Citizens of Turkey are experiencing increasing rejection rates for Schengen visas, reigniting Ankara’s push for long-awaited EU visa liberalization. Turkish officials argue the EU has failed to fulfill promises made during visa liberalization talks since 2013.
Impact on applicants from Turkey
Turkey has spent €619 million on Schengen visa applications since the talks began, yet rejection rates continue rising. Turkish travelers feel disheartened by financial and emotional burdens caused by strict visa policies and uncertain outcomes.
The EU-Turkey visa liberalization agreement, aimed at enabling visa-free travel for Turkish citizens, remains stalled. Turkish officials claim they have fulfilled the EU’s criteria, yet progress slowed due to ongoing political tensions and security concerns.
Popular destinations like Germany, Spain, and Italy maintain strict requirements, despite their denials of any recent visa policy changes. Frustration among Turkish travelers is growing as applications become more costly and complex, often yielding no results.
Recent data shows Turkish citizens face the highest rejection rates among Schengen applicants. According to the Schengen Visa Statistics, Germany rejected the most Turkish applicants in 2023.
Specifically, Germany denied 55,495 visa applications, accounting for 32.7 percent of all rejections. Greece followed with 36,112 rejections, representing 21.3 percent. France ranked third, denying 19,586 applications, which made up 11.5 percent of total rejections.
EU officials cite several reasons for maintaining strict visa policies, including security concerns, irregular migration risks, and incomplete fulfillment of requirements by Turkey.
Turkey FM urges EU action
The financial toll of rejection rates is significant for Turkish citizens, who must pay non-refundable application fees for each attempt. A single Schengen visa application can cost hundreds of euros, adding to frustrations over the opaque and seemingly inconsistent decision-making process.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for urgent EU action, urging the bloc to honor its commitments on visa liberalization.
“The visa liberalization and the update of the Customs Union are the two critical areas we are focusing on in our dialogue with the European Union,” Fidan assured.
“We continue to work on these issues with our institutions, and I believe the members of this Commission will support us if these issues are brought to Parliament for discussion.”
Despite the increase in Turkish applicants for Schengen visas this year (36 percent), the rejection rate has also risen. Fidan has noted staff shortage in European consulates and political tension toward immigrants in Western countries as factors influencing rejections.
A broader problem
Amid these struggles, Fidan noted that the visa rejections are part of a broader issue between Turkey and the EU. Other countries such as Romania and Bulgaria have also been calling for visa accession as an EU member state.
“This is not just an issue between Türkiye and the EU,” he said. “It’s a broader trend seen globally, and we are investigating if this is a case of special treatment toward us or just part of the general policy towards all countries.”
The Turkish government continues diplomatic efforts to address the situation, emphasizing the mutual benefits of easier travel between Turkey and EU countries. Turkish officials argue that visa liberalization would strengthen economic, cultural, and political ties while promoting people-to-people connections.
Photo: Freepik
