Data & insights
Visa approval data by route
Approximate approval rates, the money you need, and the most common refusal reasons for major visa routes — compiled from official government sources. Rates are educational estimates for a typical applicant; your own odds depend on your profile.
Last reviewed July 2026.
Approval & requirements by route
| Route | Base approval | Key financial requirement | Top refusal reason | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE · Work | 95% | No applicant funds threshold — the sponsoring employer handles fees and pays your salary. A valid labour contract is the key document. | Employer quota or labour-approval problems | The United Arab Emirates' Government portal (u.ae) |
| UK · Student | 90% | Course fees (or first-year fees) plus £1,334/month for London or about £1,023/month outside London, for up to 9 months — held for 28 straight days ending within 31 days of applying. | Funds not held for the full 28-day period | GOV.UK — UK Home Office |
| Australia · Student | 89% | Evidence of funds covering travel + tuition + 12 months' living costs, OR personal annual income of at least AUD$60,000 (AUD$70,000 if accompanied by family members). | Fails the Genuine Student requirement | Australian Government — Department of Home Affairs |
| Schengen · Student | 88% | Country-specific: e.g. Germany requires a blocked account of about €11,904/year (2025); others accept a scholarship award or bank evidence of living costs. | Funds or scholarship not adequately proven | European Commission — Migration and Home Affairs |
| Schengen · Tourist / Visitor | 84% | Varies by country: broadly ~€1,099 for stays of 9 days or more, or ~€122 per day for shorter trips; France asks ~€65/day. Showing 1.5–2× the minimum strengthens your case. | Insufficient or unclear means of subsistence | European Commission — Migration and Home Affairs |
| UK · Tourist / Visitor | 82% | No set minimum. Show you can cover the trip without working in the UK and have clear reasons to return home. | Doubt that you will actually leave the UK | GOV.UK — UK Home Office |
| USA · Tourist / Visitor | 80% | No official minimum. Show funds that comfortably cover the whole trip plus evidence of ongoing income and ties — officers weigh your entire profile, not a single number. | Section 214(b) — weak home ties or perceived immigrant intent (the most common reason) | U.S. Department of State — Bureau of Consular Affairs |
| USA · Student | 74% | Show funds covering the first-year tuition and living costs stated on your I-20 — documented, genuine, and readily available. | Section 214(b) — perceived immigrant intent | U.S. Department of State — Bureau of Consular Affairs |
| Canada · Tourist / Visitor | 68% | No set figure. Show enough to maintain yourself for the visit and return home — six months of bank statements plus income evidence; more for longer stays or if you pay for accommodation. | Insufficient ties / doubt you will leave Canada | IRCC — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada |
| Canada · Student | 62% | CAD$20,635 for living costs for a single applicant (2024 baseline, adjusted annually) plus first-year tuition and travel. More is required for accompanying family members. | Funds insufficient or not credibly sourced | IRCC — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada |
Base approval = approximate rate for a moderate-profile applicant, before nationality and personal factors. Educational estimates, not official per-application odds.
The most common reasons visas are refused
Across the routes we track, refusals cluster into a handful of themes:
- Insufficient or unexplained funds 12 routes
- Other 11 routes
- Unclear purpose or unconvincing plan 9 routes
- Missing or incorrect documents 8 routes
- Weak ties / doubt you will return home 7 routes
- Prior overstay or immigration breach 3 routes
The pattern is consistent: ties, funds, and a credible purpose decide most cases. See how we weight them or estimate your own odds.