No halt in EU visas for Turks: Foreign Ministry source

By Meltem Bulur

ANKARA (AA) - A source at the Turkish Foreign Ministry has denied claims made on social media that European countries have stopped issuing visas to Turkish citizens.

Some social media users in Turkey claimed that Hungary, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and France have stopped issuing visas to Turkish citizens after a visa row between Turkey and the U.S., the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

The source said the ministry had contacted the European Union delegation in Turkey, as well as embassies of Hungary, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and France on the issue.

The respective authorities denied any halt on issuing visas to Turkish citizens and said the procedure continues as usual, the source added.

The Turkey-U.S. visa row was sparked on Oct. 8, when the U.S. Embassy in Ankara announced the suspension of non-immigrant visa services to Turkish nationals, following the arrest of a local employee at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, prompting a tit-for-tat response from Ankara.