The problems in the visa applications of Turkish nationals have reached a level where they are now hurting bilateral ties between Türkiye and Germany, according to the Turkish ambassador to Berlin.
"We’re deeply saddened by the continuation of these problems," Ambassador Ahmet Başar Şen told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
Şen was referring to the countless complaints by Turks, especially in the past year, of lengthy delays in the approval of their visas for entry to European Union countries. Some countries claim these delays are due to a backlog of post-COVID-19 applications, but Turkish authorities have branded it as a politically motivated move.
Arguing that the visa requirement imposed on Türkiye was "unfair," Şen said Turkish citizens should be able to travel to the EU visa-free in light of the agreements the country inked with the bloc decades ago.
The current level of the Turkish economy and the humanitarian status in the country constitute a sufficient foundation for the complete removal of visa requirements and visa-free travel to Europe for Turkish citizens, Şen pointed out.
"Türkiye holds a much better station than many countries that reserve the right to visa-free travel but this freedom of travel is blocked due to political reasons," he noted.
"Besides this, we want visa practices to be made easier for people like academicians and businesspeople in terms of economic and educational activities. We actually want the visa requirement to be dismissed entirely for these people," Şen explained.
"We expect steps like simplifying the visa procedure, reducing fees, and allowing multi-entry visas," he added.
"Germany says it ‘cannot make decisions by itself in the Schengen zone’ but Germany holds the most important position in the bloc and can contribute to the simplification process," Şen said.
He pointed out considerable problems like procedural delays, the increase in rejections and required documents, as well as businesspeople being unable to attend expos and fairs despite paying the fares.
"We have warned both our German friends and the EU in various periods, conveying on every level that the issue needed improvements. This problem is still ongoing," Şen said, concluding: "I hope with more staff, fewer papers and longer-term entry opportunities that will soon take effect, this problem is mitigated."
In an intensifying effect since last year, Turkish citizens have been subject to many hurdles in obtaining visas from the EU and the United States, including increased scrutiny and monthslong waits to even grab an appointment from embassies.
"It is understandable when applications without proper paperwork or applications that do not meet the requirements are rejected but we are seeing even the applications fulfilling all the criteria are rejected," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in August 2022 as he vowed Ankara would take extra steps to address the issue.
After a Turkish lawmaker filed a report titled "Misuse of the Schengen Information System as a Politically Driven Sanction by Member States of the Council of Europe" highlighting the "unnecessary and large amount of paperwork" required for visas, as well as high fees and the requirement that applications be submitted in person, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) approved a resolution calling for European states to avoid abusing the Schengen Information System (SIS).
The resolution said that although it was the right of states to decide who to allow into the country, they should also respect the rights of third-country nationals trying to enter the Schengen area, "in line with the European Convention on Human Rights."
In November, Çavuşoğlu announced that all ambassadors had been summoned to the ministry and "the necessary warnings were made."
Nevertheless, the difficulties plaguing visa procedures for many Turks remain in place.