- Turkish travelers are shifting toward Asian destinations due to prolonged visa delays in Europe and the United States.
- Japan and South Korea saw surges of 70% and 50% in tourism bookings from Turkish citizens.
- Turkish authorities raided 63 locations on August 11, 2026, to dismantle bot networks selling appointment slots.
Travel agencies in Türkiye are steering Turkish tourists away from Europe and toward Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia as visa delays in the Schengen Area and the United States stretch appointment calendars. The shift is already visible.
Travel industry data show outbound travel from Türkiye reached 6.37 million in the first half of 2026, roughly 15% higher than a year earlier. The counters are busy.
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Agents are filling seats on routes that skip consulate appointments and long document checks. Travelers are booking elsewhere.
The U.S. Embassy in Türkiye said on Jan. 31, 2026:
"Scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas will continue during the funding lapse, as conditions permit. Our social media accounts will not be updated regularly until full operations resume."
The message left little room for certainty.
USCIS widened the policy backdrop on March 30, 2026, in an alert titled Update on USCIS’ Strengthened Screening and Vetting.
"USCIS is expanding screening and vetting measures. to ensure the integrity of the immigration system. This includes more frequent reviews of eligibility and stricter background screening for certain nationalities."
Presidential Proclamation 10998 took effect on Jan. 1, 2026. It suspended or limited visa issuance for 39 countries. Türkiye was not on that list, but the processing environment has still fed Section 221(g) delays.
Japan and South Korea are taking the bookings
The sales mix shifted with unusual speed. The split is clear.
| Measure | Figure | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Japan sales | 70% surge | The sharpest jump in demand |
| South Korea demand | 50% climb | A fast-growing alternative |
| Visa-free destinations | 60% of international tour sales | The safest share for operators |
| Visa-required destinations | 40% | The part losing ground |
Applicants say 1- or 2-year visas now replace 5-year permits, often without an explanation for the reduction. Fees do not come back.
Consultancy services to beat appointment bots add more cost. Those costs hurt.
Travelers are also choosing the Balkans, Thailand and Vietnam, where visa rules are waived or simplified. They want equal footing.
Ankara and Istanbul are still absorbing regional spillover
The July 21, 2026 update said Ankara and Istanbul remain overflow hubs for regional applicants, especially from countries under suspension like Iran. Local waits stay long.
Visa rules are getting tighter before the interview
Presidential Proclamation 10998 took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and the casework that followed kept more files moving into Section 221(g) administrative processing. Türkiye was not banned, but its high-risk processing environment still slowed the line. Delays pile on.
Raids have made appointment slots harder to buy
On Aug. 11, 2026, Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced an investigation into "irregularities in visa appointments." Authorities carried out simultaneous raids at 63 addresses in six provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara, to dismantle bot networks that were booking and selling appointment slots. The raids were wide.
The State Department said on its July 21 update:
"We now provide additional information on the average time nonimmigrant visa applicants waited for an interview. we update visa wait time information monthly. Our embassies and consulates release additional appointment slots regularly."
The next update comes monthly.
