EU imposes tougher visa rules on Somalis over migrant readmission concerns

EU imposes tougher visa rules on Somalis over migrant readmission concerns

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The European Union has imposed stricter visa rules on Somali nationals, extending processing times to 45 days and suspending key visa privileges over what it describes as insufficient cooperation on the readmission of irregular migrants.

Somali nationals seeking short-stay visas to Europe will face longer processing times, stricter application requirements, and the loss of certain visa privileges after the European Union (EU) imposed temporary restrictions, citing Somalia’s insufficient cooperation in the readmission of migrants staying irregularly in EU countries.
The measures, adopted by the European Council on Thursday, extend the standard visa processing period from 15 days to 45 days. EU member states will also no longer be allowed to issue multiple-entry visas to Somali nationals.
In addition, Somali applicants will no longer benefit from certain documentary requirement waivers, while holders of diplomatic and service passports will lose access to visa-fee exemptions.
“The Commission regularly assesses how non-EU countries cooperate on readmission. These assessments may lead to the conclusion that a given non-EU country does not cooperate sufficiently. In such cases, the EU may decide to suspend the application of certain provisions of the EU short stay visa rules,” said the Council in a statement.
“Our assessment concludes that cooperation by Somalia on readmitting its nationals staying irregularly in the EU is insufficient.”
Readmission agreements have become a key component of the EU’s migration policy, enabling member states to return foreign nationals whose asylum or residence applications have been rejected. In recent years, Brussels has increasingly tied visa facilitation measures to cooperation on migrant returns as European governments face growing pressure to strengthen migration controls.
The restrictions will remain in force indefinitely, although EU officials described them as temporary and linked their removal to improvements in Somalia’s cooperation on readmission.
“The suspension decision is temporary but does not come with a specific end date. The objective is to encourage Somalia to improve cooperation on readmission, and the Commission will continue to assess any progress made,” the Council said.
The European Commission is expected to continue monitoring Somalia’s performance on migrant readmissions and could recommend lifting the restrictions if it determines that sufficient progress has been made.

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