Turkey and the United States of America: Whether non-biometric passports continue to be issued in Turkey, particularly in Polatlı, and whether they can have a three-year validity period; whether the US embassy in Ankara would issue a B1/B2 visa for a passport with a three-year validity period, and whether the applicant must appear in person at the embassy to obtain this visa (2012-June 2013)
1. Biometric and Non-biometric Turkish Passports
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a consular official at the Embassy of Turkey in Ottawa indicated that non-biometric passports have not been issued since 3 December 2010, except in some developing countries where the Turkish missions lack the technical infrastructure to produce biometric passports (Turkey 3 July 2013). In contrast, according to an adjunct Professor and researcher in International Relations at the University of Ottawa who focuses on mobility security and identity documents, non-biometric (first generation) passports ceased to be produced after 1 June 2010 and only biometric (second generation) passports were issued after that date (Adjunct Professor 3 July 2013). The Adjunct Professor also noted that non-biometric passports that were issued prior to 1 June 2010 are still in circulation and continue to be valid until 24 November 2015 (ibid.). The English language Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman also reports that non-biometric passports can continue to be used until 24 November 2015 (5 Jan. 2011).
The Adjunct Professor stated that passports are issued by Turkey's Interior Ministry through provincial police services or through embassies and consulates abroad (25 June 2013). The embassy official similarly indicated that Turkish passports are issued by provincial police departments, governorships and Turkish missions in foreign countries (Turkey 3 July 2013). Passports indicate the location in which they are issued (ibid.; Adjunct Professor 25 June 2013), and, according to the embassy official, the issuing office (Turkey 3 July 2013). There are a total of 447 passport offices within the country (Adjunct Professor 25 June 2013). Specific information on passports issued in Polatlı could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
1.1 Validity Period of Passports
According to the Adjunct Professor, biometric passports are normally valid for 10 years (ibid.). However, both the Adjunct Professor and the embassy official indicated that passports can have a validity period of between six months and ten years (ibid.; Turkey 3 July 2013). The embassy official specified that adult passports can be valid for a period of six months to ten years, while passports for minors under the age of 17 can valid for six months to five years (ibid.).
The Adjunct Professor indicated that three years is a "regular time frame" for a passport's validity (25 June 2013). Additionally, according to the embassy official, there is no difference between three-year passports and other passports, and Turkish nationals are free to choose the validity period of their passport (3 July 2013).
2. Applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa at the US Embassy in Ankara
According to the website of the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, a B1/B2 visa is a visitor visa for business or pleasure in the non-immigrant category of visas (US n.d.e). The embassy website indicates that all applicants for non-immigrant visas must appear in person for an interview with a consular officer, with the exception of applicants under the age of 14, applicants aged 80 and older, and "return applicants" (ibid. n.d.a). Applicants under the age of 14 are required to provide an original birth certificate and a copy of each parent's valid US visa and valid passports bio data page by mail, in addition to the standard documents required for their visa type, in order to benefit from the exemption to appear in person (ibid. n.d.b). Applicants aged 80 and older are not required to provide additional documents, other than what is required for their specific visa type, to be exempt from the personal interview requirement (ibid. n.d.c).
According to the website of the US Embassy in Ankara, return applicants are not required to apply for a visa in person if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Must have already provided 10-finger digital fingerprints at the Embassy in Ankara or at the Consulate in Istanbul (on or after May 1, 2007)
- Must submit a new application at the same consular section, either Ankara or Istanbul, where he/she provided 10-finger digital fingerprints before
- Must be applying for the same visa classification as their previous visa in the following categories: B-1/B-2, C-1/D, F, H-1B, H-4, I, J, L, O, and P[;] H-1B and H4 applicants must make an appointment and appear in person for an interview if their current employer is different than the one listed on their previous visa.
- Bio data must not have changed (name, place of birth and date of birth)
- The previous visa must be currently valid or have expired within the last 48 months. (ibid. n.d.d)
The Ankara embassy website also indicates that a US visitor's visa can remain valid even if the visa holder's passport is no longer valid:
Do you still have a valid U.S. visitor’s visa in a previous passport? If the U.S. visa in your old passport is still valid and you are traveling for the same purpose as your visa type, you do not need to get a new visa. All you need to do is travel with your new passport and your old passport together. (ibid n.d.a)
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Adjunct Professor and Researcher in International Relations, University of Ottawa. 3 July 2013. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.
_____. 25 June 2013. Telephone interview with and correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.
Today's Zaman [Istanbul]. 5 January 2011. "Turkish Citizens to be able to Travel with Old Passports Until November 2015." <http://www.todayszaman.com/news-231609-turkish-citizens-to-be-able-to-travel-with-old-passports-until-november-2015.html> [Accessed 4 July 2013]
Turkey. 3 July 2013. Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Ottawa. Correspondence from a consular official sent to the Research Directorate.
United States (US). N.d.a. Embassy of the United States in Ankara, Turkey. "Step 1: Do You Need an Appointment?" <http://turkey.usembassy.gov/step1.html> [Accessed 25 June 2013]
_____. N.d.b. Embassy of the United States in Ankara, Turkey. "Applicants Under 14." <http://turkey.usembassy.gov/applicants_under_14.html> [Accessed 25 June 2013]
_____. N.d.c. Embassy of the United States in Ankara, Turkey. "Applicants Aged 80 and Over." <http://turkey.usembassy.gov/niv_applicants_80.html> [Accessed 25 June 2013]
_____. N.d.d. Embassy of the United States in Ankara, Turkey. "Reuse Applicants." <http://turkey.usembassy.gov/niv_reuse_applicants.html> [Accessed 25 June 2013]
_____. N.d.e. Embassy of the United States in Ankara, Turkey. "Nonimmigrant Visa Categories." <http://turkey.usembassy.gov/visa_categories.html> [Accessed 25 June 2013]
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: ecoi.net; Hürriet Daily News; TurkishPress.com; United Kingdom - Border Agency; United Nations - Refworld.