Türkiye plans to introduce mandatory fingerprinting of foreigners upon entry into the country, following the example of the United States and Great Britain, RBC reports, citing a statement by Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
According to the minister, this measure will be part of a strategy to combat illegal migration and human smuggling. In addition, it is planned to chip ID cards for foreigners who have received temporary asylum in Türkiye. Particular attention will be paid to Syrian citizens, who make up a significant part of the country's foreign population.
According to the data, there are 4,4 million foreigners registered in Türkiye, of which more than 3 million are Syrian citizens.
This is not the first initiative by Türkiye to tighten control over foreigners.Last fall, the requirements for short-term rentals of housing by tourists were tightened.Now, to rent out housing for a period of less than 100 days, the consent of all owners in the building, a license from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and an official rental agreement are required.
Large fines are provided for violating these requirements - from 100 thousand to 1 million Turkish lira (3,5-35,3 thousand USD).
The measures reflect Türkiye's desire to tighten control over migration flows and tourism activities in the country.