[74109] The European Visa Crisis: A surge in demand alongside blockages and illegal trade in appointments

The European Visa Crisis: A surge in demand alongside blockages and illegal trade in appointments

European Union data for 2025 indicates record demand from Turkish citizens for Schengen visas. According to Son Dakika Haberler Gündem, approximately 1,268,376 applications were submitted during the year, of which 1,072,054 were approved. The refusal rate stands at about 14.6%, with approximately 736,556 of the visas issued being of the multiple-entry type (according to official data).

Alongside the dry statistics, a worrying picture emerges of growing difficulty in obtaining appointments. Sputnik Türkiye reports that the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) warns that "limited randevular (appointments) are being blocked by bot accounts."

According to TÜRSAB, this is an organized phenomenon where appointment slots are opened at unusual hours — such as "in the middle of the night, on a holiday morning, or on a Sunday" — and are sold illegally at prices ranging from 300 to 1,000 Euros in urgent cases (according to Sputnik Türkiye). The association claims that the lack of access to Italian and French visas is evidence that the system has failed and is leaving citizens outside the cycle of opportunities.

While official sources present quantitative data, travel agencies highlight the structural side of the crisis, arguing that the expectation for an increase in visa quotas has not only failed to materialize, but the current situation constitutes a significant de facto reduction in travel rights.