The European Union imposes visa restrictions on Somalis

The European Union imposes visa restrictions on Somalis

The European Union has imposed temporary restrictions making it harder for Somali citizens to obtain a Schengen visa, citing that Somalia has not sufficiently cooperated in accepting the repatriation of Somali citizens living illegally in EU member states.

The Council of the European Union stated that Somalia has not adequately participated in the repatriation of Somali citizens ordered to leave EU member countries.

Under the new measures, Somali citizens will not be able to obtain a Schengen visa for multiple entries, which allows holders to enter the Schengen area multiple times while the visa is valid.

The European Union has also extended the standard processing time for Somali visa applications from 15 days to 45 days. This change will affect Somalis wishing to travel to Europe for work, education, family visits, or tourism.

The European Union has also halted the simplified procedures for supporting documents required for visa applications and reinstated visa fees for holders of diplomatic and service passports from Somalia.

EU officials stated that these restrictions are temporary and can be lifted if Somalia makes significant progress in cooperation regarding the acceptance and repatriation of its citizens.

This decision follows an official assessment by the European Union regarding Somalia's cooperation on repatriation. The EU's repatriation agreements impose obligations on cooperating countries to identify, accept, and facilitate the safe return of illegal migrants, including their own citizens and sometimes third-country nationals who have transited through their territory.

This action is part of broader pressure from Europe on countries of origin for migrants to work closely on repatriation and deportation procedures.

In 2024, the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, visited Germany where he met with German leader Olaf Scholz to discuss several issues.

This meeting was part of an official visit by President Hassan Sheikh to Germany at the invitation of leader Scholz.

As reported on the Facebook page of Villa Somalia, the two leaders focused their discussions on issues including refugees and asylum seekers.