After the crisis between U.S.A. and Turkey resulted in the suspension of visas, Turkish citizens began to look for a way out. Those who have to travel to this country for education, especially those who trade with the U.S.A., and perhaps those who have to travel to this country for treatment, start to seek a solution compulsorily.
The statement about the suspension of visas made at the U.S. embassy was about the process that is not going to be done only from consulates within the borders of Turkey. When this explanation was carefully examined, it was noticed that there was no trouble in applying to the U.S. consulates in our border neighbors. However, this will inevitably bring additional costs on the high visa fees we already pay. However, our citizens who want to travel to the U.S.A. with the condition of necessity will want to try this way in spite of all the difficult conditions.
The nearest border neighbors who have the American Embassies is Athens in Greece and Sofia in Bulgaria. We can not apply for U.S. visa from Iran. It is not wrong to mention that there are also American embassies in the Middle East and Arab countries.
Saygı Öztürk, the Ankara representative of the Sözcü Gazette, noted that other countries could take the same stance as in the mutual suspension of visas between the United States and Turkey.
Öztürk wrote an article entitled as ‘The country to be applied for U.S. visa …’ and put down the following lines:
“Turkish citizens can go to 122 countries if they can get a visa and citizens can enter without a visa to 52 countries. We recently have witnessed some precautions which have been taken for our country from the countries that applied visa to Turkey and our hearts are broken about it. The US’s decision for not to accept visa applications is alarming because it can cause domino influence and some countries who are not friend of us might decide to implement the same attitude towards Turkey.
When the US embassy and consulates started not to accept the visa application, our citizens were also faced with the situation such as going to Bulgaria to do visa application there. Visa applications are not accepted in Iran. Persians come to Turkey for visa application. To solve this problem of the Persians, the visa companies will start to apply visa from Bulgaria.
… The concern of visa companies is the possibility for the increase of the number of countries that will not accept visa applications of Turkish citizens after the US… Canada may come up with such a surprise statement, acting together with the United States. We have so many problems with Germany, too. But where will this end up? However, there is no way for our country to give up on an honorable foreign policy. Other countries need to take responsibility about this problem as Turkey, too.