Kemal Bozai: In 2024, Schengen visas will be issued faster

Mehmet Kemal Bozai, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of European Union Affairs, said that visa applications will be submitted faster in 2024, which will shorten the time for obtaining Schengen visas for Turkish citizens. Bozai said, "Some progress has already been made. For example, if it used to take 3-4 weeks, now in many places the application and appointment process has been reduced to 2 weeks."

Bozay said that the Joint Statement on Turkey-EU Relations, prepared by the EU Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel, will be an important first step in bilateral relations: "The early implementation of the recommendations contained in the Borrell report will be an important first step in relations between Turkey and the EU. We expect all EU institutions to act quickly and take concrete steps in this direction."

Bozai noted that bilateral and multi-level negotiations were conducted both with the EU and with EU member states in order to move to a simplified visa system for businessmen, scientists, students, artists and media representatives.