Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 20
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
Turkey will start issuing visas to US citizens only in January 2019, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Hakan Cavusoglu said, the country’s media reported Dec. 20.
Cavusoglu noted that this decision was made in response to the US statement on the issuance of visas to Turkish citizens in 2019.
On Dec. 19, the US Embassy in Ankara said in a statement that the issuance of non-immigrant visas to Turkish citizens will be resumed in January 2019.
The US embassy stressed that presently visas to Turkish citizens are issued in a limited quantity. Priority when issuing visas will be given to students, businessmen, and individuals who need to urgently leave for the US for treatment.
On Oct. 8, the US suspended issuance of visas to Turkish citizens due to the arrest of an employee of the US Consulate General in Istanbul. Turkey also suspended the issuance of visas to US citizens.
Turkish authorities, commenting on the arrest of the Consulate General’s employee, noted that he had links with the movement of Fethullah Gulen.
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