New Era for Schengen Visas: EU Commission Eases Rules for Turkish Citizens

Kokcha News Agency: The European Commission has announced a new decision that will make it easier for Turkish citizens to obtain multiple-entry short-term Schengen visas. According to the published document, titled “Adapted Rules for Issuing Multiple-Entry Visas to Turkish Citizens Residing in Turkey and Applying for Short-Term Visas,” the new rules are designed to benefit Turkish citizens who have previously used Schengen visas legally and have a history of regular travel.

The decision is based on an evaluation conducted under the local Schengen cooperation framework in Turkey, which found that the number of “well-intentioned” visa applicants with a history of lawful visa use has been steadily increasing. This group of applicants, unlike first-time applicants, poses a low migration and security risk. As a result, the Commission has decided to apply more favorable rules to these applicants.

Under the new rules, if the entry conditions are met, multiple-entry visas will be issued, with the validity period not exceeding the validity of the travel document. The new rules will apply to Turkish citizens who have previously held Schengen visas, used them in accordance with the rules, and have a regular travel history.

– A 6-month visa will be issued if the application is made within one year of the expiration of the previous visa.
– A 1-year visa will be issued if the application is made within two years of the expiration of a previous 6-month visa.
– A 3-year multiple-entry visa will be issued if the application is made within two years of the expiration of a previous 1-year visa.
– A 5-year multiple-entry visa will be issued if the application is made within two years of the expiration of a previous 3-year visa.

The visa duration will not exceed the passport’s validity, and the visa will expire at least three months before the passport’s expiration date.

Which Countries Are Included?
The new rules apply to the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden.