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Visa nightmares haunt Turkish citizens
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 12:03 pm |
Whether it’s traveling for business, pleasure or a family visit, many Turkish citizens encounter a nightmare when it comes to visa applications. The daily ordeals encountered by Turks in different consulates makes traveling more hassle than it is worth. The following are just a few of the examples of people’s infuriating personal experiences.
‘Are you an author? Well, what’s your occupation then?’
C.Ö. Üster (author, 3
I decided to go to Mexico at the beginning of summer and even found a job to this end. The arrangements were made, the money was earned and finally I called the Mexican Honorary Consulate in Gayrettepe to ask about the requirements. Because I am a self-employed artist, the kind girl on the phone advised me to bring official documents and demonstrate my connection to my country. I did what she said. I applied with an invitation letter, including the personal information of my friend living in Mexico, along with documents for a house registered in my father’s name, car registration documents, bank records and a notarized document stating that my father would cover all the expenses of my travel.
Although the visa should be completed within 15 working days and was apparently verifiable via the Internet, my procedure was delayed an extra 10 working days. I then decided to call them. I called them many times and got the answer, “Honestly, there is no news.” After these trials, I called the consulate in Ankara. Finally, after a delay due to misunderstanding, an officer told me: “Well, your visa is not ready because your application was rejected.” They do not have to give an explanation but due to my calm and friendly tone, I managed to get an explanation. The assets of my father are accepted as guarantee only if I am less than 18 years old. She said I hadn’t even had an occupation at this age. I answered that I was a self-employed artist. She asked, “What is your branch?” I said: “I am an author. Besides, I am a musician and director.”
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I always found it very unfair that some people can travel (almost) anywhere without (a lot of) hassling with visa and that others hardly can get a visa. Though the guy who said he had only 3 kids because he wasn´t counting his daughters doesn´t deserve more than a turn-down!
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 01:41 pm |
For a person like me, this is all known. I had similar experinces sometimes like this. I don´t wanna talk much about ´em.
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 01:46 pm |
For a person like me, this is all known. I had similar experinces sometimes like this. I don´t wanna talk much about ´em.
seems we Turks arent liked much
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 01:48 pm |
seems we Turks arent liked much
I agree its unfair - you have to have a lot of money in your bank account, a good job etc. etc. to get a visa to the UK. I guess you can blame previous abusers of the visa system for that.
Anyway, there is nothing special about the UK anyway - its cold, wet and dull Go to Cuba or South America instead - more fun, less hassle, no visa required and nicer people!
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 01:51 pm |
I agree its unfair - you have to have a lot of money in your bank account, a good job etc. etc. to get a visa to the UK. I guess you can blame previous abusers of the visa system for that.
Anyway, there is nothing special about the UK anyway - its cold, wet and dull Go to Cuba or South America instead - more fun, less hassle, no visa required and nicer people!
Ooops forgot to write this in the second person...
We agree its unfair - you have to have a lot of money in your bank account, a good job etc. etc. to get a visa to the UK. We guess you can blame previous abusers of the visa system for that.
Anyway, there is nothing special about the UK anyway - its cold, wet and dull Go to Cuba or South America instead - more fun, less hassle, no visa required and nicer people!
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 02:05 pm |
I had bad visa experiences, getting a simply vacation visa for my partner and having to hire a lawyer, fill in loads of forms for the appeal (after being denied) and having to wait for months.
I also had the opposite, with a friend who wanted to visit. I think he forged a university paper, that would make him look like a student. And he got the visa in one go. Nice end of the story, after visiting my house for a day he was said to go on and visit other people, which he never reached. He was on the run to dodge his army duty
It is a real gift how the embassies make it hard for the good people, and easy for the bad ones
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 02:12 pm |
after visiting my house for a day he was said to go on and visit other people, which he never reached. He was on the run to dodge his army duty
Good example of WHY it is hard to get a visa!!!!!!!!!! Do people REALLY find it so hard to understand that?
I used to organise traning courses in oil pollution control and we had delegates from all over the world. We would arrange their visitor visas and provide accommodation, catering etc. always taking into consideration culture, religion etc., i.e. no alcohol or certain foods for some. Much of this pre-organisation was completely wasted as most delegates, once setting foot on UK soil, proceeded to spend the entire week drunk.
