Human migration

A boat carrying more than 40 undocumented migrants was located off the coast of Samos in the eastern Aegean early on Thursday morning, the Athens-Macedonian News Agency reported.

According to the AMNA, the boat was carrying 13 men, seven women and 15 children when it was intercepted by the Greek coast guard, which brought the passengers safely to shore.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an awareness campaign aimed at reducing US visa refusals for Bulgarian citizens, with the goal of bringing the refusal rate below 3%. This would make Bulgaria eligible for visa-free travel to the United States, a significant milestone for many aspiring travelers.

The migration and asylum minister announced on Tuesday a new institutional framework for legal immigration to drastically reduce times, shorten visa issuance procedures and extend the duration of the residence permit in special cases so as to fill in a timely manner the 100,000 job vacancies in Greece.

On December 3, a panel of esteemed scholars and migration experts came together at The Demos Center of the American College of Greece to discuss the potential impacts of the 2024 European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum, especially on "frontline" countries like Greece, with a focus on the challenges of asylum-seeker flows and the evolving role of EU solidarity.

Turkish media outlets have reacted strongly to the anticipated accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Area, with headlines emphasizing a perceived negative impact on Turkey.

The government is initiating changes in the operational doctrine of migration management following unfavorable developments in recent weeks, particularly focusing on Rhodes.

China has announced that it will include several countries, including Bulgaria, Japan, Romania, Croatia, and Montenegro, in its visa-free access program. This program will be in effect from November 30 of this year until December 31 of the following year, according to a statement from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, as reported by Reuters and BTA.

A notable number of American citizens dissatisfied with Donald Trump's recent election victory are considering relocation to Europe through Golden Visa programs, with Greece emerging as one of the preferred destinations.

Around 1,000 Turkish students accepted to Italian universities are unable to attend due to delays and hurdles in their visa processing, local media has reported.

The delays have left students and their families in distress as the clock ticks closer to critical deadlines for university registration.

Italy is working to increase the number of staff at its consulates to expedite the visa application process, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday.

Responding to a query from an Anadolu Agency reporter, Tajani acknowledged that many consulates are overwhelmed with the high volume of visa applications, leading to delays in the process.