Latest Updates on visa-free travel to EU (Schengen Zone) for Turkish Citizens
What is Schengen and Schengen Visa?
Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985 in Schengen, Luxembourg. Schengen refers to the EU passport-free travel zone, which covers 26 European countries such as Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. It is the largest visa-free travel district in the world. While Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, which are not members of the EU, are also in the Schengen Area.
Schengen visa is a short-term visa that allows travelers to any of the member states of the Schengen Area to stay for up to 90 days per trip within the purpose of tourism or business.
The Schengen visa is the most common visa in Europe. Schengen Visa Holders can travel freely within any countries in Schengen Area and return from any of the Schengen member countries.
Turkey and EU Relations regarding Visa Liberalisation
Turkey has been in a negotiation process to enter into European Union for many years. One of the remarkable events in this process is Syrian Refugee Crisis. Along with Refugee Crisis broke out in 2013, the refugees started to escape from the civil war in Syria and tried to cross the borders of EU Countries illegally. Thereupon, EU and Turkey launched a Visa Liberalisation Dialogue on condition that Turkey shall stem the flow of Syrian refugees into Europe, in parallel with the signature of the EU Turkey Readmission Agreement on 16 December 2013. The main objective of EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement is to establish effective and swift procedures for the identification and safe and orderly return of persons who do not or who no longer fulfill the conditions for entry to, presence in, or residence on the territories of Turkey or one of the Member States of the Union.
One of the articles of the agreement is granting visa liberalization to Turkish Citizens when they travel to EU. Accordingly, the citizens of the Republic of Turkey would have visa-free travel opportunity for 90 days in a 180-day period. In accordance with the agreement, there are 72 requirements that Turkey shall meet to benefit from Visa Liberalisation. From that time, Turkey has fulfilled most of its conditions and also stem the flow of Syrian refugees into Europe.
According to EU Summit Final Declaration dated 22nd March 2021:
“The EU-Turkey Statement envisages the acceleration of the fulfilment of the Roadmap with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish citizens at the latest by the end of June 2016, provided of course that all benchmarks have been met by Turkey.
Increasing people-to-people contacts is a further confidence-building measure. The Commission intends to continue facilitating Turkey’s participation in the next generation of EU programmes, such as Erasmus+, Horizon Europe etc. under the new Multi-annual Financial Framework. The Commission remains ready to advise Turkey on the specifics of the outstanding benchmarks defined in the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap.
Since last December, Turkey has shown a calmer, more constructive attitude on various issues, including in its bilateral relations with several EU Member States. These are positive and welcome steps forward. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accentuated the mutual benefits of a cooperative relationship.”*
At EU Summit held on 22nd March 2021, it was underlined that the steps to be taken by Turkey in the next 3 months will be evaluated and more detailed and substantial decisions will be announced at EU Summit to be held in July, 2021.
According to current situation, Turkey and EU need each other and their relations have been progressing in a good way. It should be emphasized that visa-free travel opportunities will be provided to Turkish Citizens once all of the conditions of the Readmission Agreement are fulfilled.
*Source: https://ec.europa.eu/