Ankara, Turkey - Turkish authorities have arrested 49 people suspected of using automated software to bulk-book Schengen visa appointments and sell them at inflated prices, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced. Authorities in Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, arrest 49 suspects over an alleged Schengen visa appointment booking and resale scheme. Investigators said the group collected over 918 million liras from more than 41,000 people. Turkey’s Schengen visa appointment crisis deepensThe arrests come amid persistent difficulties faced by Turkish citizens trying to book Schengen visa appointments. Turkey ranked as the second-largest source of Schengen visa applications in 2025, with about 1.26 million submissions, according to European Commission data.