Dilemma of Turkish Schengen visa and Middle East turning into a ball of fire

The difficulties Turkish citizens face in obtaining a Schengen visa have become not just an individual but a societal issue. Our citizens who want to travel to Europe for work, tourism and education purposes spend millions of euros annually on Schengen visas, but unfortunately, they face high rejection rates.

Turkish citizens wanting to travel to the Schengen area are struggling with high costs and arduous processes to obtain the universal right to travel freely.

€1B wasted in last 10 years

As of 2024, Turkish citizens pay an average of €90 ($97.3) per person for Schengen visa applications. However, this amount is just the initial cost. With intermediary agency fees, insurance policies, additional documents, translation fees and service charges during the application process, this cost averages between €150 to €200, and with practices like VIP visas or early appointments, it can even reach up to €400. Many Turkish citizens spend over €80 million annually on visa applications and other document costs, but out of every 100 applicants, 22 face disappointment.

These expenses become an even greater burden for citizens facing visa rejections. Since the fees paid in case of visa rejection are not refunded, Turkish citizens lose millions of euros each year without compensation. Additionally, the psychological and social costs of visa rejections should not be overlooked.

Schengen visa rejection rates, application issues

In 2023, 21.7% of Schengen visa applications from Türkiye were rejected. This rate is quite high compared to other countries applying for Schengen visas. For instance, during the same period, the rejection rate for U.S. citizens was around 1%. The reasons for rejections in Turkish citizens’ applications are often unexplained or not sufficiently transparent.

Obtaining a visa appointment has also become a major issue. Waiting weeks for an appointment, and in some cases, finding an appointment is almost impossible. This situation has serious consequences for people belonging to the business fraternity, tourists and students, preventing them from participating in planned programs, and unfortunately, it also breaks the back of travel agencies sending tourists abroad.

Moreover, despite having complete documents during the visa application, rejections or delays in the process for arbitrary reasons have shaken Turkish citizens’ trust in Schengen countries.

Restriction of universal right to travel

The length, cost and high rejection rates of these processes show that obtaining the universal right to travel has become impossible for Turkish citizens. While Schengen countries should recognize every individual’s right to travel freely, this process has turned into discrimination for Turkish citizens.

Top five countries that applied for Schengen visas in 2023 are:

1. China (1,117,360)
2. Türkiye (1,055,885)
3. India (966,687)
4. Morocco
5. Russia

Meanwhile, the 12 easiest countries to obtain a Schengen visa in 2024, based on
rejection rates from 2023, seem to be:

1. Iceland (2.2%)
2. Switzerland (10.7%)
3. Latvia (11.7%)
4. Italy (12%)
5. Luxembourg (12.7%)
6. Lithuania (12.8%)
7. Slovakia (12.9%)
8. Germany (14.3%)
9. Austria (14.3%)
10. Greece (14.7%)
11. Poland (14.8%)
12. Hungary (15.1%)

High number of migrants in Türkiye

Türkiye has experienced a large influx of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and other countries in the last decade. Some of these refugees have obtained Turkish citizenship and a Turkish passport. However, this situation has led to some security concerns in Schengen
countries, as individuals with unclear backgrounds or security information, apply for Schengen visas, causing apprehension.

Schengen countries share that this situation necessitates stricter security screenings in applications, but alongside long waiting times, even high-profile artists, doctors, people traveling for business purposes and academics are rejected for reasons like “insufficient travel purpose” or “lack of return guarantee.”

Diplomatic balance between Turkish passport, Schengen visa

The Turkish government emphasizes in ongoing diplomatic negotiations with the EU that security concerns and overly long processes unjustly affect Turkish citizens. This issue is a significant topic in discussions aimed at improving relations with Schengen countries.

Türkiye and EU countries could establish a joint information-sharing network to make security screenings more transparent and faster. Such cooperation could make visa processes safer and faster, reducing Schengen countries’ security concerns.

