Iceland Tourist Visa Rejection Rate for Indians: What Drives Approval

This post explains what that number does and does not tell you, and what the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi actually asks for. Fees, centres and checklist items are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For the full application route, see our Iceland visa guide for Indians.

What is the Iceland visa refusal rate for applications from India?

The European Commission publishes Schengen visa statistics for every consulate. For Iceland's posts in India, the last two years look like this:

The rate is the Commission's own published figure. The two counts beside it show the scale of the caseload; do not divide one by the other and treat the result as an official rate.

What changed between 2024 and 2025?

Two things moved at once. Applications lodged rose from 5,257 to 10,906, and the refusal rate rose from 16.3% to 25.7%. Visas not issued went from 835 to 2,793.

The Commission's tables do not give reasons, and the Embassy of Iceland publishes no breakdown of why applications were refused. Any article that names a single cause for the rise is guessing. What you can say from the data is that a larger share of files lodged in India in 2025 did not end in a visa.

Does a 25.7% rate mean one in four Indian travellers is refused?

Not exactly, for three reasons:

• It covers applications, not nationalities. The figure counts applications lodged at Icelandic consulates in India, whoever lodged them.
• It mixes every short-stay purpose. Tourism, business, family visits and events are all in the same total.
• It looks backwards. It records past decisions. It is not a prediction for your file.

A complete, consistent application is judged on its own documents. The useful question is not 'what are my odds' but 'does my file answer every point on the checklist'.

What does the Embassy of Iceland check in a tourist application?

The Embassy's checklist for tourism, business and family visits (via VFS, February 2025) shows what the decision is based on. Each document answers a specific question.

Your passport must be issued within the previous 10 years, valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages. The photo must be 3.5 x 4.5 cm on a white background and no more than 6 months old.

How much money should your bank statement show for Iceland?

Iceland's India checklist states a daily figure. Your original bank statement must show:

• ISK 8,000 per day if you are staying in a hotel; or
• ISK 4,000 per day if a third party is bearing your expenses.

This applies to all applicants, including sponsored ones; the checklist says every applicant submits their own personal bank statement regardless of sponsorship. Students add an enrolment certificate, and retired applicants add pension statements for the last three months.

What can you do if Iceland refuses your visa?

The visa fee (INR 9900 / EUR 90 for adults) and the VFS service fee (INR 2900) are not refunded. Read the refusal notice for the grounds and any appeal route it describes, then decide whether to fix the gap and reapply. Questions go to the Embassy of Iceland at newdelhi@mfa.is.

If you reapply, deal with the stated reason directly: add the missing ITR year, a clearer leave letter or a corrected bank statement rather than resubmitting the same file. Applications can be lodged up to six months before travel, and the Embassy advises applying early for the March to June peak.

Before you apply: steps that reduce avoidable refusals

• Get every page of the bank statement stamped and signed by the bank.
• Check that your daily balance covers the ISK figure for the whole trip.
• Buy insurance that names the coverage area, the dates and the full trip; the card alone will not do.
• Send any missing document to the Embassy by email within 5 days of your VFS appointment.
• Use a flight reservation with a PNR instead of a non-refundable ticket bought before the decision.

A good travel record helps later trips too. Under EU rules for Indian nationals, applicants who obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years can receive a two-year multiple-entry visa.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for Schengen files. Packages start at INR 1,000 and the complete set costs INR 3,000. Write to us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or via our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Iceland refusal rate higher than other Schengen countries for Indians?

This post uses only Iceland's own figures: 25.7% in 2025 and 16.3% in 2024 for applications lodged at Icelandic consulates in India. Compare countries using the same European Commission consulate table so the figures measure the same thing.

Can I use another Schengen visa to visit Iceland instead?

Yes. The Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi says a valid Schengen visa issued by another Schengen state can be used instead of a separate Icelandic visa.

Does sponsorship by a relative in Iceland reduce the refusal risk?

A sponsor changes the daily funds figure from ISK 8,000 to ISK 4,000 if they bear your expenses, but the checklist still asks every applicant for their own three-month bank statement. Family visits also need the online invitation form, and a guarantee form if applicable.

How long does Iceland take to decide a tourist visa from India?

Usually 15 calendar days from when the Embassy receives the application, not counting transport time from the VFS centre. It can be extended in specific cases.