49 detained in Schengen visa appointment fraud probe

ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities have launched an operation against 49 suspects accused of using bots to seize Schengen visa appointments and resell them to applicants at inflated prices.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the suspects operated as visa consultants and used software to access online appointment systems run by consulates and authorised visa service providers.

They allegedly booked appointments in bulk, making it difficult for applicants to obtain slots directly.

The suspects are accused of charging high fees for guaranteed visas or appointments, including under the guise of software, consultancy and service costs. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said investigators found cases in which fees were not refunded when promised services were not delivered. Applicants’ personal data was also allegedly transferred to private digital systems.

A financial investigation found more than 2.84 billion Turkish Liras ($59 million) in transactions involving companies linked to the probe between January 2024 and July 2026. Investigators said the suspects collected more than 918 million liras from over 41,000 people.

Authorities also detected substantial cash, cryptocurrency and precious-metal transactions, with much of the money transferred to company partners and employees.

The operation was carried out at 63 addresses in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Balıkesir, Bursa and Izmir. Digital devices and documents seized during searches are being examined.

The investigation comes as Turkish citizens have faced persistent difficulties securing Schengen visa appointments amid high demand and limited slots. Türkiye was the second-largest source of Schengen visa applications in 2025, with about 1.26 million applications, according to European Commission data.

Appointment shortages have fueled a black market in which slots have reportedly been resold for 300-500 euros, rising to 1,000 euros for urgent appointments. The issue has also been raised in Parliament.

The wider visa system has also faced scrutiny. An investigation by Lighthouse Reports and 14 media partners examined the global operations of an international visa outsourcing company, which provides services to governments in dozens of countries.

The investigation alleged that applicants were sometimes pressured into purchasing additional services such as SMS notifications, courier delivery and premium lounges and raised concerns over data handling and bribery.