MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – The European Union (EU) has announced new temporary measures tightening visa rules for Somali nationals after concluding that Somalia has not demonstrated sufficient cooperation in accepting the return of its citizens who have been ordered to leave EU member states.
In a decision adopted by the Council of the European Union, the bloc said its latest assessment found that Somalia’s level of cooperation on the readmission and repatriation of its nationals remains inadequate, prompting the implementation of stricter visa policies under the EU Visa Code.
Under the new measures, Somali citizens will no longer be eligible for multiple-entry Schengen visas, which previously allowed travelers to enter and leave the Schengen Area multiple times during the validity of their visas. The restriction is expected to particularly affect business travelers, students, government officials, and individuals who frequently travel to Europe.
The EU has also extended the standard processing time for visa applications submitted by Somali nationals. Applications may now take up to 45 days to process, compared with the previous standard period of 15 days, resulting in longer waiting times for applicants seeking visas for tourism, education, employment, medical treatment, or family visits.
In addition, the European Union has suspended several visa facilitation measures previously available to Somali applicants. These include stricter documentation requirements during the application process and the removal of certain fee exemptions that had applied to holders of Somali diplomatic and service passports.
EU officials emphasized that the measures are temporary and are intended to encourage greater cooperation between Somalia and European governments on the identification, documentation, and return of Somali nationals who are residing illegally in EU member states after receiving final deportation orders.
The Council stated that the restrictions could be reviewed or lifted if Somalia demonstrates measurable progress in fulfilling its obligations under international readmission arrangements and improves cooperation on the return and reintegration of its nationals.
The decision comes as migration remains a key policy issue across Europe, with the EU increasingly linking visa policies to cooperation from third countries on migration management, border control, and the readmission of irregular migrants.