Schengen visas in Benin: refusals consulate by consulate
30.0% of applications refused in 2025 — 4,611 of 15,364.
2024: 25.1% of 15,148 applications (+4.9 pts). 3 Schengen consulates active in 2025.
Every consulate, fewest to most refusals
| Consulate | Applications 2025 | Refused 2025 | 2024 | Change | Multiple entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France — Cotonou | 13,905 | 28.3% | 24.8% | +3.5 pts | 37.3% |
Under 1,000 applications — rates not significant
| Consulate | Applications 2025 | Refused 2025 | 2024 | Change | Multiple entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany — Cotonou | 730 | 39.1% | 26.7% | +12.4 pts | 55.3% |
| Netherlands — Cotonou | 729 | 53.4% | 28.8% | +24.6 pts | 25.6% |
Before choosing a consulate
You do not pick your consulate. The Visa Code (Article 5) designates the one of your main destination — or of the first country of entry if no destination dominates. Applying "where refusals are lower" for a trip elsewhere is itself a ground for refusal.
A low rate is not leniency: it also reflects who applies. A consulate that mostly receives seasoned business travellers refuses less than one receiving first-time applicants. The rate shows where files fail most often — a reason to prepare yours carefully, not to change address.
Source: Commission européenne — Visa statistics for consulates, 2025 and 2024 editions, published 2026-05-28. Uniform short-stay visas; the rate is the Commission's: refusals / (issued + limited territorial validity visas + refusals).