29.05.2026 16:00
TÜRSAB Chairman Firuz Bağlıkaya stated that the biggest problem for Turkish citizens seeking Schengen visas is no longer rejection, but the inability to find appointments. Claiming that the limited number of available appointments are taken by bot accounts, Bağlıkaya noted that these appointments are later sold at prices ranging from 300 to 1000 euros and called on authorities to intervene.
The President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), Firuz Bağlıkaya, stated that due to current practices in Schengen visa applications, Turkish citizens are excluded from the system even before they can apply, and the limited number of appointments opened are blocked by bot accounts.
TURKEY IS THE 2ND COUNTRY WITH THE MOST SCHENGEN APPLICATIONS
According to a statement from TÜRSAB, the European Commission published Schengen visa statistics for 2025. Accordingly, the number of visa applications to Schengen area countries reached 11,934,106, while the visa rejection rate was 14.8 percent.
Turkey became the second country with the most Schengen visa applications after China with 1,268,376 applications, while the rejection rate was 14.6 percent.
INCREASE IN VISA APPOINTMENTS, DECLINE IN APPLICATION NUMBERS
TÜRSAB President Firuz Bağlıkaya, whose views were included in the statement, noted that in 2025, there was an 8 percent increase in visa appointments from Turkey to the Schengen area, but despite this rise, there was a decline in the number of visa applications to countries such as Italy and France, where travel agencies organize intensive tour programs.
Drawing attention to the European Commission data that the number of citizens who could apply for a visa to Italy in 2025 decreased by 32.3 percent compared to the previous year, Bağlıkaya stated that the number of applications to France also declined by nearly 6 percent.
THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO CANNOT FIND AN APPOINTMENT IS UNKNOWN
Bağlıkaya pointed out that the published data includes only the number of those who managed to get an appointment, while the number of those who could not find one is unknown, adding, "However, the decrease compared to the previous year alone gives us a significant idea about the number of our citizens who cannot find an appointment. While we expected visa quotas to be increased, it appears they have been further reduced."
Emphasizing that Italy and France hold an important place in tour programs, Bağlıkaya stressed that the decline in visa quotas has caused a significant drop in the business volume of travel agencies.
"BEING SOLD FOR UP TO 1000 EUROS"
Bağlıkaya stated that the problems with visa appointments bring along many different issues and noted the following:
"The European Commission data has proven us right. The number of our citizens who could apply for a visa to Italy decreased by 32.3 percent. The number of applications to France also declined by nearly 6 percent. These decreases are the clearest indicator that our citizens cannot find visa appointments. Due to current practices, our citizens are excluded from the system even before they can apply for a visa. The limited number of appointments opened at untimely hours are blocked by bots. Appointments are opened at midnight, on the morning of religious holidays, or on Sundays. Afterwards, these appointments are sold for prices ranging from 300, 500, and even up to 1000 euros in urgent cases. This situation must be stopped."