In addition, delegates from Cameroon and Nigeria disappeared completely and were never heard of again.....
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 02:22 pm |
Ooops forgot to write this in the second person...
We agree its unfair - you have to have a lot of money in your bank account, a good job etc. etc. to get a visa to the UK. We guess you can blame previous abusers of the visa system for that.
Anyway, there is nothing special about the UK anyway - its cold, wet and dull Go to Cuba or South America instead - more fun, less hassle, no visa required and nicer people!
Birdy agrees with WE that is extremely unfair but She disagrees that WE can blame previous abusers of the visa system.She is strongly convinced that British citizens and Parliament are to be blamed due to Commonwealth Immigration act of 1962 as the result of heavy influx of immigrants whom British citizens couldn´t bear.
She also agrees that Cuba is better,hotter and with still alive cult of Che and Buena Vista Social Club
Ps As nonconformist,anti-royalist and rebel Birdy will write in the third singular
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 02:24 pm |
Birdy agrees with WE that is extremely unfair but She disagrees that WE can blame previous abusers of the visa system.She is strongly convinced that British citizens and Parliament are to be blamed due to Commonwealth Immigration act of 1962 as the result of heavy influx of immigrants whom British citizens couldn´t bear.
She also agrees that Cuba is better,hotter and with still alive cult of Che and Buena Vista Social Club
Ps As nonconformist,anti-royalist and rebel Birdy will write in the third singular
TheAenigma agrees with you too - but sees both sides of the argument and likes to play "devil´s advocate".
We also likeBuena Vista Social Club and proudly wear our "che" tshirt
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 02:32 pm |
TheAenigma agrees with you too - but sees both sides of the argument and likes to play "devil´s advocate".
We also likeBuena Vista Social Club and proudly wear our "che" tshirt
Birdy wants to say Hasta Siempre Comandante and wish "We"good Sunday
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 02:36 pm |
Anyway, there is nothing special about the UK anyway - its cold, wet and dull Go to Cuba or South America instead - more fun, less hassle, no visa required and nicer people!
We Turks will take your word
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12. |
13 Dec 2009 Sun 03:00 pm |
Good example of WHY it is hard to get a visa!!!!!!!!!! Do people REALLY find it so hard to understand that?
I used to organise traning courses in oil pollution control and we had delegates from all over the world. We would arrange their visitor visas and provide accommodation, catering etc. always taking into consideration culture, religion etc., i.e. no alcohol or certain foods for some. Much of this pre-organisation was completely wasted as most delegates, once setting foot on UK soil, proceeded to spend the entire week drunk.
In addition, delegates from Cameroon and Nigeria disappeared completely and were never heard of again.....
I know why it´s hard... my so called friend ruined it for my partner. BUT, I think embassies should also keep in mind what is fair.
When my partner was denied for his visa, they said things like "lacking of a bank account"...while we clearly gave them a bank-account paper, with sufficient funding on the account. If my partner hadn´t finished his army duty, I would understand why he was a ´flight risk´...this is why we waited until after the army. And we also added some papers that proved that he took care of his mother, not simply financial but only physically, bringing her to the hospital and signing papers for her, things like this. We brought proof of her hospital files and signed official papers.
I sometimes get the feeling embassies are too busy, and they just say deny to everybody, and every 50th file gets an "accepted" stamp.
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 03:04 pm |
When my partner was denied for his visa, they said things like "lacking of a bank account"...while we clearly gave them a bank-account paper, with sufficient funding on the account. If my partner hadn´t finished his army duty, I would understand why he was a ´flight risk´...this is why we waited until after the army. And we also added some papers that proved that he took care of his mother, not simply financial but only physically, bringing her to the hospital and signing papers for her, things like this. We brought proof of her hospital files and signed official papers.
I wonder why you are using "we" here!!! Did your partner not do this for himself? Why did you have to help him?
