Bad news for visa agencies! Visas will now be obtained from this institution!

Visa procedures will now be carried out by the Foundation for Strengthening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ensuring that the majority of visa revenues remain with the state. Citizens previously applied to intermediary companies for visa procedures. 

The proposal for the establishment of the Foundation for Strengthening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was accepted by the TBMM Planning and Budget Committee, stipulates that the foundation will also undertake visa intermediary services.

Visa procedures required for travel abroad from Turkey have long been carried out by intermediary companies. With the proposal from the AKP, the procedures will now also be performed by the Foundation for Strengthening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the majority of visa revenues will remain with the state.

1.1 BILLION LIRA WILL REMAIN IN THE TREASURY

The proposal for the establishment of the Foundation for Strengthening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was accepted by the TBMM Planning and Budget Committee, stipulates that the foundation will also undertake visa intermediary services. Providing information about the proposal during the committee discussions, AKP Balıkesir Deputy Mustafa Canbey stated that 1.1 billion lira was transferred to the budget in 2023 due to visa activities carried out by intermediary firms.

Stating that this figure represents 20 percent of the visa revenues obtained by intermediary companies, Canbey said that 80 percent of the revenue remained with the intermediary companies. According to calculations, the annual revenue of visa intermediary companies in 2023 was 5.5 billion lira. Of this figure, 1.1 billion lira was transferred to the treasury, while 4.4 billion lira remained with the companies.

12 DIFFERENT COMPANIES PROVIDE SERVICE

During the committee discussions, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yasin Ekrem Serim also provided information regarding visa intermediary activities. Serim said, “As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we receive visa intermediary services from 12 different companies in 58 countries. These are local or qualified companies in this business, depending on the geography. They are usually Turkish companies. Foreign missions in Turkey also receive services from them. The reason is this: Because there is a very large number of applications and documents in visa applications, this visa intermediary service is received for their classification and processing.”

Serim noted that the new proposal envisions visa intermediary services also being provided by the foundation.

"THE MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INCOME"

AK Party Uşak Deputy İsmail Güneş also reminded that the foundation would generate income from donations and aid as well as visa procedures, stating, “The most important source of income will be visa procedures. The foundation will also be able to establish a company and perform visa procedures and generate income.”