The first visa applications from Turkey have arrived

After the two earthquakes, which killed about 47,000, Switzerland introduced a so-called accelerated procedure for visa applications from the affected region. Anyone who has lost their home to the earthquake and has close relatives in Switzerland can benefit.

This includes spouses, parents, grandparents, children and minor grandchildren – but not siblings. The family members in Switzerland must have Swiss citizenship, a B residence permit or a C settlement permit.

The Swiss Consulate General in Istanbul has already received 11 applications for a temporary visa. According to the migration authorities, no entry visa has yet been issued or refused.

Lots of email requests

Not a single visa application from Syria has yet reached the Swiss representation in Lebanon, the State Secretariat for Migration announced on Monday at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency.

However, there is also interest in temporarily staying with Swiss relatives in the Syrian areas affected by the earthquake. So far, the responsible authorities have received 117 questions by email or form. In addition to the eleven official requests, 1,630 such inquiries came from the affected Turkish region.

Last week, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council contacted the government and the responsible Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider. Victims of the major earthquakes in Syria and Turkey should be able to travel unbureaucratically to Switzerland and stay temporarily if they have close relatives in the country, the Commission demands. (SDA/h)

Source:Blick