Ethiopian citizens seeking visas to travel to Europe will now have to wait significantly longer to receive a decision on their applications.
The Council of the European Union announced today that it is increasing the standard processing period for Ethiopian visa requests from 15 days to 45 days.
Previously, Ethiopians traveling regularly to Europe for purposes like business meetings could qualify for long-stay multiple-entry visas. But under the new rules, each trip will require a separate single-entry visa application.
The prohibition on multi-entry visas is expected to especially impact the Ethiopian business community which relies on frequent travel between the regions. Many companies engaging in Europe-Ethiopia trade could see their operations disrupted.
The decision comes after the European Commission found that Ethiopia is failing to adequately cooperate with EU countries on returning Ethiopian nationals residing illegally within the bloc.
Specifically, Ethiopian authorities have been too slow to respond to readmission requests and issue emergency travel documents, hindering deportations of its citizens by EU member states.
The longer processing times for visa applications are intended to apply pressure on the Ethiopian government to improve its cooperation.
The Council said the new 45-day standard is a temporary measure but did not announce an end date. Officials will continue monitoring Ethiopia's responses to return requests from Europe.
The significant increase in wait times is expected to affect many Ethiopians who rely on short-term travel to Europe for purposes like tourism, business meetings and family visits.
