Men are 62% more likely to have their travel visa rejected, iVisa's latest data reveals

New analysis from the global travel platform iVisa reveals that men face significantly higher visa rejection rates than women, especially among younger male travelers.

An analysis of visa approval decisions by governments on 726,824 visa applications submitted between October 2024 and October 2025, reveals a consistent global trend: men are 62% more likely to have their visa application rejected than women.

The dataset includes only completed government decisions; withdrawn, abandoned, or in-progress applications were excluded.

These insights are drawn from iVisa’s 2025 Visa Rejection Report, which examines patterns in visa approvals and rejections across various nationalities, age groups, genders, and travel types.

Key data highlights

• Global rejection rate for men: 1.02%
• Global rejection rate for women: 0.63%
• Men face the highest average rejection rates between ages 25–34 (2.06%), while the largest gender gap appears in the 35–44 age group (men 1.95% vs women 1.09%)
• The largest gender gaps were observed in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy
• Switzerland shows minimal gender difference (0.51% for men vs 0.50% for women)
• Rejection rates are lowest among applicants under 25 and those aged 65 and over, for both genders

Some of the widest gender gaps appear in digital travel authorizations, which are short-form visa alternatives used in countries like the US, UK, and Australia:

• US ESTA: Men are 1.83 times more likely to be rejected than women
• UK ETA: 1.65 times higher male rejection rate
• Australia eVisitor: 1.56 times higher for men

Why are men being rejected more often?

While the data does not measure intent or policy bias, iVisa analysts believe a combination of behavioral patterns and visa processing trends influences the gap.

Younger men tend to apply closer to their travel date and are more likely to submit minimal documentation. Supporting materials, such as proof of return travel, accommodation, or financial stability, can significantly impact the outcome of an application.

“The data shows a clear pattern of more cautious vetting for male applicants, particularly in younger age brackets,” said Afonso Rocha, Data Analyst at iVisa. “Whether that’s driven by risk profiling or by incomplete applications, the result is the same: men are facing rejection at much higher rates.”

Solo travel may also be a contributing factor. In the same dataset, iVisa found that solo travelers were 5 times more likely to be rejected than those applying in pairs, and nearly 9 times more than applicants traveling in groups of three or more. Young men applying alone may fall into the highest-risk profile under current visa systems.

How men can reduce their risk of visa rejection

iVisa recommends several actions travelers can take to improve their chances of approval, regardless of age or gender:

• Apply early: Applications submitted more than 3 weeks in advance had higher approval rates across the board
• Add supporting documents: Even when not required, adding hotel bookings, return flights, and a travel itinerary can build trust.
• Be detailed: Incomplete applications are one of the most common reasons for rejection.

While many factors in visa review are out of a traveler’s control, these small changes can strengthen an application and reduce avoidable denials.

The bigger picture

This gender-based rejection trend is just one of several explored in iVisa’s 2024/5 Visa Rejection Report. The full report includes an analysis of how age, travel group size, nationality, and timing affect approval rates across visa types.

As global travel continues to rebound, access to accurate, real-time visa information is becoming increasingly important – especially for travelers seeking to avoid last-minute surprises at the border.

“Our mission at iVisa is to make travel smoother and smarter,” said David Perez, CEO. “Publishing this data is part of helping travelers make better decisions, and giving visibility into what really affects visa outcomes.”