During his official three-day visit to Sri Lanka, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is expected to engage in discussions on several key issues with local authorities.

On the first day of his visit, Minister Sikorski highlighted the significant challenges faced by Sri Lankan passport holders when applying for visas to travel to the Schengen Area. Acknowledging these difficulties, he expressed support for the proposal to establish a visa facilitation office in Sri Lanka to simplify the application process, according to News First. However, he noted that the establishment of such an office would require approval from EU institutions and is unlikely to happen in the immediate future.

In addition to visa matters, Minister Sikorski emphasized the strengthening ties between Poland and Sri Lanka. He mentioned Poland’s intention to expand employment opportunities for seasonal Sri Lankan workers and increase student exchange programs between the two countries.

Sri Lankan Passport Holders Submitted Over 25,700 Schengen Visa Applications in 2024

According to the latest data from SchengenVisaInfo, Sri Lankan nationals filed 25,721 Schengen visa applications in 2024.

Out of these applications, 16,318 were approved, while 9,027 were denied, resulting in a visa refusal rate of 35.4%.

The top three Schengen countries issuing the highest number of visas to Sri Lankan applicants in 2024 were France, Switzerland, and Germany.

• France received 9,555 visa applications from Sri Lankan passport holders. It approved 6,049 visas but rejected 3,358, corresponding to a refusal rate of 35.7%.
• Switzerland processed 6,617 applications and granted 4,220 visas, rejecting 2,255 applicants. The Swiss refusal rate was slightly lower compared to France.
• Germany saw 5,095 applications from Sri Lankans, with 3,371 visas issued and 1,649 denied.