EU visa move: Schengen facilitation is coming

Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat shared an important development regarding the Schengen visa process for Turkish citizens with the public. He announced that the European Commission (EC) officially prepared a document to facilitate and accelerate the visa application process for Turkish citizens and sent it to member states as of July 17, 2025.

Bolat stated that under this new document, citizens of the Republic of Turkey applying for a Schengen visa will be able to receive longer-term and multiple-entry visas on a gradual basis.

GRADUAL TRANSITION: MULTIPLE-ENTRY VISAS FROM 6 MONTHS UP TO 5 YEARS

In line with the new regulation, a person applying for a Schengen visa for the first time will be able to receive a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 6 months if they receive the visa and use it without any issues. In subsequent applications, this period will be able to be extended to 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and finally up to 5 years, respectively.

This system aims to both reduce the bureaucratic difficulties experienced during the application process and pave the way for citizens who travel frequently for reasons such as business, tourism, education, and family visits.

In recent years, the inability to find appointments, long waiting times, and the increase in visa rejection rates for Turkish citizens in Schengen visa applications had drawn public reaction.