How a refusal is notified
Under Article 32 of the EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009), a refusal and the reasons for it are notified to the applicant on the standard form in Annex VI. The form is issued in the language of the country that took the decision and in another official EU language.
The form contains three key pieces of information:
- The reasons for the decision: the relevant boxes are ticked, with additional remarks where needed.
- The national law governing appeals and the competent authority where an appeal can be lodged.
- The time limit for an appeal, which differs by country and is stated on the form.
Keep the refusal form and note the date you received it.
Refusal reasons on the form, in plain language
- A false, counterfeit or forged travel document was presented
- The purpose and conditions of the intended stay were not justified
- Sufficient means to cover the stay and the return journey were not shown
- It was not shown that you can lawfully acquire such means
- You have already used your 90 days in the current 180-day period
- An entry-ban alert about you exists in the Schengen Information System (SIS)
- One or more Member States consider you a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or their international relations
- The information on the purpose and conditions of the stay was not considered reliable
- There are reasonable doubts about the reliability of your statements
- There are reasonable doubts about the authenticity of the supporting documents or the truth of their contents
- There are reasonable doubts about your intention to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires
- Valid and adequate travel medical insurance was not shown
- Less common: an application at the border was not justified, or the purpose of an airport transit was not justified
Your right to appeal, and why countries differ
Article 32(3) of the Visa Code gives everyone who has been refused a visa the right to appeal. The appeal is brought against the country that took the final decision on your application and under that country's national law. That is why the form, language, competent authority and deadline of an appeal differ from one country to another.
Rather than relying on a general rule, always follow the information on your own refusal form and the official guidance of the mission that refused you. Assess your options as soon as you receive the decision so that you do not miss the deadline.
Appeal or new application?
There are two practical paths after a refusal, and the right one depends on the refusal reasons and your travel plans.
An appeal is usually worth considering when:
- Your file contained the required documents but you believe it was assessed incorrectly.
- You can document that the decision rests on a clear factual error.
- Your travel dates are flexible enough to wait for the appeal outcome.
A new application is usually the better fit when:
- The refusal stems from a missing or weak document (for example, income, the purpose of the trip or your ties to Türkiye not being shown clearly).
- Your circumstances have changed since you applied (a new job, a stronger financial position, an invitation letter).
Under the Visa Code, a previous refusal does not automatically lead to a new application being refused; a new application is assessed on the basis of all available information.
What to do after a refusal, step by step
- 1
Read the refusal form carefully
Note the ticked reasons, any additional remarks, the appeal authority and the appeal deadline.
- 2
Compare the reasons with your file
Get a copy of the documents you submitted and identify which gap or inconsistency each reason relates to.
- 3
Choose your path
Based on the reasons and your travel dates, decide between an appeal and a new application; if you appeal, keep to the deadline.
- 4
Prepare documents that answer each reason
Add a concrete document or explanation for every refusal reason; do not resubmit the same file unchanged.
- 5
Lodge the appeal or the new application
Lodge an appeal with the authority and in the way stated on the refusal form; make a new application to the competent country under the main destination rule.
Tips for re-applying
Refusals are recorded in the Visa Information System (VIS), so the consulate assessing your next application, whichever country it is, can see a previous refusal. That means:
- If an application form or additional question asks about previous refusals, declare them truthfully and in full; hiding one can raise new doubts about the reliability of your statements.
- Keep the information in your new file consistent with what you declared before; if something has changed, explain it with documents.
- Make sure you are applying to the right country for your itinerary.
- Re-check the country's current document checklist and travel medical insurance requirements.
- Confirm that your previous stays complied with the 90/180-day rule.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Visa and appeal decisions are made only by the competent authorities of the country concerned. Through our visa refusal support, Vera helps you analyse the refusal reasons and prepare a new file or appeal documents; where legal representation is needed, we recommend consulting a lawyer.
Official sources
We checked the information on this page against the official sources below. Always confirm the current rules there before you apply.