A day after criticizing Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu out in the European Union countries and the United States over After visa delays, Washington promised to expand its visa processing capacity in Country, moving To defuse a conflict that threatened further tension already Difficult relations between NATO allies.
Applicants for a US visa in It was Turkey facing massive delays, with wait times for Appointment Extension up to 15 months. It’s part of a global bottleneck in US visa services halted after Washington halted nearly all visa processing operations worldwide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday accused the United States and also some European countries of deliberately drawing out The visa application process, describing it as an attempt to embarrass the ruling Justice and Development Party in the future of elections in Turkey next year.
The US State Department indicated that Washington did not do so want The issue to escalate. We have no desire for This is to be a nuisance in Our bilateral relationship “Ministry of Foreign Affairs official He said in Email response to Reuters questions. with the opening of a new US Embassy Complex in Ankara, Washington will resume routine non-immigrant visa appointments there official added. “Turkey’s mission is working very well hard To overcome the delay, we are very pleased that the US Embassy complex is newly completed in Ankara will enable us To expand our capacity to process visas” official He said.
Bilateral relations are strained in Last few years over a range of Including Turkish issues decision to me buy Russian missile defense systems. with war in Ukraine and Washington have grown more concerned About Ankara Relations with Moscow warned of The involvement of Turkish companies in Western sanctions against Russia. in his comments on Tuesday, Çavuşoğlu suggested delaying in The issuance of visas to Turks was politically motivated. “We see that they are doing it on purpose. That is how our people See him too. We consider this as steps Taken to put AK government in He told Turkey’s Haber Global TV, “A difficult situation before the elections. I don’t think in corona virus disease, personnel Excuses… if they are wanted l, they can solve “It’s very easy,” Cavusoglu said.
In response to a question about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs comments official He said, “We accept the expression of Foreign Minister Cavusoglu of worry that this is issue of frustration for Turkish “.
Çavuşoğlu hinted at these countermeasures against western countries can be applied soon If the visa issue remains Unresolved. “At first of Our September colleagues will call ambassadors of This is western countries For the Ministry, they will issue the necessary warnings. If it doesn’t get better after that, we’ll do it also Take countermeasures and restrictive measures minister Visa lifted issue with Minister of the United States of Anthony Blinken’s country in mayo in New York. Discuss this issue again By phone this month.
before the epidemic in 2019, the United States released more Over 85,000 non-immigrant visas in Turkish but this number has decreased to below 20000 in 2021. United States official He said wait times may be decrease with Planned addition of new processing capacity. “Forerunners” should Our watch website to me view current Waiting for visa times … those with Existing appointments may be rescheduled through website If an earlier appointment is available. “
