Istanbul-based operation targets bot network selling Schengen appointments: 37 arrested

An operation conducted in Istanbul, Ankara, and multiple other provinces resulted in 37 arrests. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced the investigation to the public on August 11, 2024, through Justice Minister Akın Gürlek's post on X.

The investigation determined that certain individuals and companies used bot software to gain bulk access to the online appointment systems of EU consulates, blocking appointments and then selling them to citizens under the guise of "visa consultation" services for a fee. The Chief Prosecutor's Office also included in the investigation the failure to issue refunds and the transfer of applicants' personal identification data to private digital systems.

The Schengen visa appointment queue has remained a persistent issue in Turkey for years: waiting times outside EU embassies have at times exceeded six months. On March 10, 2024, the European Parliament's Rapporteur for Turkey, Nacho Sanchez Amor, emphasized that visa-free travel access could only be opened through steps taken by Turkey itself; the seamless passage of holders of green and service passports offers no solution for ordinary citizens.

The bot appointment issue has gained judicial dimension for the first time through this operation; previously complaints remained limited to scattered consumer applications.