Petition for Urgent Schengen Visa Processing for Ethiopian Seafarers
Date: January 17, 2026
To: The Head of the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Subject: Urgent Request for a 72-Hour Expedited Visa Process for Ethiopian Seafarers
To the Honorable Members of the EU Delegation,
We, the undersigned Ethiopian Seafarers, are writing to formally bring to your attention a critical challenge regarding the issuance of Schengen Transit and Entry Visas. Currently, the processing times at various EU Member State embassies in Addis Ababa are causing Ethiopian maritime professionals to miss vessel join dates, leading to loss of employment and severe financial hardship.
As essential workers in the global supply chain, our ability to join vessels on time is vital. We wish to highlight the following points:
* Contractual Urgency: Seafarers often receive "Letters of Employment" and vessel schedules with short notice. A delay of even a few days often results in the shipping company replacing the Ethiopian seafarer with a different nationality that has easier visa access.
* International Standards: Under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) and the IMO Facilitation (FAL) Convention, member states are encouraged to facilitate the movement of seafarers and minimize administrative barriers for crew changes.
* The "3-Day" Necessity: To remain competitive in the global maritime market, Ethiopian seafarers require a dedicated "Fast Track" system that ensures visa issuance within three (3) working days upon presentation of a valid Seaman’s Book and a Letter of Guarantee from a recognized shipping agency.
Our Prayers/Requests:
* A Dedicated Maritime Window: Implementation of a priority processing desk for seafarers at EU member state consulates.
* Standardized Requirements: A clear, harmonized list of requirements specifically for maritime transit to reduce "back-and-forth" documentation.
* Emergency Issuance: Recognition of the urgent nature of vessel arrivals, allowing for 72-hour processing in documented cases of crew relief.
We remain committed to following all legal immigration protocols and simply seek the efficiency required by our unique profession. We hope for a favorable response to ensure that Ethiopian seafarers can continue to contribute to international trade.
Sincerely,
[Your Name/Representative Name]
[Ethiopian Seafarer Union]
[+251910728080/ +251921933007]
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
January 22, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
January 17, 2026
125 Comments
45 day to wait for visa has become an obstacle for seafaring industry companis do changestheir plan with in hours but we stuck on this law So we request the voncerned bodies to review their lagislation.
We are traveling to work onboard the vessel which brings goods, fules cars.... Please help as to serve your people and country/world.
The visa delays are a known crisis in our community. I strongly support this petition for a standardized 72-hour processing time.
We are missing our joining due to delay of visa,so please the respected EU consider this one and provide some solution.
As a seafarer work comes on unpredictable time , so , I am humbly asking on time like this we need your help on Visa . So can you please help as to make it faster.
We are expected to arrive on the ships schedule, we can't extend. Visa process takes longer than expected, not fair for us.
Good
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Petition for Urgent Schengen Visa Processing for Ethiopian Seafarers
Date: January 17, 2026
To: The Head of the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Subject: Urgent Request for a 72-Hour Expedited Visa Process for Ethiopian Seafarers
To the Honorable Members of the EU Delegation,
We, the undersigned Ethiopian Seafarers, are writing to formally bring to your attention a critical challenge regarding the issuance of Schengen Transit and Entry Visas. Currently, the processing times at various EU Member State embassies in Addis Ababa are causing Ethiopian maritime professionals to miss vessel join dates, leading to loss of employment and severe financial hardship.
As essential workers in the global supply chain, our ability to join vessels on time is vital. We wish to highlight the following points:
* Contractual Urgency: Seafarers often receive "Letters of Employment" and vessel schedules with short notice. A delay of even a few days often results in the shipping company replacing the Ethiopian seafarer with a different nationality that has easier visa access.
* International Standards: Under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) and the IMO Facilitation (FAL) Convention, member states are encouraged to facilitate the movement of seafarers and minimize administrative barriers for crew changes.
* The "3-Day" Necessity: To remain competitive in the global maritime market, Ethiopian seafarers require a dedicated "Fast Track" system that ensures visa issuance within three (3) working days upon presentation of a valid Seaman’s Book and a Letter of Guarantee from a recognized shipping agency.
Our Prayers/Requests:
* A Dedicated Maritime Window: Implementation of a priority processing desk for seafarers at EU member state consulates.
* Standardized Requirements: A clear, harmonized list of requirements specifically for maritime transit to reduce "back-and-forth" documentation.
* Emergency Issuance: Recognition of the urgent nature of vessel arrivals, allowing for 72-hour processing in documented cases of crew relief.
We remain committed to following all legal immigration protocols and simply seek the efficiency required by our unique profession. We hope for a favorable response to ensure that Ethiopian seafarers can continue to contribute to international trade.
Sincerely,
[Your Name/Representative Name]
[Ethiopian Seafarer Union]
[+251910728080/ +251921933007]
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
January 22, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
January 17, 2026
125 Comments
We are international work force and we need expedition in visa processing to stay marketable.
45 day to wait for visa has become an obstacle for seafaring industry companis do changestheir plan with in hours but we stuck on this law So we request the voncerned bodies to review their lagislation.
We are traveling to work onboard the vessel which brings goods, fules cars.... Please help as to serve your people and country/world.
The visa delays are a known crisis in our community. I strongly support this petition for a standardized 72-hour processing time.
We are missing our joining due to delay of visa,so please the respected EU consider this one and provide some solution.
As a seafarer work comes on unpredictable time , so , I am humbly asking on time like this we need your help on Visa . So can you please help as to make it faster.
We are expected to arrive on the ships schedule, we can't extend. Visa process takes longer than expected, not fair for us.
Good
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We are international work force and we need expedition in visa processing to stay marketable.