Italian FM addresses visa delays for Turkish students
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at the election of the President of the European Parliament. (Photo via European Parliament)
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani assured Turkish students aspiring to study in Italy that there are no barriers from the Italian side, despite ongoing delays in visa processing.
Speaking at the launch event for the ninth annual “Week of Italian Cuisine in the World” at the Foreign Ministry in Rome, Tajani addressed journalists’ questions about the issue.
When reminded by an Anadolu Agency reporter about recent protests in Türkiye, where students and their families gathered outside the Italian Consulate in Istanbul over prolonged visa delays — some exceeding five months — Tajani acknowledged the challenges.
“Visa applications take time. We are working to increase the number of staff at our consulates. When there is a high demand for visas, consulates work as much as possible to meet those requests,” Tajani said.
He added that similar issues are not unique to Türkiye, noting, “Many consulates are overwhelmed by visa requests and cannot always respond promptly. But from our perspective, there is absolutely no obstacle for Turkish students who wish to come to Italy to study.”
The remarks follow protests by students who, despite being accepted into Italian universities, have been unable to travel due to visa delays. On November 14, students and their families held a demonstration outside the Italian Consulate in Istanbul to express their frustrations. A similar protest took place today in front of the Italian Consulate in Izmir.
The visa delays have sparked concern among Turkish students seeking higher education in Italy, with some waiting nearly half a year for responses to their applications. Tajani’s comments suggest efforts are underway to address the backlog, but no specific timeline has been provided.
