REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL EIGHTH REPORT UNDER THE VISA SUSPENSION MECHANISM
Date: 2025-12-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU visa policy, Schengen Agreement, asylum seeker, corruption, external border of the EU, foreign national, illegal migration, organised crime, return migration, third country

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.12.2025  COM(2025) 792 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL EIGHTH REPORT UNDER THE VISA SUSPENSION MECHANISM {SWD(2025) 429 final}  
 
 
8th Visa Suspension Mechanism Report 

The 8th Visa Suspension Mechanism Report is based on Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 
(the  ‘Visa  Regulation’).  Article  8(4)  of  the  Regulation  requires  the  Commission  to  ensure  the 
monitoring of the continuous fulfilment of the visa exemption  requirements  by those countries 
whose nationals obtained visa-free access to the EU following the successful completion of a visa 
liberalisation dialogue. The report covers the year 2024 as well as major developments in 2025. It 
is  accompanied  by  a  Staff  Working  Document  which  details  all  the  relevant  aspects  for  the 
countries and regions covered by this report.  

Visa liberalisation is an important part of the EU’s toolbox for cooperation on migration, security, 
and justice with third countries. It facilitates mobility and people-to-people contacts. It can boost 
travel and tourism and strengthens business, social and cultural ties between the EU citizens and 
the  citizens  of  the  benefitting  third  countries.  It  can  also  foster  diplomatic  relations  and 
international cooperation. At the same time, the Commission’s monitoring of the EU’s visa-free 
regimes has shown that visa-free travel can also be a source of significant migration and security 
challenges, which need to be addressed. 

The report covers the Western Balkans partners and Eastern Partnership countries as well as other 
regions beyond the EU’s immediate neighbourhood (the Eastern Caribbean and Latin America), 
focusing on visa-free countries where specific migration and/or security-related issues have been 
identified, which could be assessed under the visa suspension mechanism.  

This  report  focuses  on  visa  policy  alignment,  migration,  border  management  and  readmission, 
security issues and citizenship questions. The main findings are presented in this report, organised 
by key themes, while country-specific recommendations are provided in the annex.  

Visa policy alignment 

The close geographical proximity of Western Balkan partners and Eastern Partnership countries 
to the territory of EU Member States makes visa policy alignment with EU visa policy a matter of 
major importance. Insufficient alignment, both regarding the list of visa-required countries and the 
procedures for issuing visas, can lead to increased illegal migration and security risks for the EU.  

Insufficient visa policy alignment makes it easier for nationals of third countries subject to the EU 
visa  requirement,  some  of  which  present  high  migratory  risks,  to  reach  the  Western  Balkans 
without a visa (some with fraudulent travel documents), and subsequently to enter illegally by land 
into  the  Schengen  area,  where  they  may  lodge  asylum  applications.  Similarly,  third-country 
nationals who have entered the Western Balkans with valid visas have, in some cases, crossed the 
Union’s  external  borders  illegally  and  applied  for  asylum,  raising  serious  concerns  about  the 
adequacy of visa procedures in certain Western Balkan partners. 

North Macedonia is the only Western Balkan partner to have achieved near-complete alignment 
with EU list of visa-required countries, with just one remaining difference compared to the EU list 

1 

 
 
of visa-required countries. In 2024 and 2025, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo*, and Montenegro made 
progress towards further alignment with the EU list of visa-required countries.  

As regards Serbia and Albania, this was done in line with their commitments under the Reform 
Agenda1. In 2024, Serbia reduced the number of visa-free agreements with countries subject to EU 
visa requirements from 16 to 12. Albania reduced the number of permanent visa-free agreements 
from 8 to 6 and the number of seasonal visa waivers from 6 to 5 in 2024 and 2025.  

The visa policy of Kosovo only began to be monitored in 2024, when its citizens obtained visa-
free access to the EU. At that time, Kosovo maintained visa-free agreements with 19 countries 
subject to EU visa requirements; this number has since been reduced to 17.  

After the regression at the start of the year 2025, Montenegro later abolished visa-free agreements 
with 5 countries and reduced the number of its seasonal visa waivers from 4 to 1; as result, the 
total number of discrepancies between Montenegro’s visa policy and that of the EU went from 15 
to 9.   

In  2025,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  backtracked  on  previous  progress  in  this  area.  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina maintained the  number of permanent  visa-free  agreements  at  72 but  increased the 
number of seasonal visa waivers from 1 to 3. As a result, the number of discrepancies between its 
visa-policy and that of the EU increased from 8 in 2024 to 10, currently. 

No real progress could be observed for countries of the Eastern Partnership. Moldova and Ukraine 
have the same number of visa-free agreements with countries subject to the EU visa requirement 
as at the end of 20243, respectively 11 and 15. 

Georgia currently maintains  26 visa-free agreements with  countries  that are  subject  to  EU  visa 
requirements and has not taken any steps towards further alignment since 2022. On the contrary, 
Georgia  backtracked  in  2024  by  granting  visa-free  entry  to  citizens  of  China.  Georgia  also 
continues to pursue a visa policy that diverges substantially from the EU acquis, particularly by 
allowing entry to nationals of 17 countries that are visa-required both in the EU and in Georgia, 
solely on the basis of a visa or residence permit issued by one of the Gulf Cooperation Council 
(GCC) countries.  

