Around 300 Turkish citizens were unable to travel to Rhodes on June 15 due to issues with the visa system, according to local media reports.
Greece introduced a special visa scheme for Turkish citizens on April 1, allowing them to visit ten Greek islands with visas on arrival. This policy led to a significant increase in Turkish tourist arrivals within ten days of its implementation.
The affected tourists were supposed to receive visas on arrival under the new policy, which permits stays of up to seven days on the ten specified Greek islands, according to SchengenNews.
However, reports indicate that many Turks were “stuck in their homeland” on the eve of Bayram due to the “visa system collapse.” The Greek authorities resolved the issue the following day, allowing the 300 Turks to enter Rhodes after Turkish officials lodged complaints, as reported by Iefimerida newspaper.
Meanwhile, the Turkish newspaper “Star” claimed that the Greek police denied entry to the tourists due to occupancy reasons. The police cited the holiday and tourism season’s busyness, preventing those with visas at the gate from entering Rhodes. As a result, citizens who traveled to the port for the journey from Marmaris to Rhodes had to return to Marmaris after learning they couldn’t be accommodated due to high density.
Greece introduced the special visa program for Turkish citizens on April 1, 2024, following an agreement between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in December 2023. This visa scheme allows Turkish citizens to visit the following Greek islands with a visa on arrival for stays of up to seven days:
- Lemnos
- Lesvos
- Chios
- Samos
- Leros
- Kalymnos
- Kos
- Rhodes
- Symi
- Kastelorizo
The express visas, costing €60, are available year-round at designated ports, not just during the summer.
The special visa scheme aims to boost tourism and stimulate the development of Greek islands. However, Greek authorities have warned that these single-entry visas only permit access to the specified islands and cannot be used to enter other Schengen countries. They have emphasized strict police inspections to prevent potential entry violations.
Since the new visa scheme’s implementation, five Greek islands have seen a surge in Turkish visitors. Specifically, Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos, and Rhodes welcomed 20,690 Turkish citizens in the first ten days of April 2024, compared to 5,969 during the same period in 2023.