Key points
- The EU imposed temporary Schengen visa restrictions on Somali nationals from June 25, 2026
- Multiple-entry visas are no longer available and processing now takes 45 days instead of 15
- Simplified document requirements are suspended and diplomatic passport fee exemptions are reinstated
- The EU cites insufficient Somali cooperation on readmitting nationals ordered to leave
What the EU has changed
The European Union implemented temporary Schengen visa restrictions on Somali citizens effective June 25, 2026, citing Somalia’s insufficient cooperation on readmitting nationals ordered to leave EU countries.
The restrictions
- Multiple-entry visas eliminated: Somali nationals can no longer obtain visas allowing multiple entries to the Schengen zone.
- Processing time extended: Visa applications now take 45 days instead of the standard 15 days.
- Document requirements increased: Simplified supporting-document rules have been suspended, requiring fuller paperwork.
- Diplomatic passport fees reinstated: Holders of Somali diplomatic and service passports must now pay visa fees, reversing previous exemptions.
Temporary, if cooperation improves
EU officials described the restrictions as temporary, saying they could be reversed if Somalia demonstrates improved cooperation on accepting returned citizens without legal status in the EU.
Historical context
The tension reflects an ongoing pattern. In 2024, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud discussed readmission concerns directly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a visit to Berlin. The EU increasingly uses visa policy as leverage to encourage origin countries to cooperate on returns and deportation procedures.
