EU orders to leave Americans, Britons and Japanese nearly double in 2025
Orders for citizens of the United States, United Kingdom and Japan to leave the EU nearly doubled in 2025. The surge was recorded for the calendar year 2025 and applies to travelers from those three countries who are staying in the Schengen area without a visa.
In this story
At a glance
- What changes
- Orders to leave for US, UK and Japanese citizens rose 93% in 2025
- Timing
- Data cover the full year 2025
- Who is affected
- American, British and Japanese nationals staying visa‑free in Schengen
The details
- Previous rule
- In 2024 the seven visa‑free nationalities received 3,165 orders to leave the EU, according to Eurostat data.
- New rule
- In 2025 the same group received 6,095 orders, with US, UK and Japanese orders up 93%, 64% and four‑fold respectively.
Scale of the increase
Eurostat figures analysed by SchengenVisaInfo show that orders to leave issued to citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea rose by 93% for the US, UK and Japan in 2025. The seven nationalities together received 6,095 orders, up from 3,165 in 2024.
The Netherlands was responsible for the bulk of the rise, issuing 3,555 orders – about 85% of all decisions for the seven countries.
Netherlands as the main issuer
The Dutch authorities ordered 1,355 Americans, 825 Britons and the majority of Japanese, Australian and New Zealand orders in 2025. This makes the Netherlands the EU country most frequently issuing return decisions for these nationals.
- 58% of all orders to the seven countries came from the Netherlands
- The Dutch total of 31,230 orders in 2025 included 2,350 Americans, 1,750 Britons and 600 Japanese
What a return decision means
An order to leave, called a return decision in EU law, requires the person to exit the Netherlands and the wider Schengen area, usually within 28 days. In some cases the period can be zero, and an entry ban is recorded in the Schengen Information System.
The entry ban can appear the next time the traveller attempts to cross a Schengen border or applies for a visa. The new Entry/Exit System, operational from 12 October 2025 and fully mandatory from 10 April 2026, will automatically record entries and exits, making future overstays easier to detect.
- Return decisions are not deportations but enforce departure
- Entry bans are entered into the Schengen Information System
What this means for travellers
Trip planning
- Travelers with existing bookings should verify that no return decision has been issued before departure.
- Future trips should allow enough time to comply with a 28‑day departure window if a decision is received.
Cost and documents
- No new fees are introduced by the increase in orders.
- Travelers must keep any return decision paperwork and be prepared to show it at border checks.
What you need to do
- Check the status of any pending return decision through the Dutch Royal Marechaussee or relevant national authority.
- If a return decision is received, arrange departure from the Netherlands and the Schengen area within the specified period, usually 28 days.
- Monitor the Entry/Exit System records after 10 April 2026 for any entry bans linked to a return decision.
Who this affects
-
American citizens in Schengen
Americans are one of the three nationalities whose orders to leave rose sharply in 2025.
What to do Must comply with any return decision and depart within the stipulated period.
-
British citizens in Schengen
Britons saw a 64% increase in orders to leave the EU in 2025.
What to do Should verify whether a return decision has been issued and act accordingly.
-
Japanese citizens in Schengen
Japan experienced a four‑fold rise in orders to leave the EU in 2025.
What to do Need to obey any return decision and arrange prompt departure.
-
Other visa‑free nationals (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea)
Orders to leave for these six countries also increased, though the article highlights the three main ones.
What to do Should monitor for return decisions and follow the same departure requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How many Americans were ordered to leave the EU in 2025?
Two thousand three hundred fifty Americans received return decisions in 2025, an 84% increase over the previous year.
Which EU country issued the most orders to leave for the seven nationalities?
The Netherlands issued the highest number of orders, accounting for about 85% of all decisions for the seven visa‑free nationalities in 2025.
What is the typical time limit to leave after receiving a return decision in the Netherlands?
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee usually gives a 28‑day period to leave the Netherlands and the wider Schengen area, though the period can be zero in some cases.
Does the rise in orders affect visa‑free travel rules for US, UK and Japanese citizens?
No, the visa‑free 90‑day rule in any 180‑day period remains unchanged; only the enforcement of overstays through return decisions has increased.
When will the Entry/Exit System fully record all border entries and exits?
Full registration at all border points under the Entry/Exit System began on 10 April 2026, after a phased start on 12 October 2025.
Are there any new fees for travelers who receive a return decision?
The data do not mention any additional fees linked to the increase in return decisions; travelers only need to comply with the departure requirement.
