By Chris Evans
The long-term visit visa and permanent residency in Turkiye has been the hot topic of conversation since changes were mooted in February. Voices has covered every twist and turn extensively, often being the first to bring you news.
The situation has caused a lot of heartache and stress for many expats. Sadly, as the closure of Didim, Bodrum, and other immigration offices over the past few weeks has shown, we seem further away from a resolution and clarity than ever before, although things seem to change on a daily basis.
We owe a debt of gratitude to Samantha Gordumel for organising a petition against the closure of Didim’s immigration office and meeting with the Kaymakam (Didim District Governor) to voice the concerns we all have.
When Burcu Sardag contacted me to say the Didim immigration office was closing, I was shocked and very disappointed. I’d got to know many of those who have worked there over the years very well.
My journey started in the summer before we had an immigration office in Didim. Those who have been around for a while will remember having to go to Aydin for the face-to-face meeting.
I treated that first trip as a day out to a place I hadn’t visited before. I ended up seeing far more of Aydin than I expected. Finding the immigration office was easy. All the paperwork was in order and I was introduced to a wonderful gentleman called Mustafa who would be opening the office in Didim.
I was given the invoice to pay at the tax office. This was before the days of paying in advance. It’s where the adventure started. I couldn’t find the tax office in Aydin for love or money. I did get a good sightseeing tour, though. Eventually, I stopped for lunch, not knowing how I was going to solve the conundrum.
Thankfully, a fellow diner must have overheard my conversation and came over to give very precise directions. Once again, a Turkish person proving how amazing so many in this country are. I finally found the tax office. Without the help of the person in the restaurant, I’d still be looking to this day.
The office opening in Didim was a game-changer for many. It made life much simpler, and the team went out of their way to help people if they could. This continued when Mustafa left. I was even given help on things unrelated to a long-term visit visa. It’s how much they cared for and helped us all.
This summer, things changed. The clues were there as I was hearing from people in Bodrum, Fethiye, and further afield who were having problems. The confusion caused at the start of the year was rearing its ugly head. It wasn’t helped by UK banks closing people’s bank accounts with no warning, creating further havoc. It became a perfect storm, creating the confusion we all try to avoid..
The changes in Turkiye made me investigate further afield to see if other countries were also changing the rules. The results were surprising. Germany has, in effect, closed its borders.
Portugal is offering a five-year income tax amnesty to those under 35, whether of Portuguese nationality or not, in a drive to prevent emigration and encourage immigration. The EU block looks simple on the surface, but has more than a few quirks in the system. As for the UK, it’s so complex I’m not even sure I’m allowed to go home. Not that I want to.
The examples above are why it makes no sense to close local immigration offices or make the application process more complex and demanding.
Turkiye has an opportunity to attract some of the most talented people and investment if it keeps the system simple. There are issues due to being on the edge of war zones, such as Syria and Lebanon, and the influx of people fleeing a frightening time. It means there needs to be a balance.
Closing local immigration offices and creating confusion about applications is not the balance being sought. Changes to having friends to stay and the treatment of stray animals haven’t helped make people feel at home. It’s why many feel unwelcome and we’ve seen so many friends leave.
Turkiye is an amazing country. Its local communities embrace us and see us adding to their lives. It’s full of history and beauty. We are lucky to live here. We, mostly, all want to stay and add to the culture and economy. The question is whether we’ll be allowed to and if we are still welcome.