Visa-free neighbouring partners must urgently make substantial progress in aligning their lists of 
visa-free nationalities with those of the EU, as well as aligning their visa procedures with Schengen 
standards. This includes introducing the systematic collection of biometric data, such as digital 

*   This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ 

Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 

1   SWD(2024) 243 final – Commission Implementing Decision approving the Reform Agenda and the multiannual 

work programme under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans – Kosovo. 

2   After Bosnia and Herzegovina introduced visa requirement for Oman in March 2024 the number went down to 
six, but when in December 2024 Vanuatu was removed from EU visa-free list, it went up again to seven.   

3  Moldova cancelled one visa-free agreement in 2025, but with Vanuatu becoming visa-required in EU the number 

of discrepancies for this country remained the same.  

2 

 
 
 
photo and fingerprints, as part of the visa application process. Practices that are incompatible with 
the EU acquis, such as granting seasonal visa-waivers and allowing visa-free entry on the basis of 
a visa or residence permit issued by a third country, must be discontinued.   

Pending full alignment, a more rigorous screening of visa-free arrivals of third-country nationals, 
in particular those from countries presenting security or illegal migration risks, would be a minimal 
temporary measure expected from visa-free neighbouring partners.    

Migration, border management and readmission 

The main challenge in this field remains the persistence of illegal migration flows to the EU via 
the Western Balkans, although the numbers have decreased significantly since 2023. This is due 
to the joint efforts of the EU, its Member States and relevant EU agencies, and the Western Balkan 
partners, notably in the framework of the EU Action Plan on the Western Balkans4 presented by 
the Commission in December 2022. The primary path on the ‘Western Balkans route’ goes through 
Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Albania and North Macedonia also serve, to a lesser extent, 
as transit countries. In 2024 and 2025 the long and difficult-to-control border between Bosnia and 
Herzegovina and Croatia became a main entry point of irregular migrants travelling through the 
Western Balkans towards EU.  

Western Balkan partners will need to increase their efforts to fight trafficking in human beings and 
to  further  reduce  the  number  of  irregular  migrants  smuggled.  Levels  of  violence  linked  to 
trafficking in migrants have also increased in the Western Balkans. In Serbia, migrant smuggling 
networks operate with increasing intensity and violence, with some groups now composed partly 
of nationals from the same countries of origin as the irregular migrants. Efforts made to strengthen 
anti-trafficking policies and operational capacities in these areas will need to be further stepped 
up.  

The significant influx into Georgia of nationals from India and to a lesser extent from other Asian 
and Middle East countries, raises concerns about the potential illegal migration towards the EU, 
whether by land or by sea.  

All the reviewed partners maintain regular cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard 
Agency (Frontex), including Bosnia and Herzegovina, which signed a Frontex status agreement 
with the EU in 20255. Most of them also collaborate with the European Union Agency for Asylum 
(EUAA). Continued support by the EU and its Member States, through the provision of equipment, 
training,  exchange  of  best  practices  as  well  as  joint  border  patrols  has  produced  tangible 
operational results.  

Cooperation on readmission between EU Member States and all reviewed partners was generally 
assessed  as  very  good,  with  no  major  problems  reported.  Nevertheless,  some  issues  with 
readmission were observed.  Delays in  the processing  of readmission  requests from  Bosnia and 

4   EU Action Plan on the Western Balkans - Migration and Home Affairs 

5   Status agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina - Migration and Home Affairs 

3 

 
 
 
Herzegovina and Kosovo were mainly due to a lack of cooperation or obstruction by returnees, 
while in the case of Ukraine they resulted from the ongoing war conditions. 

Minor issues were reported in the cooperation with Kosovo, where some refusals to accept EU 
travel  documents  were  recorded,  and  with  Moldova,  which  in  certain  cases  declined  to  accept 
third-country nationals, who transited through its territory.  

As regards Serbia, concerns also persist regarding its practice of conditioning the issuance of return 
documents to the prior submission of a flight plan. A further longstanding and serious concern, 
and despite the EU-Serbia readmission agreement, relates to Serbia’s limited cooperation in the 
readmission of third-country nationals who have transited through its territory, including in cases 
where credible evidence of transit exists, such as identity documents issued by Serbian authorities 
to asylum seekers.  

All these partners are expected to address without delay the remaining outstanding issues identified 
by EU Member States concerning the implementation of commitments on readmission.  

For  Moldova  and  Ukraine,  the  cooperation  with  Frontex  on  border  management  has  remained 
satisfactory in 2024 and 2025. 

Unfounded asylum applications  

Unfounded asylum applications lodged by nationals of visa-exempt partners continue to pose a 
significant  challenge  for  some  EU  Member  States.  These  applications  typically  have  very  low 
recognition rates6 placing a disproportionate burden on national asylum systems. Between 2015 
and the first quarter of 2025, 18% of asylum applications in the EU were submitted by nationals 
benefiting from visa-free access to the EU. 