To be honest, he would probably have stood a better chance to get a visa without them knowing about you. Unfortunately, the dudus are notorious for trying to get a visa via their european girlfriends. If your partner had not mentioned you and merely said he was visiting your country as a tourist, he would have stood a greater chance
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 03:11 pm |
Because WE are partner´s HE copied his bank account, HE went to the embassy, I told him it might be useful to get his mother´s medical records, so HE went to the doctor. Because of the famous dudu practices people seem to get this jerk-reaction, but it is okay to say WE when you are a loving couple, because if HE is trying to get a visa to visit MY family, this is OUR case
We were in it together. I filled in the forms after the appeal procedure, because I HAD to fill in these forms. This is part of the procedure. And I got him a lawyer because I used the Dutch law in favour of myself for a chance A Dutch lawyer was cheaper then a Turkish lawyer, but the lawyer worked in my partner´s name...
Anyway, don´t freak out when I say we, this is normal, after you are together (back then) for almost 3 years. Don´t call the embassy in fear of dudu practices.
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 03:20 pm |
Because WE are partner´s HE copied his bank account, HE went to the embassy, I told him it might be useful to get his mother´s medical records, so HE went to the doctor. Because of the famous dudu practices people seem to get this jerk-reaction, but it is okay to say WE when you are a loving couple, because if HE is trying to get a visa to visit MY family, this is OUR case
We were in it together. I filled in the forms after the appeal procedure, because I HAD to fill in these forms. This is part of the procedure. And I got him a lawyer because I used the Dutch law in favour of myself for a chance A Dutch lawyer was cheaper then a Turkish lawyer, but the lawyer worked in my partner´s name...
Anyway, don´t freak out when I say we, this is normal, after you are together (back then) for almost 3 years. Don´t call the embassy in fear of dudu practices.
OK OK Calm down
All I am saying is that your partner may have got the visa without your "help".
Of course you are in it together as a couple, but the hard fact is that the visa people assume you are "just another woman being conned" and your help goes against him getting a visa. This is FACT
The fact is :-
Scenario One: He applies for a visa as a tourist wanting to visit. He does not mention YOU. He meets all the bank, military service criteria etc. He books a single room in a hotel in that country for the duration of his visit. He will GET a visa.
Scenario Two: He applies for a visa making it known he has a partner in that country and will be staying with you/your family. You also supply information/are given forms to complete. They are aware that at some point he will probably marry you and wish to move to that country and also they are very aware of the numbers of women conned by Turkish men. He WILL NOT get a visa.
Sad, but true...
Edited (12/13/2009) by TheAenigma
Edited (12/13/2009) by TheAenigma
Edited (12/13/2009) by TheAenigma
Edited (12/13/2009) by TheAenigma
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 08:37 pm |
Well, this is not possible. You have to mention where you are staying. If you are staying at a hotel, you have to show your reservation. He was staying at my house, so why would he pay money for a reservation?
Second, if you are going to stay at somebody´s house, you need an invitation from that person...enter stage left, me!
And thirdly, he didn´t have enough money in his savings account for the minimum requirements, something like 3150 euro (35 euro p/day for 90 days), so that means somebody had to be a guarantee, enter me again.
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 08:46 pm |
Barba, have you ever used www.buitenlandsepartner.nl ? I think they have their own lawyer for cases like this for an amount of I think less than 100 euro. I never had the need to use it myself but I´ve heard from other women - look on www.taliha-turkije-forum.com - several good results. On the latter there is a special sub-forum about MVV and tourist visa.
Edited (12/13/2009) by Trudy
[typo!]
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 10:28 pm |
inequality is for Turkish when they wanna visit or work abroad but when they lıke to visit here no problem
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13 Dec 2009 Sun 10:31 pm |
Barba, have you ever used www.buitenlandsepartner.nl ? I think they have their own lawyer for cases like this for an amount of I think less than 100 euro. I never had the need to use it myself but I´ve heard from other women - look on www.taliha-turkije-forum.com - several good results. On the latter there is a special sub-forum about MVV and tourist visa.
Oh, thanx but we...sorry, I had arranged a lawyer for HIM already. This was a while ago, and he has already been in Holland and returned to Turkey and everything.
The lawyer was cheap, because my TURKISH partner got a subsidie from the DUTCH government for hiring a lawyer, since he didn´t have a lot of income and he qualified for the subsidie because of this. You might ask yourself...why does the Dutch government subsidize a Turkish citizen who needs a lawyer? Well...the rules are strange, and unfair, and sometimes this unfairness works FOR Turkish people
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