12 Common Reasons for Schengen Visa Refusal in Ghana

A lot of Ghanaians who wish to travel to Europe may have had their hope dash because of visa denial at the embassy. So, it is important to know the common reasons for Schengen visa in Ghana before you start your application. Whenever a Schengen visa or any visa gets rejected, there is something unsatisfactory about your application.

Many visa applicants get confused and unable to exactly understand the reason for their visa refusal. That is why the article will focus on presenting the commonly known reasons for such refusal.

Your visa application might be considered unsuccessful if the consular officer fails to get all the needed information about you. Failure to provide such information during your visa application might lead to visa denial. Also, the consular might get certain information about you that is unacceptable to their visa application procedures. If you have been involved in illegal or dishonest activities in the past, it might also lead to your visa denial.

So, to guide you in making a successful Schengen visa application, we have compiled the most common reasons why your Schengen visa application gets rejected. The essence of this list is so that you learn and know how to circumvent these situations.

12 Common Reasons for Schengen Visa Refusal in Ghana

1. False Travel Document

This is the most common reason for Schengen visa refusal. There is only one destiny for applicants who attempt to present false travel documents to the consulate. Trying to misrepresent your identity, using fake identity is an absolute visa denial and other accompanying unfavourable consequences. It might even result in a travel ban to any Schengen Area.

2. Past or Current Criminal Actions

Past and current criminal records of the applicant is a major determining factor whether you are granted a visa or not. In such cases, the visa refusal might occur because the applicant is considered a threat to internal security, public policy or public wealth of Schengen Area (i.e. terrorism, drug abuse, child abuse, addiction, other serious crimes).

READ ALSO: Common Reasons for US Visa Refusal in Ghana.

3. Insufficient Explanation for the Purpose of Travel

The inability of an applicant to provide an adequate explanation about his/her travel intentions is also a major reason for Schengen visa denial. In such cases, you need to justify your purpose and conditions of the planned travel and stay. All the consular needs to know is your motive for the visit. Some of the cases of visa denial include;

• Failure to present an employment and professional qualification that matches with the presented financial situation
• Inability to provide documents that support the purpose of travel and stay in the Schengen Area
• Failure to apply for a visa period in conformity with the presented travel itinerary and holiday right or revenue situation
• Inability to offer unchanging declarations about the purpose of travel and stay

4. Passport Invalidity

Presenting an invalid passport to the Embassy or Consulate will automatically lead to visa denial. Such cases of passport invalidity are classified as follows:

• Submitting a passport with validity less than three (3) months after the return from the visit in the Schengen Area
• Presenting a passport that does not possess two different blank visa pages
• Submitting a Travel Document Booklet instead of a valid passport
• Presenting a valid passport that is older than ten (10) years

5. Damaged Passport

Another reason for Schengen visa denial in Ghana is presenting a passport that is not kept in a good condition. Such case can be when passport pages are detaching or missing, when the cover of the passport is damaged and so on.

6. Inability to Proof the Travel Itinerary

The consular might also choose to deny you a visa if you cannot present the proper plan of your travel within the Schengen Area. Such cases include:

• Applying at the wrong Embassy of the Schengen Area (not being able to determine the main destination of your visit to the Schengen Area)
• Inability to prove to have booked accommodation for each destination and each night to spend in the Schengen Area
• Inability to provide booked flight ticket for each applicant (when a group of travelers)
• Failure to provide travel tickets for each destination to be toured in the Schengen Area.

7. Invalid Letter of Reference

The Schengen visa could also be denied on the basis of the applicant not being able to provide a formal letter of reference that is authenticated by the author. Such cases involving letter of reference include:

• Failure to offer a formal letter that has an original letterhead with the address and contact details of the company or the author issuing it
• Inability to present a formal letter issued not later than three (3) last months from the application date
• Missing to have the stamp and signature of the author on the formal letter

8. Insufficient Means of Subsistence

This is one of the major reasons embassy or consulate of the Schengen country might refuse to give Ghanaian a visa. You have to show prove of sufficient means of existence for the duration of your stay in Schengen Area. Such cases involving lacking proof of means of subsistence include;

• Failure to offer financial statements not older than one (1) month from the application date
• Lacking to enjoy a current account statement (presenting credit card statements in its place)
• Lacking enough funds in financial statements presented
• Presenting a traveler’s cheque that does not have the candidate’s name

9. Unacceptable Birth or Marriage Certificate

Another important reason for a failed Schengen visa application is not being able to provide birth or marriage certificates that are acceptable by the embassy or consulate. Cases involving birth or marriage certificate include:

• Failure to offer a certificate endorsed by official authorities, i.e. Ministry Interior
• Failure to offer a certificate in non English language translated by the authorized translator
• Lacking to prove a civil certificate (offering a religious document instead)
• Not being able to offer a certificate showing both parents of the child
• Failure to offer certificate that matches with the names of the parties presented on the submitted passports
• Not being able to offer a document of the legal sole custody order for the child (if a single parent)
• Inability to provide the legal adoption documents for the adoptive child (for EU Spouse application)

10. Invalid Travel Insurance

Another reason for a failed visa application is the inability to present appropriate travel insurance coverage for the duration of stay in the Schengen Area. Such cases of invalid travel insurance include;

• Inability to provide a travel insurance cover in the anticipated amount
• Failure to provide a travel insurance that does not cover the return of the candidate in home country
• Failing to provide a travel insurance whose policy is valid all over the Schengen Area
• Inability to show a travel insurance that covers the entire days of the trip in the Schengen Area

11. Failure to Show Proof of Accommodation

Another reason that could lead to your visa to be denied is not being able to properly demonstrate you have a place to stay during your travel abroad. Some of such cases involving lack of accommodation:

• Failure to present an evidence of a hotel reservation,
• Inability to provide the invitation from the host (proof of sponsorship),
• Failing to present an evidence of a pre-paid tour.

12. Unfavorable Schengen Visa History

Another reason that could cause damage to your Schengen Visa application is a bad history record with the Schengen visa or embasssy or consulate. Some of such cases include:

• Failure to previously respect Schengen Visa limitations (i.e. Overstay in the Schengen Area, failing to follow the presented travel itinerary – by skipping to stay mostly in the main country of destination in the Schengen Area, and so on).
• Holding a passport with an active Schengen Visa.

Note: The information provided here is intended for assistance only and might be usable NOT ONLY for the purpose of applying for Schengen Visa but for any visa type of any world country.