Living ‘Terminal’ life: Scholar lives at Istanbul Airport for 2 months
Shiva Kaviani, an Iranian scholar, decides to stay at Istanbul Airport for two months after being denied a visa by Canada
Shiva Kaviani, an Iranian academic, has been living at Istanbul Airport for approximately two months, in a situation reminiscent of the movie “The Terminal.”
After her residence permit expired in Toronto, Canada, Kaviani returned to Iran, only to face rejection in her visa application to Canada.
Upon visa rejection, Kaviani entered Türkiye through the Gürbulak Border Gate and proceeded to Ankara in hopes of obtaining a visa. However, her application faced another denial, leaving her with no choice but to return to Istanbul Airport.
Kaviani spends her days in the transit areas of the airport, surrounded by her luggage, navigating the challenges of living at the airport.
Despite the assistance from airport staff, she struggled with basic needs, especially due to her vegetarian diet, and lack of access to adequate facilities for personal care.
Highlighting the severity of her situation, Kaviani said: “I have difficulty feeding myself here because I am vegetarian,” emphasizing the challenges she faces in maintaining her dietary preferences in an airport environment.
Her ordeal has drawn comparisons to “The Terminal,” a film inspired by the real-life story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Like the film’s protagonist, Kaviani finds herself in a complicated web of international bureaucracy.
Resisting media attention, Kaviani declined interviews and expressed her discomfort with being photographed.
With growing concerns for her well-being, authorities are reportedly planning to move her to an appropriate location.
Source: Newsroom
