For decades, citizens from many non-EU countries have enjoyed the privilege of traveling freely within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period—without needing a visa. But that era may be under threat. In a decisive move, the European Parliament has approved sweeping new rules that allow the EU to more easily revoke visa-free entry for countries whose citizens pose security risks or violate human rights.
These changes aim to make short-stay travel conditional—not a guaranteed right—for citizens of 61 nations currently benefiting from Schengen visa waivers. The new rules, once formally adopted by the EU Council, could reshape travel freedoms and diplomatic leverage across the globe.
From Privilege to Conditional Access: What Changed
Stronger Grounds for Suspension
Under the revised framework, the European Commission can initiate visa suspensions when there are credible concerns about security, crime, overstays, or mass rejections in asylum applications. But it doesn’t stop there. New triggers include:
- Hybrid threats: Manipulating migration flows for geopolitical goals
- Investor citizenship schemes (“golden passports”)
- Violations of international law, human rights, or UN mandates
- Non-compliance with judgments of international courts
- Lack of alignment with EU visa policy
These expanded criteria bring suspension logic closer to the same standards under which visa waivers are granted.
Set Thresholds and Selective Targeting
To guard against arbitrary action, the rules set quantitative thresholds:
- A 30% increase in serious crimes or overstays
- A 20% or lower recognition rate for asylum applications
In exceptional cases, the Commission may deviate from these thresholds—but such decisions must be well supported.
Importantly, the new rules let the EU target government officials responsible for abuses rather than penalizing entire populations. So visa restrictions could be applied selectively.
Temporary Now, Permanent Later
When triggered, the suspension mechanism works in stages:
- Temporary suspension: Up to 12 months (extended from the previous 9 months)
- Extension phase: An additional 24 months (vs. prior 18)
- Permanent revocation: If the issues remain unresolved
Thus, a country could lose visa-free access for up to three years before a final, lasting revocation is considered.
Also, during temporary suspension, the EU may limit restrictions to decision-makers (e.g. ministers, diplomats) before escalating to cover all citizens.
The Path to Implementation
While the Parliament has approved the reform—with 518 votes in favor, 96 against, and 24 abstentions—it still requires formal adoption by the European Council. Once published in the EU Official Journal, it becomes law 20 days later.
Upon enforcement, the Commission may act either on its own initiative or at the request of a member state. And the mechanism is designed to respond swiftly to evolving risks.
Who’s Affected—and What It Means
The 61 Visa-Waiver Countries
These reforms impact all the nations whose citizens currently benefit from short-term Schengen visa waivers (90 days in 180). The list includes:
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Micronesia, Grenada, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Korea, Saint Lucia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nauru, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Palau, Paraguay, Serbia, Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Singapore, San Marino, El Salvador, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom (non-citizen British nationals), United States, Uruguay, Holy See, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Protected Persons, British Subjects, Taiwan, Kosovo.
Because these are popular travel partners, the stakes are high—for tourists, business travelers, and diaspora communities alike.
A Punitive Rather Than Preventive Tool
Until now, the EU has only once revoked a visa waiver: that of Vanuatu, over concerns tied to its investor citizenship program.
With this reform, the EU gains a more flexible “emergency brake” it can use as a foreign policy instrument. It can withdraw visa privileges in response to deteriorating situations long before they become full-blown crises.
Golden Passports in the Crosshairs
A key addition is targeting investor citizenship schemes—commonly called “golden passport” programs—where countries sell citizenship in exchange for investment. These schemes have long been criticized for enabling money laundering, illicit entry, or undermining security.
Under the new rules, having such a scheme is a sufficient trigger for visa suspension. This directly confronts a controversial tool some countries use to attract foreign wealth.
For example, Georgia, which issues citizenship and passports through investment schemes, has come under scrutiny.
Additionally, the EU’s top court recently ordered Malta to dismantle its “golden passport” program, further signaling a crackdown on such models.
Diplomatic Granularity
Rather than blanket bans, the new mechanism allows visa suspensions to be targeted at government officials engaged in rights abuses. That prevents punishing innocent civilian travelers while still applying pressure.
In January 2025, for instance, the EU already suspended visa-free travel for certain Georgian diplomats in response to a crackdown, while leaving citizens unaffected.
Why the EU Took This Step
Responding to Strategic Risks
The EU argues this reform strengthens its external border policy and makes visa privilege a conditional diplomatic tool—not an unconditional right.
By codifying new grounds like “hybrid threats” and investor citizenship schemes, the EU strengthens its ability to preempt vulnerabilities.
Balancing Openness with Accountability
By retaining thresholds and limiting actions to targeted groups when possible, the EU attempts to balance travel freedoms with accountability. It signals that visa-free status is not a blank check—for countries must respect security, human rights, and international obligations.
Enhancing the EU’s Leverage
Visas have long been an instrument of soft power. Under the new regime, the EU gains sharper leverage in negotiations around migration, human rights, visa policy cooperation, and rule-of-law matters.
What’s Next—and What to Watch
Council Adoption
The reforms still need formal approval from the Council of the European Union. After that, they will take effect 20 days after being published in the EU Official Journal.
How Quickly the EU May Act
Once in force, the Commission can act swiftly—especially in urgent security or human rights crises—triggering temporary suspensions even before permanent revocations.
Countries Under Pressure
Some visa-waiver nations may now find themselves under scrutiny. Georgia, which has already attracted attention over its citizenship-by-investment policies, is one state to watch.
Also, countries that provide visa-free access to foreign nationals with weak links or questionable credentials may have to reassess. The realignment clause—ensuring consistency with EU visa policy—is another wildcard.
What Travelers Should Keep in Mind
- For now, existing visa-free travel remains in place—nothing changes until the reform is enacted and a specific suspension is triggered.
- After enactment, visa requirements could be reinstated temporarily or permanently depending on developments.
- Travelers from targeted countries should monitor embassy announcements and policy alerts.
- The EU’s ability to target only officials rather than whole populations may help protect ordinary travelers, but changes to bilateral and multilateral visa policies may ripple across the board.
Conclusion
The EU’s decision to enable the suspension of visa-free access over human rights abuses, security threats, and “golden passport” schemes marks a fundamental shift. Travel freedoms that once seemed immutable are now conditional and contingent. While the changes won’t take effect overnight, the new mechanism gives the EU greater flexibility—both to protect itself and to wield influence more directly.
For affected nations and their citizens, this is a wake-up call: visa-free status is no longer an untouchable perk. It comes with expectations—and consequences.
