Türkiye Implements New Visa Policy for Iraqi Citizens Amid Rising Concerns.
Iraqi citizens under the age of 15 and over 50 will be able to enter Türkiye without a visa starting September 1, 2024, following a recent agreement between Iraq and Türkiye. This new policy, designed with specific age limits, aims to control the number of Iraqis eligible for visa-free travel. Despite this change, Turkish citizens will still need a visa to visit Iraq, according to a report by VisaGuide.World.
The policy has sparked concerns among various groups in Türkiye, further intensifying the existing unease towards immigrants. Political scientist Murat Somer from Özyegin University in Istanbul highlighted that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration might be leveraging these agreements to bolster efforts against the Kurdish PKK in Iraq. However, the Turkish opposition fears this could trigger a new wave of refugees from Iraq, with many potentially using Türkiye as a gateway to Europe.
Observers, as cited by Turkish media, have suggested that the agreement allowing Iraqis easier access to Türkiye could result in greater difficulties for Turkish citizens seeking visas for the European Union or the United States.
Implications for Asylum Seekers and Turkish Foreign Policy
The Türkiye-Iraq visa agreement has also raised alarms in Germany, where Iraq is already a significant source of asylum seekers. Last year, around 11,000 Iraqis applied for asylum in Germany, making them the fourth-largest group after Syrians, Afghans, and Turks. By July this year, 5,000 Iraqis had already submitted asylum applications. Refugee organizations have noted an increasing number of Iraqi deportations from Germany.
In addition to the visa policy changes, the agreement officially recognizes the Turkish military presence in Iraq, a significant milestone for Turkish foreign policy. However, Türkiye’s main opposition party, the CHP, which recently secured victories in local elections, has criticized the visa-free travel policy, arguing that it adds further strain on Türkiye, which is already hosting 300,000 Iraqis alongside three million Syrians.
Historically, Iraq has been a major source of illegal immigration. Under an eight-year agreement, Türkiye is committed to preventing refugees from crossing the Aegean Sea into Greece and entering the EU in exchange for substantial financial aid from Brussels. Since 2016, the number of boat refugees, including those from Iraq, has significantly decreased.
Despite these efforts, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency has reported an uptick in child refugees traveling the Balkan route from Türkiye to the EU. Additionally, thousands of Iraqis have attempted to enter the EU via Belarus in recent years.
