A bill that would extend Türkiye's special (green) passport to new professional groups has been referred to the Turkish parliament's Interior Committee. Submitted on September 16 by YENİ Party Gaziantep MP Melih Meriç, it was sent to the committee on October 1.
Under the proposal, village and neighborhood heads (muhtars), certified public accountants registered with TÜRMOB chambers and independent accountants with at least 15 years in the profession, pharmacists, doctors, engineers and architects who are members of their professional bodies and have practiced for at least 15 years could receive green passports if they meet the set criteria.
The bill's rationale says private-sector doctors, pharmacists, engineers, architects and accountants are often refused visas for training, seminars and meetings abroad despite meeting every requirement, which it says hampers knowledge-sharing in medicine, construction, pharmacology and finance. It adds that muhtars face similar obstacles when they want to see projects abroad.
Similar bills are pending. Proposals by YENİ Party Bursa MP Hasan Öztürk and Sivas MP Ulaş Karasu would grant green passports to pilots with at least five years of active flying after licensing and to TMMOB-member engineers and architects with at least 10 years of seniority.
None of the proposals has become law. They must first pass the Interior Committee and then the General Assembly. The green passport allows holders to travel visa-free to many countries.
