Fast-track visas for Syria-Turkey quake survivors to end on May 12
Picking through rubble in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, 22 March 2023.
Keystone / Erdem Sahin
The speedier visa processing for survivors of the devastating earthquakes in February is no longer needed after applications have fallen sharply, Swiss authorities have said.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/dos
By the end of April, over 300 people from Syria and Turkey had come to Switzerland on such a visa, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said on Tuesday.
The fast-track programme was introduced after several shattering earthquakes struck parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing over 50,000 people.
The visas allowed people from the affected areas, who have family in Switzerland, to come and stay with them for up to 90 days.
Overall, 647 visa requests have been received to date – 501 in Istanbul and 146 at the Swiss consulate in Beirut, SEM said. Of these, 96 were rejected, while 241 are still being processed; in most pending cases, authorities are waiting for confirmation by the Swiss-based relatives that they can indeed provide for the short-term needs of the applicants.
Requests reached a peak of around 120 per week at the beginning of March, before falling steadily since, authorities say. Thus, despite the “difficult” situation in Syria and Turkey, “there no longer seems to be any urgency” to warrant continuing the fast-track procedure.
All requests filed before May 12 will still benefit from the speedier programme.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Sylvain Saudan, ‘skier of the impossible’, dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Swiss father of extreme skiing pioneered descents from the Alps to the Himalayas – and became the sport’s first star.
Hayek family buys additional Swatch shares for nearly CHF11 million
This content was published on
Following the acquisition of registered shares worth over CHF20.6 million on Monday, the Hayek family made another purchase on Tuesday.
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss rescue team returns from Turkey after earthquake effort
This content was published on
Swiss search and rescue specialists have returned home after helping out in Turkey, which along with Syria was struck by a massive earthquake last week.
Swiss humanitarian aid deployed in Turkey and Syria
This content was published on
Swiss rescue workers arrive in Turkey to assist victims of two earthquakes that have killed more than 4,800 people in Turkey and Syria.
Switzerland offers support to Syria and Turkey after major quake
This content was published on
Switzerland has offered support to Syria and Turkey after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northwest Syria early on Monday.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.