The number of asylum applications lodged by this category in the EU neighbourhood has generally 
declined; however, applications from Kosovo and, in particular, Ukraine increased significantly in 
2024 (6,785 and 28,350 respectively). In the case of Albania (7,140), Georgia (14,530), Moldova 
(5,945),  North  Macedonia  (3,435)  and  Serbia  (3,270),  although  the  numbers  decreased 
considerably in 2024 as compared to 2023, they nevertheless remained at considerable levels.   

Efforts have been made by partners in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood to mitigate this problem. 
Several  governments,  including  Albania,  Georgia  and  Kosovo,  have  sponsored  information 
campaigns  to  raise  public  awareness  about  the  rights  and  obligations  associated  with  visa-free 
travel to the EU. Additional measures include the introduction of exit checks on citizens travelling 
to  the  Schengen  area  (Albania  and  Georgia)  to  verify  that  they  fulfil  entry  conditions  in  the 
Schengen area and the deployment of Frontex officers at international airports (Georgia). These 
initiatives have proven effective and should be maintained and expanded to other partners.  

As  reported  in  the  7th  Visa  Suspension  Mechanism  report,  the  number  of  asylum  applications 
lodged in the EU by Latin American countries benefitting from visa-free access continues to place 
a significant burden on Member States’ asylum systems.  Between 2015 and Q1 2025, nationals 

6 With the exception of Ukraine. 

4 

 
 
 
from  Latin  American  visa-free  countries  accounted  for  more  than  half  of  all  asylum  claims 
submitted  by  visa-exempt  third-country  nationals  during  this  period.  In  2024,  the  number  of 
applications  from  Venezuela  amounted  to  74,015,  continuing  a  consistent  upward  trend;  the 
number of applications from Peru also increased to 27,260. Applications from Colombia declined, 
but in absolute numbers they remain concerning (51,615). Applications from Honduras (2,380), 
Nicaragua (2,475) and El Salvador (2,575) also declined but nevertheless remained at significant 
levels.     

To ensure the sustainability  of visa  exemptions, visa-free travel  must remain strictly  limited to 
short stays and should not be misused to lodge asylum applications in the EU. In this context, the 
Commission  and the  EEAS  will continue engaging  with  the most  relevant countries  to  prevent 
abuse of the visa-free regime. 

Public  order  and  security  issues,  including  the  fight  against  corruption  and  document 
security 

All reviewed countries maintained close cooperation with Europol and Eurojust. Western Balkan 
partners  continued  to  actively  implement  the  Joint  Action  Plan  on  Counter  Terrorism  for  the 
Western Balkans and signed the new Joint Action Plan on 30 October 20257.  

In  2024,  all  Western  Balkan  partners  continued  to  cooperate  with  Europol  and  Member  States 
resulting  in  substantial  operational  results  in  combating  serious  cross-border  crimes,  including 
cyber-attacks,  the  smuggling  of  migrants,  and  the  trafficking  of  narcotics  and  firearms  by 
organised crime groups. Concrete and significant results were achieved in dismantling numerous 
criminal groups by all Western Balkan partners.  

Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine has continued intensive cooperation with Europol in counter-
terrorism  efforts,  as  well  as  in  the  fight  against  financial  crime,  cybercrime,  the  trafficking  of 
firearms, explosives, CBRN8 materials and trafficking in human beings.   

Some Member States signalled the emergence of firearms trafficking routes from the Near and 
Middle East through Moldova into the EU.  

Security  concerns  persist  in  Georgia  due  to  Russian  influence,  especially  in  light  of  the  rapid 
growth  of the  resident Russian diaspora. Since  the onset  of Russia’s  war  of aggression against 
Ukraine, approximately 160,000 Russian citizens have emigrated to Georgia. There is a growing 
apprehension  that  the  Russian  presence  in  Georgia  could  be  exploited  for  foreign  influence 
operations. 

The fight against corruption was a key benchmark accepted by all visa-free partners in the EU’s 
immediate neighbourhood during the visa liberalisation dialogues. Continuous compliance with 
this benchmark remains a prerequisite for maintaining visa-free travel. Most reviewed countries 
have respected this requirement, including by implementing measures to address issues raised in 

7     Joint Action Plan on Preventing and Countering of Terrorism and Violent Extremism for the Western Balkans - 

Migration and Home Affairs 

8     Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN). 

5 

 
 
 
previous Visa Suspension Mechanism reports. However, Georgia not only has failed to adequately 
follow  up  on  the  recommendations  on  anti-corruption  set  out  in  the  7th  Visa  Suspension 
Mechanism report but backtracked by cancelling some earlier reforms in this field.      

Regarding  document  security,  all  reviewed  partners,  with  the  exception  of  Ukraine,  have  fully 
phased out non-biometric passports. The last non-biometric Ukrainian passports were issued in 
2016 and will expire in 2026; the number still in circulation is marginal. Nonetheless, Member 
States have reported the use of fraudulent or forged documents by citizens of Albania, Kosovo and 
Ukraine  to  illegally  enter  or  stay  in  the  EU,  some  of  which  are  obtained  through  corruption 
practices.  

