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The European Commission has launched a new set of Schengen visa rules for Turkish citizens who have previously traveled to the Schengen area and followed the visa regulations.
The new system allows multi-entry visas with longer validity periods, starting from six months and extending to five years, depending on the applicant’s visa history.
Trade Minister Omer Bolat confirmed the new changes on Friday.
“For those who received their first visa, the second application will allow for a visa of up to six months, and then gradually one year, two years, three years, and up to five years,” he said.
Bolat added that the European Commission had sent an official document to member states outlining the details of the updated process.
The decision came into effect after the European Commission approved the new system on July 15. The change applies only to Turkish citizens who live in Türkiye and apply for short-term visas at EU member state consulates in Türkiye.
According to the European Commission’s official document titled "Adapted rules on the issuing of multiple-entry visas to Turkish nationals residing in Türkiye and applying in Türkiye for short-stay visa", the system applies to applicants with a clean visa history and no security concerns.
Authorities will determine visa validity based on previous visa use and the timing of the new application:
The visa’s expiration date must fall at least three months before the passport’s expiry date. In no case can the visa outlast the validity of the travel document.
The new rules only apply to people who have followed previous visa conditions properly. First-time applicants and truck drivers applying for professional purposes remain excluded.
The commission said that local evaluations under the Schengen cooperation in Türkiye showed a rising number of applicants who used their earlier visas legally. It also noted that this group poses a lower migration and security risk than first-time applicants.
The multi-entry visas issued under this system are valid across the Schengen area.
Turkish citizens will be able to travel to the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Greek Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden.
Letonya (Latvia) is also included in the latest list of countries participating in the new visa regulation.
Ireland is not affected by this decision, as it is not part of the Schengen area. Denmark is a Schengen country but holds a special protocol that allows it to apply the rule only at the national level if it chooses to adopt the changes.
In addition to making travel easier for compliant Turkish citizens, the commission said the change will also help EU countries focus their consular resources on high-risk applications.
The gradual extension system is expected to reduce pressure on visa processing centers and support efficiency.
Minister Bolat stressed that this is the first time Turkish citizens are seeing this level of visa facilitation for long-term and multiple-entry Schengen visas. He said, “The EU Commission has now created a new document focused on visa simplification and faster processing, and sent it to member states.”
Officials said the new policy will benefit travelers who have demonstrated responsibility in past visits. It also marks a step toward resolving long-standing complaints from Turkish applicants about the complexity and slow pace of Schengen visa procedures.
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