On June 25, 2026, the European Union voted to make it harder for Somali citizens to get visas to travel to Europe. The reason: Somalia's government has not been cooperating enough on taking back Somali migrants who entered Europe illegally and are being deported.

The EU has a tool for this kind of pressure called Article 25a. When countries don't cooperate on deportations, the EU can restrict visas, raise visa fees, or slow down how fast they process applications. The idea is simple: make it inconvenient for citizens of that country to travel to Europe, and the government will get the message.

Somalia's president said no, not so fast. He said his government will take back Somali citizens being deported—but only if Europe verifies they are actually Somali first. Al Jazeera reported this position on June 26. In other words, Somalia is saying: "You do the identity check, then send them home." This is actually a legal requirement in most readmission agreements between countries.

How Visa Pressure Works

When the EU restricts visas, it hits Somali diaspora members—people who live in Europe and have family or business interests back home. Visa restrictions make travel more expensive and harder to arrange. That affects the money Somalis abroad send back to relatives at home. These remittances—money sent from immigrants to their families—are bigger than all the aid Somalia receives. Cut off family visits and business travel, and you cut off a major source of income for the entire country.

The U.S. Is Doing Something Similar

Europe is not alone. In January 2026, the United States ended a protection program for Somali migrants called Temporary Protected Status. This took effect on March 17, 2026. This shelter had protected tens of thousands of Somali citizens in America from being deported. Now they are at risk of removal.

Both the U.S. and EU are tightening their deportation policies on Somalia within the same few months. This is not necessarily a coordinated plan, but it adds up to the same result: Somali migrants on both sides of the Atlantic facing new pressure.

What Happens Now

Somalia's government has a point about the legal procedure. International law says the country doing the deporting has to prove someone's nationality first. Somalia is not refusing deportations; it is saying the process has to follow the right order. The EU's move is temporary, which means there is room for both sides to work out a deal. But as of late June, neither side has given ground.