Civil servant Yahya Bilger, who traveled to Germany with a special-stamped passport, announced that he was denied entry to the country at Frankfurt Airport. Bilger said that border police turned him away with the assessment that he “did not have sufficient financial means for the duration of his trip.”
According to Gazete Pencere, Bilger stated in a video he recorded at the airport that his passport was held by German border police during the processing and that an entry refusal procedure was applied to him. Following the incident, Bilger warned citizens holding green passports to be prepared for border controls.
"DO NOT RELY ON YOUR GREEN PASSPORT"
Bilger said, "Do not rely on your green passport, because I could not enter Germany with my green passport. My green passport is currently with the police. I am at Frankfurt Airport, and these are my documents that are being held. The reason I was not admitted to Germany is that they think I do not have enough money."
According to Bilger's account, he informed border officials that he had relatives living in Germany and would meet his accommodation needs by staying with them. Bilger stated that although the border police spoke with his relatives by phone, the decision did not change.
VISA EXEMPTION IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF ENTRY
The green passport is a type of passport issued to Turkish citizens who meet certain conditions, providing visa exemption for short-term travel to Schengen countries, including Germany. However, this exemption does not mean an unconditional right of entry into the Schengen Area.
In accordance with Schengen border rules, border officials can inspect whether visa-exempt travelers meet entry requirements. In this context, travelers may be asked to explain the purpose of their trip, provide accommodation details, and prove that they have sufficient financial means for the duration of their stay and their return journey.
In the assessment of financial sufficiency, cash, bank accounts, usable credit cards, and, if necessary, documents indicating that expenses will be covered by other persons can be taken into account. Staying with relatives does not, by itself, guarantee admission to the country.
The incident reported by Bilger does not mean that Germany has introduced a new visa requirement for green passport holders. Under current practice, while visa exemption for short-term Schengen travel continues, border authorities may turn away travelers they deem do not meet entry requirements.
News Source: 12punto