In Georgia, Kosovo, Serbia and Ukraine, the possibility for individuals to change their names and 
obtain new identity documents, sometimes repeatedly, remains problematic, as it may be used to 
evade Schengen Information System (SIS) alerts and circumvent EU return  or entry bans. This 
vulnerability should be addressed, by external partners in cooperation with the EU.  

In  Ukraine,  the  practice  of  holding  more  than  one  valid  biometric  passport,  as  well  as  manual 
alterations of travel documents (such as extension of expiry dates) raises serious concerns about 
document integrity and reliability.    

In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, organised crime groups are reported to be engaged in 
the  production  and  distribution  of  forged  identity  documents,  including  passports  and  driving 
licences of various EU Member States. In Serbia, in particular, the scale and sophistication of these 
forgeries is alarming, with some high-quality counterfeit e-passports capable of bypassing modern 
document verification systems.  

Citizenship questions, including investor citizenship schemes  

Visa-free  countries  operating  investor  citizenship  schemes  pose  inherent  security  risks  by 
potentially allowing third-country nationals who would otherwise be subject to visa requirements 
to bypass standard security checks and gain access to the Schengen area through the acquisition of 
citizenship. 

Such programmes represent serious risks in terms of  illegal migration, security threats, and tax 
evasion. These risks are particularly acute when they are combined with: (i) insufficient vetting 
and due diligence; (ii) the absence of a genuine link between applicants and the country granting 
citizenship; and (iii) the possibility of changing one’s name during or after the process.  

Consequently, under the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism, the operation of such programmes 
constitutes, in itself, a ground for suspending the visa-free status of third countries.  

Among  neighbouring  countries,  such  programmes  persist  in  North  Macedonia,  where  national 
legislation  allows  citizenship  to  be  granted  without  prior  residence  requirements  to  individuals 
deemed  to  represent  a  ‘special  economic  interest’  for  the  country.  However,  the  number  of 
citizenships granted under this provision remains marginal (one in 2023 and two in 2024).  

Montenegro  formally  terminated  its  programme  on  31  December  2022.  Nevertheless,  the 
authorities  have  continued  to  process  applications  for  citizenship  submitted  before  the 

6 

 
 
programme’s  closure.  In  2024,  the  Ministry  of  Interior  issued  1,282  decisions  granting 
Montenegrin citizenship to applicants and their family members. As of April 2025, 29 remaining 
applications were still being processed.  

Although Serbia does not operate such a programme sensu stricto, a provision in its citizenship 
law allows granting citizenship “in the interest of the Republic of Serbia”. This provision enables 
citizenship  to  be  conferred  without  any  prior  residence  requirement  and  without  obliging 
applicants to renounce their existing nationality. Since 2022, more than 200 Russian nationals have 
obtained Serbian citizenship under this clause, and the profiles of several of these individuals have 
raised concerns on the EU side.  

A similar concern exists regarding Georgia. Although numbers are very limited compared to the 
normal track for acquisition of citizenship, simplified naturalisation procedures could be used by 
Russian  nationals  to  acquire  citizenship.  Both  the  Serbian  and  Georgian  cases  warrant  further 
scrutiny to determine whether those practices are abusive. As indicated in the Commission’s 2025 
Enlargement Package, compliance with EU law requires that candidate countries abolish existing 
investor citizenship schemes and repeal their legal basis9.  

In the Eastern Caribbean, investor citizenship schemes have been operated for many years in five 
countries  –  Antigua  and  Barbuda,  Dominica,  Grenada,  Saint  Kitts  and  Nevis,  and  Saint  Lucia. 
These programmes pose a significant and ongoing challenge of much greater scale. It is estimated 
that around 107,000 passports have been issued through the schemes operated by these countries. 
The number of applications remains high, with 13,113 in 2023 and 10,573 in 2024. Processing 
times are short and rejection rates very low – for instance, in 2024 rejection rates were 1.7% in 
Antigua and Barbuda, 5.3% in Saint Lucia, and 6.5% in Dominica – raising concerns about the 
adequacy of security and due diligence procedures. 

In response to concerns expressed by the EU10, the five Eastern Caribbean countries have taken 
some  steps,  including  harmonising  the  minimum  investment  threshold  at  USD  200,000, 
strengthening security screening, and establishing common standards for information-sharing and 
transparency. However, the situation continues to raise significant concern. 

The  operation  of  investor  citizenship  schemes  by  visa-free  countries  poses  a  non-negligible 
security risk for the Schengen area and will be further examined under the revised Visa Suspension 
Mechanism legal framework. 

9   See  judgment  of  29  April  2025,  Commission  v  Malta  (Citoyenneté  par  investissement),  C-181/23, 
ECLI:EU:C:2025:283On 29 April 2025, where the Court of Justice of the European Union found that a Member 
State breaches Article 20 TFEU and the principle of sincere cooperation enshrined in Article 4(3) TEU when it 
establishes  and  implements  a  naturalisation  scheme based on  a  transactional  procedure between  that  Member 
State and persons submitting an application under that programme, at the end of which the nationality of that 
Member State and, therefore, the status of Union citizen, is essentially granted in exchange for predetermined 
payments or investments.   

