Just hours before the broader migration package cleared the chamber, German lawmakers adopted a separate bill that radically changes how Berlin can fast-track asylum decisions. The ‘Safe-Country Ordinance Law’, approved late on 6 December by 457 votes to 130, empowers the federal cabinet to classify new safe countries via statutory order without Bundesrat approval.
Why it matters Under EU rules, asylum applications from safe-country nationals may be rejected as clearly unfounded unless the applicant proves individual persecution. By moving the designation power from parliament to the executive, Germany can now react within weeks instead of months to shifts in migration flows—an agility long demanded by border states such as Bavaria and Saxony.
![Parliament Green-Lights Stand-Alone ‘Safe-Country Ordinance’ Law]()
Immediate next steps Interior-policy spokesman Alexander Throm (CDU) told reporters that the first ordinance will list Algeria, India, Morocco and Tunisia—countries that together accounted for roughly 9 percent of German asylum filings in 2024. Once gazetted, claims from those nationals will be routed into an accelerated four-week procedure, freeing adjudicators to focus on higher-merit cases.
Business-travel angle Although business visas are not directly affected, mobility teams should expect heightened scrutiny at ports of entry for travellers holding passports from newly listed states. German consulates may also tighten Schengen visa evidence requirements (e.g., stronger financial proofs) to ensure applicants are bona fide visitors.
What companies should do • Audit upcoming travel for Algerian, Indian, Moroccan and Tunisian staff after the ordinance is published. • Prepare invitation letters that emphasise the short-term, purpose-specific nature of trips. • Monitor embassy appointment lead times, which often spike when policy changes trigger a last-minute surge of applications.
Why it matters Under EU rules, asylum applications from safe-country nationals may be rejected as clearly unfounded unless the applicant proves individual persecution. By moving the designation power from parliament to the executive, Germany can now react within weeks instead of months to shifts in migration flows—an agility long demanded by border states such as Bavaria and Saxony.
Immediate next steps Interior-policy spokesman Alexander Throm (CDU) told reporters that the first ordinance will list Algeria, India, Morocco and Tunisia—countries that together accounted for roughly 9 percent of German asylum filings in 2024. Once gazetted, claims from those nationals will be routed into an accelerated four-week procedure, freeing adjudicators to focus on higher-merit cases.
Business-travel angle Although business visas are not directly affected, mobility teams should expect heightened scrutiny at ports of entry for travellers holding passports from newly listed states. German consulates may also tighten Schengen visa evidence requirements (e.g., stronger financial proofs) to ensure applicants are bona fide visitors.
What companies should do • Audit upcoming travel for Algerian, Indian, Moroccan and Tunisian staff after the ordinance is published. • Prepare invitation letters that emphasise the short-term, purpose-specific nature of trips. • Monitor embassy appointment lead times, which often spike when policy changes trigger a last-minute surge of applications.
