The “visa nightmare” experienced by Turkish citizens seeking to travel to EU countries, the United Kingdom and the United States for tourism or education has now become a challenge for Türkiye's business community.
Businesspeople travelling to these destinations are being forced to pay significantly higher amounts under so‑called “express visa” schemes. As a result, trade fairs, meetings and business opportunities are being missed—at a cost to the Turkish economy.
Even before reaching the visa evaluation stage, securing an appointment has become a major hurdle, pushing applicants to pay extra fees for express processing.
In addition to standard visa fees, applicants must also pay service charges to visa agencies, often stretching their budgets to speed up the process.
For travel to the U.S., the visa fee is $185 (7,572 Turkish Liras), while those seeking expedited service must pay around $400 more.
A U.K. visa costs $180 (about 135 pounds), but obtaining it within one to five days requires an additional payment ranging from 500 to 1,000 pounds, depending on the circumstances.
The cost for a Schengen visa covering EU countries is 90 euros, with express processing available via consultancy firms whose service charges vary widely.
According to Istanbul Chamber of Commerce President Şekib Avdagiç, the visa issue poses a serious obstacle for Istanbul’s business world, which accounts for a significant share of
Türkiye's exports and serves as the nation’s largest gateway to global markets.
“This is the most urgent problem facing our exports. We expect the appointment system to be resolved as soon as possible,” Avdagiç said.