10   Similar concerns were expressed by the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. The measures taken also 
aim at responding to US demands. Citizens of these countries are currently visa-required to travel to the US. Visa 
Waiver Program | Homeland Security 

7 

 
 
 
Lack of compliance on other key benchmarks by Georgia 

Respect for fundamental rights constitutes one of the key benchmarks agreed by Georgia during 
the  visa  liberalisation  dialogue.  Continued  compliance  with  this  benchmark  remains  a  core 
condition for maintaining the right to visa-free travel.  

In the 7th Visa Suspension Mechanism Report of 6 December 2024, the Commission assessed that 
Georgia  had  failed  to  uphold  this  commitment,  notably  through  the  adoption  of  the  Law  on 
Transparency of Foreign Influence in May 2024 and the legislative package on Family Values and 
Protection  of  Minors  in  September  2024.  Both  initiatives  were  found  to  be  in  violation  of 
fundamental rights and freedoms, in particular the freedom of association, assembly and freedom 
of expression, and the right to privacy, as the former could be used against civil society and to 
silence opposition parties, and the latter imposed discriminatory restrictions on education, as well 
as public debates and gatherings in breach of the principle of non-discrimination. As a result, the 
Commission issued specific recommendations calling on Georgia to:  

-  Ensure and uphold the protection of fundamental rights of all citizens, including freedom of 
association, assembly  and expression, the right to privacy, the  right to  participate in public 
affairs, and the prohibition of discrimination. 

-  Avoid and repeal any legislation that restricts fundamental rights and freedoms, contradicts the 
principle of non-discrimination, or violates relevant European and international standards. In 
particular, repeal the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence and the legislative package 
on Family Values and Protection of Minors, and amend the national strategy and action plan 
on human rights to ensure the full protection of the rights of LGBTIQ persons. 

Since  then,  Georgia  has  failed  to  implement  these  recommendations  and  has  instead  regressed 
further in key areas of governance and fundamental rights. Legislative amendments, including the 
Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and changes to the Law on Grants, the Organic Law on 
Political  Associations  of  Citizens,  the  Code  on  Administrative  Offences,  and  the  Law  on 
Broadcasting, have collectively curtailed civic space and  restricted dissenting voices, including 
those of protestors, opposition representatives, civil society organisations, and independent media. 
It particularly affected civil society associations and human rights defenders, multiplying various 
obstacles to make their activities more difficult and as result limit their ability to function.  

On  14  July  2025,  the  European  Commission  recalled  in  a  letter  to  Georgian  authorities  the 
requirement for continued compliance with visa liberalisation requirements, requesting an update 
on the implementation of the recommendations of the 7th Visa Suspension Mechanism Report. In 
its  response,  Georgia  did  not  inform  of  any  meaningful  progress  in  addressing  the 
recommendations  related  to  fundamental  rights  of  the  7th  Visa  Suspension  Mechanism  Report. 
Consequently, Georgia  continues to be in breach of the benchmarks underpinning the visa-free 
regime  granted  by  the  EU.  In  light  of  these  developments,  appropriate  measures  should  be 
considered under the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism.  

8 

 
 
Conclusion  

While most partners in the EU’s neighbourhood have taken steps to address the recommendations 
issued under previous Visa Suspension Mechanism reports, significant challenges persist.  

The most serious case concerns Georgia, which has violated numerous commitments undertaken 
during the visa liberalisation dialogue, failed to implement nearly all recommendations of the 7th 
Visa Suspension Mechanism report, and despite repeated requests over the past years to advance 
on visa policy alignment and on prevention of corruption has even further backtracked in 2024-
2025 including in relation to the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. 

For  the  other  partners  in  the  Western  Balkans  and  Eastern  Partnership  region,  it  remains 
imperative to advance visa policy alignment, both by harmonising the lists of visa-required third 
countries and by ensuring that visa examination and issuance procedures are fully consistent with 
Schengen standards. Pending full alignment, Western Balkan partners should urgently strengthen 
the  screening  of  visa-free  arrivals  of  nationals  from  third  countries  posing  illegal  migration  or 
security risks. 

The  prevention  of  unfounded  asylum  applications  should  remain  a  priority  for  all  visa-free 
partners, in particular Albania, Georgia, Kosovo and Moldova. Bosnia and Herzegovina should 
intensify  its  efforts  to  reinforce  border  management,  while  continued  vigilance  is  required 
regarding citizenship practices of Georgia and Serbia. 

Beyond  the  EU’s  immediate  neighbourhood,  the  continued  operation  of  investor  citizenship 
schemes  in  the  Eastern  Caribbean  represents  a  persistent  and  serious  security  concern, 
constituting  a  potential  ground  for  the  suspension  of  visa-free  travel  under  the  revised  Visa 
Suspension Mechanism.  

Detailed, country-specific recommendations are set out in Annex I.  

The  Commission  will  continue  to  closely  monitor  the  implementation  of  visa  liberalisation 
commitments  through  high-level  political  dialogues,  meetings  of  the  Justice,  Freedom  and 
Security Subcommittees, and its regular annual reporting under the Visa Suspension Mechanism 
and the Enlargement Package.    

