Istanbul-centered 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, via X by Justice Minister Akın Gürlek.

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

The Schengen visa appointment queue has remained a persistent issue in Turkey for years: waiting times in front of EU embassy buildings have sometimes exceeded six months. On March 10, 2024, European Parliament Rapporteur for Turkey Nacho Sanchez Amor emphasized that visa-free travel opportunities could only be opened through Turkey's own steps; smooth passage for holders of green and service passports, however, offers no solution for ordinary citizens.

The bot appointment problem has taken on a judicial dimension for the first time with this operation; previously, complaints had been limited to scattered consumer applications.