Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) greets the citizens abroad at border gates during their visit to homeland, and sees them off when they leave. In order to reduce the wait times at border gates and to facilitate the entries, YTB offers many activities both abroad and domestic for the citizens.

To facilitate a comfortable travel, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) offers many activities both beyond the borders and at border gates to citizens of Turkey who come to their homeland from abroad. YTB greets citizens and sees them off who want to spend their vacation in the homeland. YTB also provides consultancy services for the issues that they may face during their travels.

Some of nearly 6 million citizens who live abroad travel to Turkey especially during summer. YTB carries ou several activities to meet the needs of our citizens and remedy the issues they face while coming to and exiting Turkey. YTB teams that welcome our citizens with small gifts and treats on the border gates also solve the problems they face on their route home. Treats, information and support services are also offered on the return path of our citizens. Also, at the border gates of İpsala and Kapıkule that are on their exit routes, the citizens are offered the services of mobile toilets and garbage dumpsters.

FIRST GREETING BEYOND THE BORDERS

Within the framework of collaborations between YTB and the Ministries of Interior of Turkey and Serbia, for the first time this year, international students who are receiving education in Turkey with Türkiye Scholarships of YTB and YTB personnel who know both Turkish and Serbian are assigned to work alongside with Turkish police teams that are posted at the border gates of Serbia to Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria. At these three mentioned border gates, YTB personnel who are presently officiated alongside Turkish police act as translators between the related country’s competent authorities and our citizens to remedy the problems that our citizens face during their transit in Serbia that cannot be solved, since they do not know the language of Serbia. Alongside translation services, YTB personnel also refer our citizens to places where they may receive secure services in other problems, i.e. especially vehicle breakdowns, that they may experience. Also, YTB team hands out brochures to our citizens at Serbia entries to inform them on the issues to watch out during their transit in Serbia, Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia.

RAPID RESPONSE TEAM FOR EMERGENCIES

In addition to this service performed at the border gates of Serbia, since July 1, the established YTB Serbia Communication Office stand and YTB call center, formed at a rest stop close by to the city of Niš on the transit route of our citizens, provide services. They also provide support to the problems that our citizens encounter during their transit in Serbia through the call center line +381 63 816 20 30, formed for consultancy and referral. Within this scope, they also help our citizens by providing court translators and rapid responses to emergencies.

PRIVATE PARKING LOT AND PLAYGROUNDS BUILT

The domestic part of the greeting and farewell programs for our citizens implemented by YTB is performed at YTB stand established at Kapıkule customs area, as it was done last year. Within this scope, YTB personnel greeted our citizens following their passport controls with several treats and informative notes. Also, they have distributed a pocket guidebook prepared to meet their needs in Turkey. Within the scope of seeing our citizens off, beginning on August 1, there are parking lot, rest and playground areas built at the exit section of Kapıkule customs area with the collaboration of YTB and Governorate of Edirne. YTB stands in these areas offer treats and have set up screens that display television shows for the children at the established playgrounds so that they may spend time comfortably. YTB stands are also built at İpsala border gate, along with mobile toilets and garbage dumpsters.

 “WELCOME TO YOUR HOMELAND” MESSAGE BOTH AT PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS

Along with the greeting and farewell program of YTB at the border gates, YTB pays a visit to the homes of our citizens abroad in coordination with governorates, municipalities and the related public institutions at provincial and district centers where our citizens abroad spend their vacations. They are given support in their transactions such as deed and civil registries with the help desks formed for our citizens abroad, and tour services to cultural and historical places are also provided through these desks. Our citizens greeted at the entry points of provinces and districts with banners that say “Welcome to Your Homeland” are offered souvenirs to remember their visit to Turkey and educational programs are organized for children and youth.