Turkish earthquake victims with a valid visa are allowed to stay with relatives in Germany for a further three months. This was announced by the Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior on Saturday. Those affected who entered the country between February 6 and May 7, 2023 as part of the simplified visa system would be exempt from the requirement for a residence permit until August 6, 2023.
In early February, devastating earthquakes hit northern Syria and Turkey. According to the Turkish government, 50,800 people have been killed in connection with the tremors in the country. However, the Turkish Medical Association, among others, expressed strong doubts about the number and estimated it to be significantly higher.
As a result of the disaster, the federal government had agreed on an unbureaucratic visa procedure for those affected so that they could temporarily stay with family members in Germany. “Since mid-February, around 9,500 Turkish men and women have not only been able to find shelter with their relatives in Germany, but also support and consolation. That they are now given a little more time with their families while the clean-up and reconstruction work in Turkey Moving forward is a very practical sign of solidarity,” Foreign Ministers Annalena Baerbock (Greens) was quoted as saying. Visa applications for Syrians from the affected areas were also prioritized after the earthquake.
