Malta issued 33,619 Schengen visas to Libyan nationals in 2013 out of a total 72,000 issued in the whole of the Schengen area. The visas were issued by the Maltese consulates in Tripoli and Benghazi.
In 2013, Italy only issued some 11,000 compared to Malta’s 33,619 and the visas issued to Libyan nationals in the whole of the EU was just over 72,000 – meaning that Malta – which is the most densely populated country in the EU – issued close to half of all the Schengen visas for Libyans in 2013.
Neighbouring country Spain issued 7,117 visas to Libyan nationals while Belgium – whose capital is dubbed the capital of Europe – issued only 1,840 visas to Libyans while Portugal issued 934.
These statistics were taken from the official European Commission website but statistics do not include visas issued last year and this year. Efforts to garner 2014 and 2015 statistics proved futile since the government told this newsroom that the data is still being compiled.
Some of the 33,619 Libyan nationals who received Malta visas in 2013 may have moved on elsewhere in the Schengen area, or could have gone back to Libya. This latter hypothesis is highly unlikely in the light of the war taking place there.
Post Gaddafi revolution statistics
Following the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in February 2011, Malta gave 71,100 visas to Libyan nationals till end 2013. In 2010, a year before the Libyan revolution, 14,213 visas had been issued. In 2011 alone, 3,643 visa applicants were accepted, and in 2012, 17,000 visas were issued.
One-sixth of visas requests by Libyans turned down by Malta in 2013
5,926 Libyan nationals were denied entry to Malta in 2013. This means that only one-sixth of those issued to Libyans were turned down. As for 2012, around 2,200 visas were not issued.
In 2013, 4,644 visas were issued for Tunisian nationals while 978 applicants were turned down. 1,034 visas were issued for Chinese nationals but 166 Chinese applicants were turned down.