Impact of Schengen visa on Turkish society, economy

As access to the Schengen area becomes more difficult for artists, academics, and business people, cultural, commercial, and academic ties with Europe weaken. This could negatively affect Türkiye’s connections with Europe and its capacity to participate in joint projects in the long run.

Meanwhile, as professional meetings, agreements and Europe-centered investments falter because of Schengen visas, the Turkish economy also suffers. People traveling for business struggling to access the European market face difficulties in maintaining business connections, leading to economic losses. Recently, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce President Sekib Avdagic stated: “We tell European diplomats that you don’t allow our businessmen who need machines to come to your countries. Then they buy machines from China, and you complain about China. You’re harming yourselves.”

These difficulties affect not only the diplomatic dimension but also the societal and economic dimensions of relations between the Schengen area and Türkiye. It should not be overlooked that while Türkiye breaks new records in hosting tourists every passing day, the number of Turks preferring holidays abroad is also increasing.

According to Turkish Statistical Institute data, in 2023, the number of Turks traveling abroad exceeded 10 million for the first time. In 2023, a total of 11,167,433 citizens traveled abroad, reaching the highest level in the last three years. The total number of overnight stays by citizens going abroad was 90,663,923. Turkish citizens spent a total of $7,068,901,000 in 2023. The per capita expenditure was $639.

It is expected that the number of Turkish tourists traveling abroad this year will also increase, exceeding 12 million by the end of 2024. While 2024 tours continue, early reservations for 2025 have also started quickly.

France, Spain and Italy have always been among the most preferred countries by Turkish tourists, while in recent years, Greece the Balkans, Egypt, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have rapidly gained popularity.

Regional spread of Israel-Palestine conflict, its effects

After Israel attacked Palestine, conflicts at the Lebanese border have increased the risk of a regional conflict. Hezbollah in Lebanon taking a defensive position against Israel strengthens the possibility of Iran’s involvement.

If Iran actively joins this process, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries might also need to take a position, which could fundamentally shake the balance in the Middle East.

While Türkiye maintains a stance on peaceful solutions in the Middle East, the increasing proximity of regional conflicts to Türkiye’s borders poses a significant risk for Ankara.

Türkiye’s effort to maintain relations with all parties in the region while preserving geopolitical balances requires substantial diplomatic effort.

This tension also has the potential to affect Türkiye’s foreign trade and tourism sectors. As the region struggles with instability, there could be a decline in economic relations with Türkiye’s Middle Eastern trade partners.

The tourism sector, a crucial source of foreign currency for Türkiye, could be significantly impacted by conflicts in the Middle East. Security concerns of tourists could lead to cancellations and revenue losses.

In this context, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with agencies like the Tourism Development Agency (TGA) established in 2019, needs to maintain close communication and relations with all relevant institutions, including the largest travel organizations like the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, TUROFED, TUROB, AKTOB, etc., and work on crisis action plans.

The closure of airspace by Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan and other countries in the region has led to flight cancellations and route changes for airlines. Increased fuel costs, longer flight times and updated crew working hours will result in higher ticket prices.

Especially in 2025, a decrease in tourists from Arab countries could create a significant drop in tourism revenues for Türkiye from these regions.

How is tourism sector affected?

Türkiye, due to its cultural and geographical proximity to the region, is an important destination for Israeli and Arab tourists. However, tensions in the Middle East could raise security concerns about Türkiye, directly affecting tourism.

Security concerns could also deter tourists from Europe and America from visiting Türkiye. Türkiye’s tourism sector needs to focus on new markets and develop strategies to minimize risks from the region to emerge from such crises with minimal damage.

In conclusion

Türkiye faces new tests of security, economy and diplomacy as instability in the Middle East increases. Israel’s attacks and the potential involvement of actors like Lebanon and Iran could drag the Middle East into a broader conflict at any moment.

Türkiye needs to act with diplomatic and strategic moves to be least affected by this crisis. Strengthening security policies and focusing on alternative markets in tourism could make Türkiye more resilient in these uncertain times.

Keep the spirit of friendship alive.

The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial outlook of Türkiye Today.