The German government will smoothly grant Schengen visas to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, who have relatives in Germany so they can stay with them for three months.
Kati Piri, Member of Parliament of the Labor Party, also argues on Twitter for the provision of Schengen visas by the Netherlands for these victims. She believes that they should be able to find shelter more quickly with family or friends in the Netherlands.
Obtaining a visa in Germany must be done without bureaucratic hassle, the responsible ministries report. Many victims have lost their passports and it is difficult to reach a German consulate, especially since the visa application office in Gaziantep has been hit by the earthquakes. The German embassy in Damascus, Syria has been closed for a long time. There are approximately 2,9 million people of Turkish background and approximately 924.000 Syrian residents living in Germany.
Belgium also wants to make it easier for earthquake victims to stay with relatives and Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, has instructed the Immigration Office to request a visa of victims quickly.
Minister Wopke Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs is investigating whether victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria can obtain a temporary visa. He stated that during the television program WNL Op Zondag on NPO 1: "We have to look closely at this specific case."
Source: NOS.nl
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