The Turkish Ministry of Finance is now having to re - budget following the loss of millions of TL income now that the new Visa rules have been withdrawn.
It will no longer benefit from the massive rise in income from the " Visa - hoppers" having to obtain the expensive Residence Permits.
The men at the Ministry have come out with a cunning plan to recoup their losses.
There will be a new Status called the "Exemption From Extra Surcharge"
Those qualifying for this status will be:
1. Turkish Nationals who carry their ID at all times.
2. Non - nationals with Residence Permits who carry them at all times.
3. All genuine tourists who carry their Passports and their official Flight Itineraries at all times.
Not granted this status will be any persons who are unable or unwilling to produce their passports, and any persons whose passports show any evidence of Visa - hopping activity.
Those in the Not-Granted "Exemption From Extra Surcharge" category will be required to pay an extra 2 TL every time they purchase an EFES. This 2TL goes direct to the Government.
The Finance Ministry calculate that after one year of this extra income they will be able to halve the Residence Permit fees and still be quids (sorry , typo: should read "TL") in.