Recent developments in the processing of ECAA Turkish Businessperson visa extensions and indefinite leave to remain, under the Ankara Agreement, have sparked concerns regarding the application procedures. The unit responsible for handling these cases was moved from Sheffield to Liverpool in November 2025, resulting in extended waiting times and an increase in technical rejections for numerous applicants. Although the official rules have not been altered, there appears to be a stricter and more suspicious application, with a tendency towards refusal. New criteria such as billing procedures, bank payment references, ICO registration, website appearance, and administrative issues in commercial documents have taken on increased significance in application evaluations.
The core of the Ankara Agreement is meant to assess whether applicants have genuinely established and are actively running a sustainable business. Tamer Ulay, who analyzed the situation, emphasized that the main concern should be the authenticity and viability of the business rather than minor administrative or technical shortcomings, which are common in smaller enterprises. Ulay remarked that the applications of individuals who have consistently received extensions, paid taxes, and supported their families through their business activities should not be scrutinized merely from a fault-finding standpoint.
This shift in focus has led to prolonged waiting times, which place significant stress on applicants and their families, affecting business planning, travel, children’s education, family life, and financial decisions. The report highlights that if multiple applications face rejection on similar grounds, the issue may reflect a structural change in practice rather than individual application problems. While the article does not support fraudulent applications or shell businesses, it stresses that legitimate business owners should not be unfairly categorized alongside fraudulent applicants due to technical or administrative lapses.
Visa-Free World advises applicants to meticulously prepare their documents, observe common refusal grounds, seek professional legal advice, and act strategically when necessary. The platform emphasizes the importance of evaluating each case based on its unique circumstances, reminding readers that the article does not provide personalized legal advice.
VisaFree World serves as an information platform offering content in Turkish on topics such as immigration, visas, residency, citizenship, and investment-based settlement in the UK, EU, and other regions. The blog focuses on UK immigration law, the Ankara Agreement, visa refusals, administrative appeals, judicial reviews, and international settlement programs.