Exclusive: Documents reveal irregularities in visa applications at Italian Consulate in Istanbul

Almost 1,000 bright Turkish students, accepted into top Italian universities, have been protesting for two weeks due to the Italian Consulate in Istanbul mishandling their visa applications.

As the student protests gained national media attention in Türkiye, a series of documents reviewed by Türkiye Today reveal significant irregularities by the Italian Consulate.

One student leader stated that the organized student group began receiving an unusually high number of rejections for their applications after Nov. 24.

The student reported that more than 50 students received rejection letters, while only three or four were granted student visas. Similarly, 35 students received rejection letters after three to four months of waiting.

The rejection letters by the Italian Consulate reportedly prepared on Sunday, Nov. 24—a weekend—contained numerous errors. Many letters included incorrect information.

An email sent by Türkiye Today to the Italian Consulate General, citing the irregularities mentioned by students, went unanswered.

Erroneous university and faculty names on rejection letters

Some students noted that their university or faculty names were incorrectly listed in the rejection letters. In other cases, students’ last names were misspelled.

Türkiye Today scrutinized erroneous documents from more than 10 students.

One student, a holder of a green passport, was told they could apply for asylum in Italy. This was surprising, as a green passport in Türkiye allows the holder to travel to the Schengen area without requiring a visa.

Moreover, Turkish green passports are only given to the holder or family member of a Turkish government civil servant. The visa applicant could have entered Italy without a visa but chose to apply for a student visa, which was subsequently rejected.

Students allegedly being threatened, punished by Italian Consulate

One student stated that they were “threatened” by an Italian individual claiming to be a diplomat if they were to bring these issues to the attention of national media.

Students have informed and reported the situation to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

The students revealed to Türkiye Today that they feel like they are being punished by the Italian Consulate in Istanbul for bringing the issue to the attention of national media.

The sudden rise in rejection letters in the last few days, after three to four months of waiting, has shattered the dreams of many hardworking students who were building their academic careers.

Irregularities cost Turkish students a fortune

Many students incurred significant expenses by renting houses in Italy, anticipating their visas would arrive on time.

Some students from wealthy backgrounds were informed that their financial situations were insufficient to study in Italy. According to regulations, a student must have at least €6,025 ($6,371.78) in their bank account to qualify. However, a student, who had more than €15,000 in their account, was told they did not meet the financial requirement.

The irregularities at the Consulate confused visa companies as well. One visa company, which contacted the Italian Consulate to clarify ambiguous regulations, received no response.

Unverified corruption claims in Italian Consulate

One student reported being approached by an individual who promised to resolve their visa issue one exchange for hundreds of euros. Despite claiming to have a contact within the Consulate and promising a swift solution, the student declined the offer.

This claim has not been verified by Turkiye Today as the student refused to share more information on the issue.