Germany probes visa fraud amid Schengen appointment delays for Turkish applicants

Amid concerns about lengthy waits for Schengen visa appointments from Turkish applicants, claims have emerged suggesting that Germany’s diplomatic missions, under directives from the Federal Foreign Office, may have accepted fraudulent documents to grant visas to individuals from Afghanistan, Syria and Türkiye.

According to reports, the weekly publication Focus, based in Germany, has prompted prosecutors in Berlin and Cottbus to investigate who within the Federal Foreign Office authorized these instructions to German embassies and consulates in the affected countries.

The probe also extends to accusations that people from Pakistan and certain African nations used similar tactics to secure visas.

Expanded scope of investigations

A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson defended the visa issuance process, asserting that all procedures adhere to established laws and regulations.

While acknowledging the allegations of “improper visas with fraudulent documents,” the spokesperson pointed out that the investigations are currently limited to 19 cases.

Nevertheless, the investigations by Berlin and Cottbus prosecutors encompass a considerably larger scope of visa applications.

The report revisits the 2021 scenario when Germany evacuated Afghan staff and their families from its missions in Afghanistan without visas or passports following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.

Turkish applicants face appointment challenges

On the other hand, it was recently mentioned that Turkish citizens could not make an appointment to apply for a Schengen visa.

So much so that it was reported that appointments fell on the black market.

This situation negatively affected many people, especially students. In addition, there has been a significant increase in the rejection rate of applications from Türkiye since 2017.