Investigation into 'bot' scam for Schengen visa appointments: Legal action against 49 suspects in 6 provinces

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that a large-scale investigation is underway regarding allegations of irregularities in the Schengen visa application process, which have recently sparked significant public outcry. It was reported that a decision has been made to initiate legal proceedings against 49 suspects as part of the investigation coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

THEY BLOCKED APPOINTMENTS WITH 'BOT' SOFTWARE

Minister Gürlek stated that the prosecutor's office is focusing on networks that have made it practically impossible for citizens to obtain visa appointments directly through their own means. According to the allegations, the suspects used special software called "bots" to interfere with appointment systems from the outside and collectively seized the limited quotas that were opened. It was stated that a detailed financial audit process covering the period between January 2024 and July 2026 has been initiated to clarify the financial dimension of the incident.

PERSONAL DATA TRANSFERRED WITHOUT CONSENT

According to "strong evidence" in the investigation file, the suspect individuals and institutions demanded exorbitant sums from citizens under the guise of "software," "consultancy," and "service fees" with promises of guaranteed visas or appointments. However, it was determined that no refunds were made to citizens even in cases where the promised services were not fulfilled. Furthermore, it was discovered that sensitive personal data belonging to applicants was illegally transferred to private digital systems. It was announced that the operation was carried out simultaneously at 63 separate addresses identified in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Balıkesir, Bursa, and Izmir.

APPOINTMENT BLACK MARKET FOR 1000 EUROS

The fact that finding a visa appointment has turned into a crisis, especially during the summer months, had previously been voiced at the highest level by representatives of the tourism sector. Firuz Bağlıkaya, President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), pointed out in his warnings on May 29 that appointments that suddenly open in the system at midnight, on holiday mornings, or on Sundays are blocked within seconds via bot software. Bağlıkaya claimed that appointments, which should be accessible under normal conditions, were finding buyers for up to 1,000 euros on the black market in urgent cases. The government had launched an investigation into seven companies at the center of the allegations in June.

TURKEY IS SECOND IN APPLICATIONS

Current Schengen visa statistics published by the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, reveal the intensity of Turkey's demand for travel to Europe. According to official data, Turkey is the second country in the world to make the most Schengen visa applications after China, with 1 million 268 thousand applications made in 2025.

News Source: 12punto