US State Dept: Visas in Turkey to be scheduled in limited manner

Both Turkey and the US have taken positive steps towards resolving the visa crisis, and a limited number of visa appointments for Turkish citizens are being scheduled in the order of importance, the US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press conference Tuesday.

The US embassy in Ankara said on October 8 that all non-immigrant visa services in its diplomatic facilities in Turkey were suspended after the arrest of one of its employees over the Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) ties.

Hours after the US decision, Turkey said it was also halting visa applications from the US. The move, announced online by the Turkish embassy in Washington, applies to visas in passports, electronic visas and visas at the borders.

Metin Topuz, the Turkish employee in question, was working in the US Consulate in Istanbul and arrested on charges of espionage and over his links to FETO, the group blamed for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt that killed 249 people in Turkey.

Turkish authorities issued an arrest warrant on October 9 for another personnel working for the US Consulate in Istanbul, whose wife and son were then interrogated by the police.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that the suspect, identified by his initials N.M.C. and who does not hold diplomatic immunity, was called for testimony.