EU Raises Alarm Over Increasing Schengen Visa Rejections for Turkish Citizens

he European Parliament’s 2024 Türkiye Report highlighted a troubling rise in Schengen visa rejections and capacity challenges, underscoring ongoing inefficiencies in the visa process for Turkish nationals. According to the report, more than 1 million applications were submitted from Türkiye in 2023, yet over 103,000 Turkish citizens sought asylum in the EU after receiving Schengen visas.

While advocating for visa facilitation, the European Parliament (EP) stressed that Türkiye has made no progress on the six remaining criteria required for visa liberalization.

Delays, Rejections, and Growing Public Frustration

The frequency of visa rejections and prolonged wait times has become a public concern in Türkiye. In its latest Türkiye Report, the EP drew attention to both administrative bottlenecks and Türkiye’s stalled position on meeting EU standards for visa-free travel.

EP Rapporteur Nacho Sanchez Amor noted that Turkish citizens are increasingly facing difficulties due to the surge in demand and EU member states’ fears of system abuse. The report urged member states to increase resources and capacities allocated to processing Schengen applications.

Visa Rejection Rates on the Rise

According to EU Migration and Home Affairs Commission data, out of 1,055,885 Schengen visa applications made by Turkish citizens in 2023, 16.1% were rejected—up from 15.7% in 2022. Experts attribute the rise to both technical issues and political distrust.

An EU official told BBC Türkçe that 103,000 Turkish citizens who legally entered the EU with a Schengen visa applied for asylum later. Additionally, a substantial number of Turkish nationals reportedly overstayed their visa duration, further fueling skepticism within EU states.

Visa Liberalization Talks at a Standstill

The report also criticized Türkiye’s lack of advancement in the visa liberalization roadmap, pointing out that no notable steps were taken to meet the remaining six criteria.

The European Parliament reiterated its support for Türkiye’s visa-free travel if the remaining benchmarks are met, stressing that the process is technical, not political.

Unfulfilled Criteria for Visa Liberalization:

1. Reform of anti-terror laws to align with European standards

2. Signing an operational cooperation agreement with Europol

3. Implementation of GRECO’s anti-corruption recommendations

4. Alignment of data protection laws with EU regulations

5. Effective judicial cooperation with EU member states

6. Full implementation of the Readmission Agreement

Until Türkiye addresses these remaining obligations, the Schengen visa exemption process will remain in limbo.

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