9 

 
 
 
  
 
Annex I: Recommendations of the 8th Visa Suspension Mechanism Report 

Albania  

Albania  has  taken  steps  to  address  most  of  the  Commission’s  previous  recommendations. 
However, further progress is necessary in the following areas:  

a)  Alignment of visa policy: As a matter of priority, Albania must further align its visa 
policy with the EU list of visa-required third countries, with particular focus on those 
countries whose nationals present illegal migration and/or security risks to the EU. 
Albania should also align its visa procedures with Schengen standards, in particular 
by  introducing  the  collection  of  biometric  data  (including  a  digital  photo  and 
fingerprints)  as  part  of  the  examination  of  visa  demands.  Pending  full  alignment, 
Albania should continue and strengthen the screening of visa-exempt third-country 
nationals,  especially  those  originating  from  countries  presenting  security  or  illegal 
migration risks. 

b)  Unfounded  asylum  applications:  Albania  must  continue  and  reinforce  measures 
aimed  at  reducing  the  number  of  unfounded  asylum  applications  lodged  by  its 
nationals in EU Member States, with particular attention to applications submitted by 
unaccompanied minors.  

c)  Prevention of illegal stays: Albania must maintain and tighten measures to prevent 

the overstays by Albanian nationals in the Schengen area.  

d)  Visa issuance and hiring oversight: Albania must strengthen the screening process for 
visa  applications  submitted  by  third-country  nationals  from  countries  that  present 
illegal migration and/or security risks to EU. It should also tighten the conditions for 
issuing  such  visas,  improve  the  monitoring  of  hiring  practices  and  enhance  the 
capacity of labour inspectorates.  

e)  Combating fraudulent identity documents: Albania must intensify efforts to detect and 

prevent the use and circulation of counterfeit Albanian identity documents. 

f)  Investor citizenship scheme follow-up: Refrain from establishing and implementing 
an  investor  citizenship  scheme  and  repeal  the  legal  basis  for  such  a  scheme  by 
amending the Law on Citizenship. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina  

Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  has  taken  some  steps  to  address  the  Commission’s  previous 
recommendations. However, further efforts are necessary in the following priority areas:  

a)  Alignment of visa policy: Bosnia and Herzegovina must, as a matter of urgency, further 
align its visa policy with the EU list of visa-required third countries, with particular focus 
on those countries whose nationals pose illegal migration and/or security risks to the EU. 

10 

 
 
b)  Visa  issuance controls:  The authorities must enhance the screening  of visa  applications 
submitted by third-country nationals from high-risk countries and tighten the conditions 
under which visas are issued to nationals of such countries. 

c)  Border  management  1:  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  must  intensify  its  efforts  to  improve 
border  management,  with  particular  urgency  given  to  increasing  the  capacity  of  border 
guards, addressing the issue of illegal border crossings and advancing the implementation 
of  the  Frontex  Status  Agreement  through  launching  more  joint  operations  at  high-risk 
sections of the land border.  

d)  Border management 2: Pending full alignment of visa-policy, it is essential to continue and 
strengthen  the  screening  at  border  of  arrivals  of  visa-exempt  third-country  nationals; 
particular  attention  is  recommended  to  the  verification  of  the  authenticity  of  passports. 
Authorities are strongly encouraged to proactively engage on this issue with third countries 
as  well  as  airlines  and  progress  on  establishing  passenger  data  exchange  (API/PNR) 
systems. 

Georgia  

On  14  July  2025,  the  European  Commission  sent  a  formal  letter  to  the  Georgian  authorities 
recalling  the  obligation  of  continued  compliance  with  the  visa  liberalisation  benchmarks  and 
requesting detailed information on the implementation of the recommendations set out in the 7th 
Visa Suspension Mechanism Report. 

In  its  response,  Georgia  did  not  inform  about  any  meaningful  progress  in  addressing  the 
Commission’s recommendations. In most areas, no corrective measures were reported and in 
several others the situation has further deteriorated. 

Of  particular  concern  is  the  continued  application  of  legislative  acts,  including  the  (i)  Law  on 
Transparency of Foreign Influence, (ii) the Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors, (iii) 
the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and (iv) amendments to the Law on Grants, the Law 
on  Political  Associations  of  Citizens,  the  Code  on  Administrative  Offences,  the  Law  on 
Broadcasting  and  the  Criminal  Code,  which  restrict  fundamental  rights  and  freedoms  and 
contradict  Georgia’s  European  and  other  international  commitments.  Rather  than  taking 
remedial steps, the Georgian authorities have openly defended these measures, invoking national 
sovereignty and disregarding the commitments undertaken during the visa liberalisation dialogue. 

The Commission therefore concludes that Georgia has regressed significantly on key governance 
and rule-of-law benchmarks that formed the basis for the granting of visa-free travel. Similarly, 
Georgia  regressed  also  in  the  domains  of  visa-alignment  and  fight  against  corruption.  This 
situation  constitutes  a  clear  case  of  backtracking  on  commitments  made  under  the  visa 
liberalisation process and undermines the mutual trust on which the visa-free regime is based. 

Given  the  systemic  and  deliberate  nature  of  this  backsliding,  the  Commission  will  consider 
appropriate measures under the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism. According to the new rules, 
in  the  first  phase,  the  visa  suspension  could  target  holders  of  diplomatic,  service  and  official 
passports issued by the Georgian authorities, who are primarily responsible for not taking action 
to address the Commission’s recommendations. The new rules ensure a uniform application of the 

11 

 
 
suspension in all Member States, as bilateral visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic, service 
and official passports will no longer be possible, once the visa requirement is reimposed for these 
groups at EU level. In the second stage, the suspension could be extended to the entire population 
if issues are not addressed by the Georgian authorities. Ultimately, Georgia could lose its visa free 
status entirely and be transferred to Annex I of the Visa Regulation (visa-required third countries 
list). 

Georgia  is  also  required  to  terminate  immediately  the  practice  of  allowing  visa-free  entry  to 
nationals of 17 countries that are visa-required both in the EU and in Georgia, on the basis of a 
visa or residence permit issued by one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. 

Kosovo 

Overall Kosovo continues to fulfil the visa liberalisation requirements. However,  further efforts 
are necessary to address the following outstanding issues: 

a)  Alignment of visa policy: Kosovo must align its list of visa-required third countries with 
the EU list. Pending full alignment, Kosovo should continue and strengthen the screening 
of  visa-exempt  travellers  who  pose  a  potential  migration  and/or  security  risk.  Kosovo 
should also align its visa procedures with Schengen standards, in particular by introduction 
of collection of biometric data (including a digital photo and fingerprints) as part of the 
examination of visa demands.   

b)  Addressing  unfounded  asylum  applications:  Kosovo  must  strengthen  the  initiatives  in 
cooperation with EU Member States to monitor and curb the number of unfounded asylum 
applications  submitted  by  its  citizens  in  the  EU.  It  should  also  maintain  and  adapt  the 
ongoing communication campaign to inform citizens of their rights and obligations under 
the visa-free regime with the EU.  

c)  Strengthening  document  security:  Kosovo  must  strengthen  measures  to  prevent  the 
issuance of identity and travel documents under false identities and improve the detection 
of  forged  documents.  It  should  ensure  cooperation  with  Member  States  as  regards 
individuals subject to alerts in the Schengen Information System (SIS) who might apply 
for a travel document with changed names. Continued cooperation with Interpol on lost 
and stolen documents should be maintained, alongside full implementation of the new Law 
and Administrative Instruction on Identity Cards to enhance overall document security. 

d)  Protection  of  non-majority  communities:  Kosovo  should  continue  to  make  tangible 

improvements in protecting the rights of non-majority communities.  

Moldova 

Moldova  has  taken  steps  to  address  the  Commission’s  previous  recommendations.  However, 
further progress is required, particularly in the following areas: 

a)   Alignment  of  visa  policy: Moldova must align its visa policy with  the EU list  of visa-
required countries, in particular with regard to countries presenting illegal migration or 
security risks to the EU. Pending full alignment, Moldova should continue and strengthen 

12 

 
 
the rigorous screening of visa-exempt third-country nationals, especially those originating 
from high-risk countries. 

b)   Unfounded asylum applications: Moldova must intensify efforts to address the continued 
occurrence  of  unfounded  asylum  applications  by  Moldovan  nationals  in  EU  Member 
States. This  could  include targeted information campaigns tailored to  relevant  migrant 
profiles,  as  well  as  the  introduction  of  border  exit  checks  to  improve  tracking  and 
deterrence. 

Montenegro 

Montenegro  addressed  some  of  the  Commission’s  previous  recommendations,  in  particular  by 
reducing  the  list  of  visa-free  countries  that  are  visa-required  for  the  EU,  and  by  continuing  to 
monitor the remaining applications for citizenship.  However, the following issues remain to be 
addressed: 

a)  Alignment with the EU visa list: Montenegro must align its visa policy with the EU list of 
visa-required  third  countries.  Montenegro  must  not  grant  any  more  seasonal  visa-
waivers, including to those countries, that were removed from the permanent visa-
free list. Montenegro  should  also  align its visa procedures with  Schengen standards, in 
particular  by  introduction  of  collection  of  biometric  data  (including  a  digital  photo  and 
fingerprints) as part of the examination of visa demands.   

In the interim, Montenegro must implement targeted security measures, such as enhanced 
screening  of  visa-exempt  arrivals,  and  document  their  effectiveness  in  reducing  illegal 
migration and security risks.  

b)  Visa application infrastructure: In preparation for the transition to a revised visa policy, 
Montenegro should expand its visa issuance capabilities through digitising elements of the 
visa issuance process to allow nationals of currently visa-exempt countries to apply for a 
visa once the exemption is lifted. This will facilitate administrative processing and support 
policy alignment 

c)  Investor citizenship scheme follow-up: Montenegro must ensure that the legal basis of the 
scheme  is  repealed  and  all  pending  applications  under  the  now-terminated  scheme  are 
processed in accordance with the highest security standards. In addition, possible cases 
of  citizenships  previously  granted  through  this  scheme  to  individuals  subject  to 
international restrictive measures must be reviewed and revoked where appropriate.  

