Italian embassy suspends issuance of Schengen visas from Mogadishu

The Italian embassy in Nairobi has announced an immediate suspension of the issuance of Schengen visas for applications processed through its embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia.

This decision follows allegations of fraudulent activities, including human smuggling involving the misuse of Somali civil servants and diplomatic passports.

Reports circulating on X suggest the suspension comes in response to a major scandal where Somali officials allegedly facilitated the illegal use of government-issued passports for unlawful purposes.

In response, the Italian government has taken stringent measures to address what they describe as systematic abuse of the Schengen visa system.

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In a statement, the Embassy of Italy in Nairobi, which handles visa operations for Somalia, explained that this move, though significant, was essential to maintaining the integrity of the visa application process.

However, the embassy did not disclose the length of the suspension or specify what conditions would need to be met for visa issuance to resume in Mogadishu.

“…the Embassy of Italy in Nairobi has resolved to suspend with immediate effect the issuance of entry visas to Schengen states in regard to all those applications that are processed by the Embassy of Italy in Mogadishu,” the statement said.

It redirected applicants to make applications for any type of visa entry through the embassy in Nairobi.

For those impacted by the change, the embassy has advised reaching out directly for further guidance on alternative visa application processes.

This decision highlights growing global attention on visa policies, migration, and security concerns.