docbert

A warning to any US citizens headed to Turkey in the near future...

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41547502

Turkey and the US have both stopped issuing visas to each others citizens. This includes e-visas and visa-on-arrivals that US citizens usually require to enter the country, which basically means that US citizens can no longer enter Turkey unless they have an existing, unexpired (e-)visa!

Given no visa is required for international transit (on the same ticket, at least) anyone simply connecting on TK in IST should be fine, but otherwise...

This also impacts Turkish citizens, but with a little less impact as viasa are required in advance so it's not a matter of finding out on arrival at the airport.

Depending on how long this lasts it'll be interesting to see what impact it has on TK's operations, and how long until we start seeing flights canceled as a result.

leftyboarder

Not 100% true as you can still get a visa at the consulate. How successful you might be at that is a different question but that alley is left open.

docbert

Not according to the article. "effective immediately we have suspended all visa services regarding the US citizens at our diplomatic and consular missions in the US."

tlott

Would be nice to see some confirmation that existing e visas are still valid...

MSPeconomist

There are a lot of Turkish graduate students and scientists/engineers in the USA. If they can no longer get visas, it will be a big mess, although they would generally be in the USA right now, so the constraint is basically that they cannot go home and be assured of being able to re-enter easily (unsure how unexpired multiple entry visas will be treated as this continues), nor can new students and technical professionals count on being able to get visas for study and work.

craigthemif

This looks more like a short-term tit-for-tat spat than anything long-term.

But definitely an issue since quite a few flights from Europe to the US via IST require an overnight stop in a hotel.

leftyboarder

Then Turkish MFA should update the e-visa website, which says US citizens can go to a consulate to apply.

So far, it seems there is no problem with existing Turkish visa holders. As US issues Turkish citizens long-term (10 year valid) multiple entry visas, this should be ok for most existing visa holders.

SKOOBDO

And the US State Department's site hasn't been corrected either. Also, the basic visa granted to US citizens allow them multiple entries. Very curious about travelers who left and plan to return to as visitors/tourists.

I signed up for travel alerts through the state department STEP program for Turkey and a bunch of other countries and haven't heard anything about this through the alert system. Just on Twitter and I'm in Turkey right now. So, it pays to keep abreast of things on your own while traveling.....cause ya never know.

On edit:. I just now received a message from the US Embassy in Turkey:
https://tr.usembassy.gov/message-u-s...ctober-8-2017/

SKOOBDO

Official announcement from Turkish Airlines:

http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...turkey-flights

If the above link doesn't work try this one:
http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...turkey-flights

GUWonder

The excuse for the US to do this (and which caused Turkey to reciprocate/retaliate): Turkey exercising jurisdiction over a Turkish citizen in Turkey, a Turk who happens to work for the US Consulate in Istanbul (not the US embassy in Ankara).

For Turkish students/researchers in the US, their Turkish student/research visas that are multiple-entry and unexpired can continue to be used by to return to the US. The problem is that those Turkish citizens in Turkey needing new US visas can't get them in Turkey.

MSPeconomist

So far, but the next step could be to decide to cancel existing visas. In the meantime, it could be risky for those holding such visas to leave the USA, including for business travel or to visit sick/elderly relatives. At the least, it adds a layer of anxiety for those who could be affected.

GUWonder

That's nowhere close to being the next step on any massive scale. I know scare-mongering has a home on FT too, but seriously that's nowhere close to being the next step.

SKOOBDO

So far US citizens are being accepted into Turkey on pre-approved Visas. So everything is ok right now.

DesertNomad

This from Trip Advisor:

I’m in Lisbon and was supposed to be going to Istanbul today. Per the airline, Americans will not be let in after 10 PM tonight. Our flight lands at 10:25 so the airline is rebooking us to return to the US. We had visas so it doesn’t appear to matter if you have a visa.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...ns-Turkey.html

SKOOBDO

From another TripAdvisor thread:
"Just entered the country with an American passport a few hours ago without incident. Immigration officer only looked at the evisa that I was granted a couple of weeks ago, didn't remark about the situation."

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...-Istanbul.html