North Macedonia  

North  Macedonia  continues  to  demonstrate  a  satisfactory  level  of  cooperation  in  the  fields  of 
migration,  border  management,  and  security.  Some  steps  have  been  taken  to  address  the 

13 

 
 
 
 
Commission’s previous recommendations concerning the acquisition of citizenship on grounds of 
special economic interest. Further efforts are required to address the following key issues: 

a)  Visa policy alignment: North Macedonia must complete the alignment of its visa policy 
with the EU list of visa-required third countries. North Macedonia should also align its visa 
procedures  with  Schengen  standards,  in  particular  by  introduction  of  collection  of 
biometric data (including a digital photo and fingerprints) as part of the examination of visa 
applications.   

b)  North  Macedonia  should  report  on  the  implementation  and  effectiveness  of  additional 
screening measures applied to Turkish nationals  arriving in the country, especially with 
regard to illegal migration and security risks. 

c)  Overstays:  To  mitigate  the  persistent  phenomenon  of  nationals  of  North  Macedonia 
overstaying  in  the  Schengen  area,  the  authorities  must  implement  targeted  initiatives, 
including  information  campaigns  on  the  conditions  of  visa-free  travel  and  enhanced 
cooperation with Member States. 

d)  Investor citizenship scheme: North Macedonia must abolish the scheme and repeal its legal 
basis,  provide  information  on  the  applications  already  submitted  under  the  ‘special 
economic  interest’  provision  and  ensure  that  all  such  applications  undergo  rigorous 
background checks.  

Serbia  

Serbia has taken steps to address the Commission’s previous recommendations. However, further 
progress is required in several key areas, particularly with regard to migration, visa policy, and 
acquisition of citizenship. The following issues need to be addressed: 

a)  Visa policy alignment: Serbia must further align its visa policy with the EU list of visa-
required third countries, with a particular focus on those countries whose nationals pose a 
heightened risk of illegal migration or security threats to the EU. Serbia should also align 
its visa procedures with Schengen standards, in particular by introducing the collection of 
biometric data (including a digital photo and fingerprints) as part of the examination of visa 
demands. Pending full alignment, Serbia should continue to strengthen screening measures 
for visa-exempt third-country nationals, especially from high-risk countries. 

b)  Visa  issuance  procedures:  Serbia  must  enhance  the  screening  of  visa  applications 
submitted by nationals of countries considered to present illegal migration or security risks. 
In parallel, the rules governing the issuance of visas to such nationals should be tightened 
to ensure greater control and consistency with EU standards. 

c)   Implementation of readmission obligations: Serbia must fully implement the third-country 
nationals’ clause of the EU–Serbia Readmission Agreement, particularly in cases where 
third-country nationals transited through Serbian territory and such transit is demonstrably 
documented. 

d)   Citizenship practices: Serbia must refrain from granting citizenship under accelerated or 

14 

 
 
simplified procedures to nationals of countries that pose illegal migration or security risks 
to the EU. Moreover, adequate and thorough security screening should be ensured for all 
applicants, including under the ordinary naturalisation procedure. 

Ukraine  

Overall, Ukraine continues to meet the requirements of the visa liberalisation framework and has 
taken  steps  to  address  several  of  the  Commission’s  previous  recommendations.  Nonetheless, 
further efforts are needed, where feasible given the ongoing war-related challenges, in particular, 
the following: 

a)  Visa policy alignment: Ukraine must align its visa policy with the EU list of visa-required 
third  countries,  with  a  particular  focus  on  countries  whose  nationals  present  illegal 
migration or security risks to the EU. 

b)  Document security: Ukraine is encouraged to make greater efforts to address the issue of 

use of fraudulent documents, including but not limited to passports. 

c)  Anti-corruption efforts: Ukraine is encouraged to continue strengthening its anti-corruption 
framework by further developing a credible and consistent track record of investigations, 
prosecutions, and convictions in corruption-related cases. 

Latin America 

Addressing overstays and unfounded asylum applications: While recognising increased efforts by 
concerned  Latin  American  countries,  they  should  take  further  measures  to  curb  the  number  of 
overstays  and  unfounded  asylum  applications  submitted  by  their  citizens  in  the  EU.  Such 
measures,  already  being  taken  by  some  countries,  should  include,  when  possible,  departure 
checks/verifications, communication campaign to inform citizens of their rights and obligations 
under the visa-free regime with the EU, as well as other measures that might be agreed either with 
EU or bilaterally with EU Member States.  

Eastern Caribbean countries operating investor citizenship schemes  

The operation of investor citizenship schemes by countries that are visa-free in the EU constitutes 
a serious security concern. The operation of a scheme, whereby citizenship is granted in exchange 
for pre-determined payments or investments, without the person concerned having any genuine 
link to that third country, constitutes a potential ground for the suspension of visa-free travel under 
the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism. Concerned Eastern Caribbean countries should take all 
measures  necessary  for  adequate  security  vetting  of  applicants,  pending  the  discontinuation  of 
those schemes.   

15