Turkish people and their British families will no longer be eligible for a specific and very popular type of UK visa extension, but will be able to apply for multi-year extensions, according to the UK government.
According to the Home Office, the UK will no longer be accepting applications from citizens of Turkey for indefinite leave to remain in the UK, even if they are in the country on a special ECAA business visa.
Instead, the government department will reportedly introduce new indefinite leave to remain category intro the UK immigration rules to ensure Turkish business people are still provided for.
The changes followed a UK tribunal that ruled in a case related to an application from Hacer Aydogdu, the wife of a Turkish national.
In response to the tribunal, the Home Office stated on its website: “The Home Office will no longer accept applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under the Turkish European Communities Association Agreement (ECAA) Business Persons category.”
The department added that those who had already submitted their applications would have them processed, while those who would like to stay can do so under the Ankara Agreement UK visa, who allows extensions of up to three years at a time.