejection rates in 2022, Malta, Sweden, Belgium, and France are the top four Member States of the Schengen Area most likely to reject a Schengen visa application.
Currently, all nationals of third countries that have not reached a visa-free travel agreement with the EU need to obtain a Schengen visa in order to be permitted entry into the bloc.
Depending on the purpose of the trip to the EU/Schengen Area, citizens of third countries subject to the visa requirement are required to apply for a different type of visa.
Despite there being different visa types, all applicants are required to submit the same general documents for all short-term Schengen visa applications.
All short-term Schengen visa applicants must submit the fully completed and signed visa application form, two recently taken photos, their valid passport, and a roundtrip reservation or itinerary.
In addition, all applicants must also submit proof of having booked a place to stay in the EU, proof of having purchased travel health insurance, proof of sufficient financial means, and proof of paying the visa fee.
Additional specific documents are also required based on the visa applicant’s employment status.
>> Detailed Schengen Visa Application Requirements
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