Exporters with more than $500,000 annual volume to get visa ease

Duvar English

Turkey will grant green passports, which ease visa requirements for plenty of countries, to the exporters with an average of more than 500,000 dollars of annual volume, according to a new regulation published in the Official Gazette on Nov. 11.

The number of passports to be granted will increase depending on the export volume of the companies.

The limit for granting green passports to exporters was decreased from one million dollars - a move that followed Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan's remarks on government support in every field of exports.

Speaking in parliament's Planning and Budget Commission, Pekcan on Nov. 8 noted that nearly 12,000 green passports have been supplied to exporters.

"In many areas ranging from computer games and healthcare services to contracting and technical consultancy services, Turkey is in a highly competitive position for an exporting country," she added.

The new regulation stipulates granting one passport to the companies with an export volume between 500,000 and 10 million dollars, two to those between 10 million and 25 million dollars, three to those between 25 million and 50 million dollars, four to those between 50 million and 100 million dollars and five to those higher than 100 million dollars in the last three calendar years.