By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 25 August 2015:
Turkey is to introduce visa requirements for Libyan citizens from 24 September..
The Turkish ambassador to . . .[restrict]Libya, Ahmed Dogan, speaking from Tunis, confirmed to the Libya Herald that the new measures were about to be put into place. Because of an existing agreement, the change in the visa regime will only come into force after 30 days.
Dogan said that the cost of the new visa had not yet been decided in Ankara. He added that Libyans already in Turkey, with permission to stay for between 90 and 180 day,s would be able to regularise their position.
It is not known how many Libyans are currently in Turkey, for medical treatment, education or as a refuge from the conflict in Libya. Calls to the Libyan embassy in Ankara to find out produced no coherent response.
Seriously-wounded Libya Dawn fighters are known to have been flown to Turkey for treatment. There have also been unsubstantiated allegations that Ansar Al-Sharia personnel have also been cared for in Turkish hospitals.
The Turkish diplomatic mission in Tripoli has been evacuated to Tunis. However, Dogan said that the new visas could be obtained from the still-functioning Turkish consulate in Misrata or from his country’s consulates in Cairo, Tunis or Algiers.
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