Meeting in Strasbourg on 10 February, the European Parliament adopted two regulations that let member-states dismiss asylum claims from people who come from—or transited through—countries deemed safe. The measures were backed by 408 MEPs versus 184 and will take effect in June 2026. The initial list covers Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia, plus all EU-candidate states unless at war.
For Finland, the vote dovetails with sweeping national reforms of the Aliens Act that came into force in January and lengthened the residence-time requirement for permanent permits. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen welcomed the result, saying it “gives frontline states legal tools to curb instrumentalised migration at our eastern border.” Migri confirmed it is drafting guidelines on accelerated procedures that could see inadmissible applications decided in 10 days and rejected persons escorted to Frontex return hubs.
![EU Parliament approves ‘safe country’ lists—Finland set to fast-track rejections and deportations]()
If your organisation needs hands-on support navigating these procedural shifts, VisaHQ offers a user-friendly gateway to Finnish and Schengen visa solutions, real-time compliance alerts, and document-check services that can reduce costly rejections. Visit https://www.visahq.com/finland/ to see how their specialists can integrate with your existing mobility workflow and keep travellers moving smoothly despite the new constraints.
Corporate immigration teams should note that any employee or dependent holding an interim D visa and transiting via a ‘safe third country’ may face stricter evidentiary burdens. NGOs fear genuine refugees could be returned to unsafe situations, but employers sponsoring talent from listed states should prepare more robust documentation and consider direct-flight routings that avoid extra jurisdictions.
The regulations still require Council rubber-stamping in March, but Helsinki has already scheduled training for case-workers and border guards. Multinationals with Finnish operations should track the transposition timetable and update mobility-risk matrices accordingly.
For Finland, the vote dovetails with sweeping national reforms of the Aliens Act that came into force in January and lengthened the residence-time requirement for permanent permits. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen welcomed the result, saying it “gives frontline states legal tools to curb instrumentalised migration at our eastern border.” Migri confirmed it is drafting guidelines on accelerated procedures that could see inadmissible applications decided in 10 days and rejected persons escorted to Frontex return hubs.
If your organisation needs hands-on support navigating these procedural shifts, VisaHQ offers a user-friendly gateway to Finnish and Schengen visa solutions, real-time compliance alerts, and document-check services that can reduce costly rejections. Visit https://www.visahq.com/finland/ to see how their specialists can integrate with your existing mobility workflow and keep travellers moving smoothly despite the new constraints.
Corporate immigration teams should note that any employee or dependent holding an interim D visa and transiting via a ‘safe third country’ may face stricter evidentiary burdens. NGOs fear genuine refugees could be returned to unsafe situations, but employers sponsoring talent from listed states should prepare more robust documentation and consider direct-flight routings that avoid extra jurisdictions.
The regulations still require Council rubber-stamping in March, but Helsinki has already scheduled training for case-workers and border guards. Multinationals with Finnish operations should track the transposition timetable and update mobility-risk matrices accordingly.
