EU Plans to Apply Stricter Visa-Free Travel Rules, Impacting 61 Countries

The European Union has unveiled plans to make visa suspension rules stricter this year, making it easier to abolish visa-free travel for nationals of a total of 61 countries.

These changes could affect the candidate countries aiming to become part of the European Union: Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, as well as Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, Schengen.News reports.

The EU is attempting to tighten visa-free travel rules for various reasons, among them to stop irregular migration.

Another reason for the suspension of visa-free travel is related to hybrid threats. For now, the hybrid threat is mostly a theoretical idea based on cases like Russia as well as Belarus, which have been accused by the EU of having sent migrants from Asia and Africa to EU borders, such as those of Lithuania and Poland, according to a report from Radio Free Europe.

The statistics from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) have recently revealed that the number of irregular border crossings into the EU declined by 31 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, to about 33,600.

The decrease, according to Fronte,x was registered across all major migratory routes into the European Union, with decreases ranging from 64 per cent along the Western Balkan route to eight per cent along the Eastern Land Border.

However, in spite of recent statistics provided by Frontex, irregular migration remains among the main topics in talks between authorities in EU countries.

Tightened Rules for Obtaining Citizenship Through CPI Schemes
Visa liberalisation in the future may also be halted if a country operates a Citizenship-by-Investment Program known as the Golden Passport scheme.

These programs, offered in several EU countries, offer wealthy non-EU nationals the opportunity to buy citizenship in the countries that offer it in exchange for financial investments and meeting the required conditions.

Another reason for the suspension of visa-free travel is related to the EU’s political relations with third countries, according to a report from REL.

However, it will be up to the EU member countries to suspend visa-free travel with a third country, using a qualified majority.

Source: https://schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-plans-to-apply-stricter-visa-free-travel-rules-impacting-61-countries/