The European Union is tightening visa rules for people from Ethiopia in response to what it says is a lack of cooperation from the Ethiopian government with the repatriation of those who have entered Europe illegally.
As a result of the changes, the EU said the visa processing time for Ethiopian nationals will triple, from 15 to 45 days, and that waiving requirements for certain paperwork will no longer be allowed.
Ethiopian officials and diplomats will need to pay to obtain travel visas, the EU said. Multiple entry visas will no longer be allowed.
The European Commission said the new rules were due to a “lack of response from Ethiopian authorities with regard to readmission requests,” and shortcomings with “the organization of both voluntary and non-voluntary return operations.”
The restrictions come as European governments try to control the influx of refugees leaving war-torn African countries to enter Europe.
The voyage of migrants over the Mediterranean Sea to Europe - typically organized by criminal gangs – is dangerous and often fatal. However, the largest share of migrants entering Europe comes from individuals entering countries legally and overstaying their visas.
Ethiopia is still reeling from its two-year conflict in the northern Tigray region which ended in 2022. Since the conflict, most of the six million living in the region have depended on international aid.
Some information in this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
