Campaign for reducing Visa Fee

[Turktaz]

Hi
I have just read through the numerous comments about the change in tourist visas. As chairman of the Ovacik residents association with my former chairman colleague we put a petition to the Turkish Authorities about 4 years ago to reduce the fees or to make no fee if resident over 5 years. Many of you may have signed our petition. It also asked for the process to be simplified. Now 4 years later we have enabled visa renewal in Fethiye (not Mugla as in the past) but at more than twice the cost. It is therfore not surprising that many Brits felt that using the Tourist Visa process was the way forward. Many of us just want to live here in our retirement and continue to contribute to the Turkish economy there our living here every day!

In the light of these new changes surely we should not be comparing Council Tax costs, Uk living costs or anything else. We should be lobbying for equal treatment to other EUROPEAN countries such as Germany and either not have to pay for a residency visa or at least pay no more than the Tourist visa cost.

Also what changes if any have been made for Turkish Citizens who visit the UK and who become residents? Surely as we are supposed to have a reciprocal agreement between Turkey and the UK the same rules and costs should apply to each others citizens.

Your comments are welcome! maybe we can start a new campaign.

[c1]

good points raised Turktas, interesting that Turks in the past who worked in Germany only had guest worker visas and not the right to live after they nolonger worked I think thats right.
Also of note the Brits are the supporting Turkish EU membership.

[stuart]

i dont think your past petetion had any effect at all. and i dont think you can claim to have enabled visa renewal in fethiye as you say, this was done as part of government decentralization policy as was the change of citizenship exams to be autherized and regulated in mugla not as before in ankara.
you do need to do your homework and find out exctly what changes have been made as you ask before complaining about it.
having said all that i do admire you at least you are getting up off ur ass and trying to do something about it.
i personally think the way to go about it is not to send petitions to the turkish government,
but find the people who are still registered on the british electoral role (and there are many here) get them to write to there mp in the uk and complain. they have a duty to respond and get through to the government departments that have the power to negiotiate and do something about it.
this kind of thing is a very hot issue in the uk government..what was it they said preelection? all about fairness!
right am off my soap box and going for a beer....cheers!

[busybee]

I think once we have got the dolphins sorted out we should hold a peace protest and all join hands round the British Consulate in Fethiye

[Diverbaz 1]

What like a seance, is there anybody there:D

[Scunner]

Maybe we could link hands around the Efes warehouse too?

[Ovacikpeedoff]

Tony correct me if I am wrong but was the response basically from the Turkish ministry along the lines of that you have had your say and that they will not entertain any more correspondence on the matter.

The reason given for the high fee was a tit for tat with the fees that the UK charges Turks.

[BM06]

https://www.visainfoservices.com/Pages/Content.aspx?Tag=VisaFees_PAGE can not see that being the case Turkish fees are half the price?

[Ovacikpeedoff]

I was at the Ovacik residents meeting where this was discussed. It is not whether there is a case or not.

[BM06]

But its not the tit for tat case, as you can see buy the link above the 2010 fees for turks are a lot cheaper than the 2010 residency fees for UK passport holders.