Did Italy cancel visa appointments for 5,000 Turks? Official statement released
The Presidency's Directorate of Communications has responded to claims that Italy canceled visa appointments for 5,000 Turkish citizens. The statement reported that some appointments were canceled as a precautionary measure due to a technical malfunction.
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News regarding visa appointments and the increasing difficulty of obtaining visas frequently intensifies. Both the congestion in visa appointments and high rejection rates pose a significant obstacle for those dreaming of traveling abroad.
In recent days, reports claiming that 'Italy has canceled visa appointments for 5,000 Turks' have spread rapidly on social media. This caused alarm, especially among those who already have visa appointments or are planning to obtain one. An official statement was awaited.
DID ITALY CANCEL VISA APPOINTMENTS?
That statement was issued by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM).
The announcement stated, "The Consulate General of Italy in Istanbul has announced that a technical malfunction occurred in the visa appointment system, and in this context, the authorized institution has canceled some appointments as a precautionary measure."
WHY DID ITALY CANCEL VISA APPOINTMENTS?
The Presidency's Directorate of Communications Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) reported that the claims stating, "Erdoğan requested visa facilitation, Italy canceled visa appointments for 5,000 Turks" are a manipulation.
A statement was made on the DMM's social media account regarding the claim, which appeared in some media outlets and was shared on social media accounts, that "Erdoğan requested visa facilitation, Italy canceled visa appointments for 5,000 Turks."
The statement, which noted that the claims are a manipulation, recorded the following:
"The Consulate General of Italy in Istanbul has announced that a technical malfunction occurred in the visa appointment system, and in this context, the authorized institution has canceled some appointments as a precautionary measure. Contrary to what is alleged, the cancellation of visa applications has no connection to the statements made by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during his visit to Italy."