A special visa by the UK government to Turkish businesspeople and their families will continue as normal until the end of the transition period which has kicked on with Brexit, according to Turkey’s London ambassador.
TURKEY WILL CONTINUE COOPERATION WITH THE UK AFTER BREXIT
Ümit Yalcin said those citizens living in the UK on a business document linked to the September 1963 Ankara Agreement would not see a change in their status while the UK– EU transition period runs until the end of the year.
“The UK has left the EU as of Jan. 31, 2020. However, it will abide by the EU rules until the period called the transition period until the end of this year. Therefore, the effect of constant regulations regarding the Ankara Agreement will remain as they are until the end of Dec. 31, 2020,” Yalcin said.
Yalcin said after the transition period, the U.K. is expected to put in place a new point-based immigration system that would encourage talented and qualified migrants to come to the country from the beginning of 2021 and “our citizens will be able to apply for visas within the requirements of the new system”
Yalcin explained that nearly 30,000 Turkish businesspeople entered the U.K. on the Ankara Agreement visa (ECCA businesspersons visa) since 2000 and more than 3,000 Turks benefited from it in the first half of 2019. “We are dealing with our citizens’ rights in detail with a working group with the UK authorities,” Yalcin said, giving hope for the post-transition period.