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The diplomatic agreement on the exemption of visas between Türkiye and Afghanistan has been canceled.
The decision signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 28 will be implemented from June 1, VisaGuide.World reports.
According to local media, such a move came after a visit by Turkish migration officials to Afghanistan. Earlier this month, a delegation from Türkiye’s General Directorate of Migration visited Afghanistan to discuss the irregular migration of Afghan nationals to Türkiye and the deportation of irregular migrants to Afghanistan.
The suspension affects all Republic VIPs based in Doha with diplomatic passports and Taliban leadership. Türkiye serves as a major migration route for thousands of Afghan refugees seeking to reach Europe. Its eastern border with Iran is a major crossing point for Afghan migrants.
Moreover, Türkiye has not yet officially recognized the Taliban; however, some Taliban officials have previously visited the country on official invitations. It has also received several Taliban diplomats.
Over 27,000 Irregular Afghan Migrants Detected by Turkish Authorities in May Alone
According to 2024 figures from the General Directorate of Migration, Afghan nationals top the list of irregular migrants intercepted by the authorities. As a result, since May, more than 27,000 irregular Afghan migrants have been apprehended by the authorities.
Considering that Türkiye has had no formal relations with Afghanistan after the Taliban took over in 2021, it recently sent a train carrying aid to Afghan cities hit by devastating floods. Earlier this month, Türkiye’s flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), resumed flights to Kabul after three years.
The most significant number of undocumented migrants detained in 2024, with 2,480 cases, were Afghan nationals. In January alone, a total of 41,978 Afghan citizens had residence permits in Türkiye. In the first half of the month, about 3,000 Afghan citizens were arrested, and their residence permits were issued.
Such data further show that during this year, the total number of foreign citizens living legally in Türkiye reached 1,107,032.
Highest Rate of Detention of Undocumented Migrants Was Led by Afghans in 2023
Turkish authorities pointed out that in 2023, Afghan nationals also had the highest detention rate among undocumented migrants, with 68,677 Afghan migrants detained in various regions and some of them deported.
Based on last year’s UN data, more than 1.6 million Afghans have fled since August 2021, bringing the total number of Afghan refugees in neighboring countries to 8.2 million. During the same period, the same authority revealed that more than 300,000 Afghan refugees were living in Türkiye.
