Passport immigration stamp
The state of Turkish immigration to the UK is to be discussed at a debate in the British parliament next month.
The panel debate, entitled “Bridges between Turkey and UK: From Immigration to Integration”, will be hosted by the Centre for Turkey Studies with the attendance of a member of parliament and two immigration lawyers.
Keith Vaz, who as chairman of the Home Affairs committee since 2007 has been at the forefront of scrutinising British immigration policy, will host the event and participate as a speaker.
Also speaking during the evening will be immigration lawyers Maria Patsalos and Serpil Ersan, as well as Ayşegül Yeşildağlar, the former Turkish attaché for labour and social security in Stockholm, Rotterdam, Brussels and London.
It will be chaired by the journalist Michael Daventry.
A Ceftus statement said the panel “will address UK immigration policies and the effects on relations between Turkey and the UK.”
It continued: “Turkey’s European Union accession bid began with the Ankara Agreement which was signed with European Economic Community in 1963. Turkey has been in accession process with the European Union since then and Britain has supported Turkey in this path.
“Yet, citizens of Turkey, a strong NATO ally, have faced strict immigration regulations in entering the UK and Europe in general. It is estimated that over 250.000 Turkish and Kurdish people of Turkey reside in the UK along with thousands visiting business people, tourists and students every year.
“Our panelists will address issues of immigration and integration regarding people originating from Turkey, the effects of visa regulations on business relations and the cooperation between the Home Office and the Turkish counterparts on visa regulations for citizens of both countries.”
The event will take place between 6-8PM on Thursday 10th September 2015 in Committee Room 9, House of Commons.
Ceftus advised visitors that security checks are required to enter the House of Commons at the Cromwell Green Entrance. Visitors are asked to arrive at 5.45PM to allow the event to start and end on time.
Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating availability and can be done through www.ceftus.org.