Visa policy of the Schengen Area

Turkey will provide 90 days visa exemption to six Schengen countries, beginning from March 2, on travel for touristic purposes, said a written statement by the Foreign Ministry spokesman on Feb. 20.

EU Visas are now € 80 instead of the previous € 60, European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said.

He described the increase as "moderate". Mamer added that it would allow the necessary resources to be maintained to process applications, as well as to track potential security and illegal migration risks.

The increase is the first of its kind since 2006.

New EU rules on short-stay visas apply worldwide from 2 February 2020. They make it easier for legitimate travellers to apply for a visa to come to Europe, facilitating tourism, trade and business, while providing more resources for countering irregular migration risks and threats to internal security.

Which non-EU countries do the new rules apply to?

An amendment facilitating investments by foreign entrepreneurs from non-EU countries was tabled in parliament on Tuesday.

The amendment is attached to the foreign ministry's draft law entitled "Regulations for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union" and introduces a new type of entry visa, the Airport Transit Visa (ATV).

After long discussions, Mahir and his family agreed to meet up in the Bosnian capital last August.

They chose Sarajevo for its proximity, low prices, big Muslim community and the general similarities between the Turkish and Bosnian ways of life.

The EU Council has announced that it has adopted changes to the Visa Code, which will improve the conditions for legal travelers and increase the opportunities for countering illegal migration, writes BTA. 

Turkey's top priority in its agenda with the European Union is visa liberalization, which will allow Turkish citizens visa-free travel in the Schengen area, said a joint declaration of the sixth meeting of the Reform Action Group.

Cyprus' finance minister says his government is tightening rules for the country's lucrative scheme granting passports to wealthy investors, making it ineligible to anyone who has already been rejected by another European Union country running similar plans.

The European Parliament and the European Council have informally agreed on new rules for issuing short-stay visas to nationals of more than 100 non-EU countries traveling to the EU.         

The European Commission said on Wednesday that programs of some European Union states to sell passports and visas to wealthy foreigners could help organized crime groups infiltrate the bloc and raise the risk of money laundering, corruption and tax evasion.