Schengen visa problems due to staff shortage: EU

Güven Özalp- ANKARA

The EU Commission has emphasized that the Schengen visa issues faced by Turkish citizens are not related to an attitude towards Türkiye but rather attributed to staff shortages in consulates.

The recent problems regarding Schengen visas have raised allegations that the European Union has ceased granting visas to Turkish citizens and that some applications are being rejected due to a special attitude toward Türkiye.

On the other hand, Brussels acknowledged delays in Schengen visas, but it attributed the problem to various factors, including the rising demand.

Reminding that the evaluation and issuance of Schengen visas are the responsibility of member states on an individual basis, the commission stressed that the problem is not specific to Türkiye.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions and the subsequent decline in demand have led to operational constraints and disruptions in almost all consulates, according to the EU Commission.

Now, with demand increasing again, this situation affects visa procedures. “This is not an isolated issue pertaining solely to Türkiye,” the commission said in a written statement.

Noting that the matter has been extensively discussed with member states since the pandemic, the EU Commission stated that consulates must comply with regulations and make every effort to restore their capacities.

The commission also emphasizes the crucial importance of submitting applications correctly and in a timely manner.

Commission officials and diplomatic sources insisted that the suspension of visa granting to Turkish citizens or the rejection of applications in line with a pre-determined attitude is not the case.

On the other hand, there has been a significant increase in rejected applications due to reasons such as the travel purpose being deemed unconvincing, doubts about the applicant’s return to Türkiye, and incomplete or incorrect documentation.

In 2021, during the ongoing pandemic, Türkiye made 271,977 applications for Schengen visas. Of these applications, 16.9 percent were rejected.

The global average rejection rate was 13.4 percent.

Last year, there was a surge in applications from Türkiye, reaching a total of 778,409, out of which 15.7 percent were rejected.