Turkish Nationals One Step Closer to Visa-Free Travel in the Schengen Area
Jackie Reddy May 05, 2016
[Correction 5/6: The article title “Turkish Nationals One Step Closer to Visa-Free Travel in the EU” has been updated to “Schengen Area”.]
The subject of visa-waivers for Turkish citizens was raised again this week. The implications for travelers are obvious, but Turkey’s government has a way to go to meet EU concessions.
On Wednesday, officials within the European Union (EU) once again broached the subject of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens within the 28-nation bloc. This follows on from an agreement reached in March, in which the EU promised to introduce a visa waiver program for Turkish nationals by the end of June.
For Turkish citizens traveling to Europe, and through the border-free nations that form the EU’s Schengen Area in particular, the appeal of a possible visa-waiver program is obvious. Should approval go ahead, all Turkish travelers would need to gain entry to an EU country would be a biometric passport containing their unique fingerprint and facial data.
Turkey, however, won’t begin to produce these kinds of passports until next month.
Of course, visa-free travel would also be a real boon to the country’s government, which sees the potential approval as a positive step, a tangible move toward membership of the EU.
But before Turkey’s citizens can travel freely within Europe, the Turkish government has some considerable hurdles to clear.
Turkey is of course at the forefront of Europe’s on-going migrant crisis. This turmoil has very much affected the tone of negotiations and while the accord in March has helped to stem the flow of people from Turkey to Greece, there are still concessions to make before visa-free travel can be granted.
The country must meet 70 requirements set out by the EU before its citizens can qualify for visa-free travel. While it still has five requirements left to fulfill, the EU has expressed its concerns over the country’s human rights record.
However, Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, is hopeful. The New York Times quoted him as saying on Wednesday that, “There is still work to be done as a matter of urgency, but if Turkey sustains the progress made, they can meet the remaining benchmarks.”
[Photo: Getty Images]
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Still incorrect. All EU countries with the exception of the UK and the RoI and the Schengen associated countries. It will (if it ever becomes reality what I don't hope) not be restricted to the EU Schengen countries.
@Irishguy28, Partly wrong! Switzerland is since a while into Schengen.
The title is incorrect; the deal would allow visa-free travel to the Schengen Area, not to the EU. Schengen covers all EU states except the UK and Ireland, plus Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. "Visa-free travel will apply to all EU Member States except for Ireland and the UK, and to the four Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland)." http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-1622_en.htm
This only applies to travel to & within the Shengen Area & will not lead to visa free travel to those countries within the EU that are not part of the Shengen Group.
Is this going to work both ways? or do we still have to queue for hours to pay $20