European Union: Visa Application Facilitations Suspended for Ethiopian Nationals
May 6, 2024
Effective April 29, 2024, the European Council has adopted temporary restrictions on the issuing of Schengen C visas to Ethiopian nationals. Once the laws come into effect (expected to occur shortly), EU Member States will need to apply the following policy changes: multiple entry visas can no longer be issued to Ethiopian nationals; standard government processing times must increase to 45 calendar days (up from 15 calendar days); certain visa application documentary requirements can no longer be waived; and the visa fee for diplomatic and service passports can no longer be waived. The Council has adopted these restrictions due to what it considered a lack of cooperation from Ethiopia regarding the repatriation to Ethiopia of Ethiopian nationals not legally present in the European Union. Despite being temporary in nature, the Council has not announced an end date for these restrictions.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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