Meeting in Strasbourg on 10 February, MEPs voted 408–184 to approve two regulations that designate seven ‘safe countries of origin’—Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia—and create a framework for returning asylum-seekers to any ‘safe third country’ they transited en route to the bloc. The measures complete a key plank of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and are expected to enter into force in June.
For Finland, the vote means the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) will be able to reject claims from nationals of the listed countries in an accelerated procedure and to transfer other applicants back to countries such as Serbia or Türkiye if they passed through there. The government says this will relieve pressure on reception centres and free up capacity for arrivals at the still-closed eastern land border with Russia.
![European Parliament backs ‘safe country’ rules, clearing path for faster deportations across the EU]()
Human-rights groups and centre-left MEPs warn that the list paints an overly rosy picture of countries where minorities face persecution. They also question whether third-country returns are realistic, noting the EU’s limited track record in negotiating readmission deals.
If individuals, companies or legal advisers need help navigating the new eligibility criteria or assembling the right documentation, VisaHQ’s Finnish portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date guidance and application support for visas, residence permits and travel documents. Their specialists monitor EU and national rule changes in real time, which can save applicants from costly errors and ensure that compliant paperwork is lodged on the first try.
Finnish companies that hire seasonal agricultural labour from Morocco or IT consultants from India should expect a spike in entry-ban checks and must ensure work-permit paperwork is watertight. Carriers operating to Helsinki-Vantaa will have to upgrade their Advance Passenger Information systems before the June go-live date so that travellers who may fall under the new rules are flagged to border guards.
For Finland, the vote means the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) will be able to reject claims from nationals of the listed countries in an accelerated procedure and to transfer other applicants back to countries such as Serbia or Türkiye if they passed through there. The government says this will relieve pressure on reception centres and free up capacity for arrivals at the still-closed eastern land border with Russia.
Human-rights groups and centre-left MEPs warn that the list paints an overly rosy picture of countries where minorities face persecution. They also question whether third-country returns are realistic, noting the EU’s limited track record in negotiating readmission deals.
If individuals, companies or legal advisers need help navigating the new eligibility criteria or assembling the right documentation, VisaHQ’s Finnish portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date guidance and application support for visas, residence permits and travel documents. Their specialists monitor EU and national rule changes in real time, which can save applicants from costly errors and ensure that compliant paperwork is lodged on the first try.
Finnish companies that hire seasonal agricultural labour from Morocco or IT consultants from India should expect a spike in entry-ban checks and must ensure work-permit paperwork is watertight. Carriers operating to Helsinki-Vantaa will have to upgrade their Advance Passenger Information systems before the June go-live date so that travellers who may fall under the new rules are flagged to border guards.
