Luxembourg received over 10,000 visa applications in 2017, according to annual figures published by the foreign affairs ministry. In its 28 February report, the ministry wrote “Unfortunately, it should be noted that the number and complexity of fraudulent applications are constantly rising. These applications, which require a lot of intensive research, provide a clear glimpse of well-established networks, for example in the case of the abuse of the directive on free circulation.”

Of the over 10,000 applications, the largest number were made to the Moscow consulate (3,268), a figure which has progressively diminished from 5,505 in 2014. The New Delhi office has seen a constant growth in applications, from 1,263 in 2014 to 2,317 in 2017. The Ankara office, in Turkey, was the third busiest for visa applications in 2017, receiving 1,995, followed by Beijing (1,353), Shanghai (962), London (573), Bangkok (381) and Abu Dhabi (274).

Consulate revenues for 2017 totalled €633,991, funded almost entirely by visa services to third country nationals. Indeed, a quarter of total revenues came from visa services in Moscow (€155,905), a fifth from New Dehli (€136,833) and 15% from Ankara (€96,862).