Belgium, 25 June 2026 - The European Union has introduced temporary restrictions on the issuance of visas to Somali nationals, citing what it describes as inadequate cooperation by Somalia in accepting the return of its citizens residing irregularly within EU member states.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Council of the European Union said the measures were adopted following an assessment by the European Commission, which concluded that Somalia's level of cooperation on readmission matters remains insufficient.
As part of the new measures, EU member states will no longer be allowed to issue multiple-entry Schengen visas to Somali nationals.
The restrictions also remove several visa facilitation measures previously available to Somali applicants.
Under the new rules, member states will no longer be permitted to waive certain supporting documentation requirements for Somali visa applicants. In addition, holders of Somali diplomatic and service passports will no longer qualify for visa fee waivers and will be required to pay standard application charges.
The EU has also extended the standard processing period for visa applications submitted by Somali nationals from 15 days to 45 calendar days.
The Council described the restrictions as temporary but did not specify a timeline for their removal.
According to the EU, the objective of the measures is to encourage stronger cooperation from Somalia on the readmission of its nationals who do not have legal status in EU countries.