Meeting in Strasbourg on 10 February, the European Parliament voted 408-184 to designate seven “safe countries of origin” and to allow deportation to “safe third countries” that migrants transited on their way to the EU. Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia make the initial list, with scope to add more. The regulation, part of the 2023 Pact on Migration and Asylum, will apply from June 2026. (apnews.com)
For France the change is significant: interior-ministry statistics show that 37 per cent of asylum claims lodged in 2025 came from nationals of the newly listed states. Prefectures will soon be able to fast-track rejections within ten working days, cutting the average first-instance processing time by almost half. Deportation orders may follow even when an applicant has no passport, provided identity can be “reasonably inferred,” a clause critics say is ripe for abuse.
![EU Parliament approves ‘safe-country’ rules, clearing path for faster deportations from France]()
Human-rights groups and left-wing deputies warn that the policy mirrors controversial “third-country” deals used by the United States and risks refoulement to unsafe conditions. French NGOs are already preparing constitutional challenges, arguing that accelerated procedures will overwhelm legal-aid budgets and detention centres.
For anyone needing to secure travel or work documentation amid these shifting rules, VisaHQ offers an efficient, user-friendly way to verify requirements, gather supporting papers and arrange submissions through its France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/). The service can ease the administrative load for both employers and individual applicants striving to stay compliant as processing times and evidentiary standards evolve.
Corporate mobility teams should note that talent-attraction pipelines from India, Morocco and Tunisia might tighten if rejections spill over into legitimate work-visa categories. Employers sponsoring hires from the affected countries should ensure documentation is watertight and be ready to evidence labour-market need to avoid collateral delays.
For France the change is significant: interior-ministry statistics show that 37 per cent of asylum claims lodged in 2025 came from nationals of the newly listed states. Prefectures will soon be able to fast-track rejections within ten working days, cutting the average first-instance processing time by almost half. Deportation orders may follow even when an applicant has no passport, provided identity can be “reasonably inferred,” a clause critics say is ripe for abuse.
Human-rights groups and left-wing deputies warn that the policy mirrors controversial “third-country” deals used by the United States and risks refoulement to unsafe conditions. French NGOs are already preparing constitutional challenges, arguing that accelerated procedures will overwhelm legal-aid budgets and detention centres.
For anyone needing to secure travel or work documentation amid these shifting rules, VisaHQ offers an efficient, user-friendly way to verify requirements, gather supporting papers and arrange submissions through its France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/). The service can ease the administrative load for both employers and individual applicants striving to stay compliant as processing times and evidentiary standards evolve.
Corporate mobility teams should note that talent-attraction pipelines from India, Morocco and Tunisia might tighten if rejections spill over into legitimate work-visa categories. Employers sponsoring hires from the affected countries should ensure documentation is watertight and be ready to evidence labour-market need to avoid collateral delays.
