In a significant move towards reconciliation, Turkey and Armenia have jointly announced a decision to simplify visa procedures for certain passport holders, marking a concrete step in their long-stalled normalisation process.
A Step Towards Open Borders
The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed the agreement on Monday, 29 December 2025. The new policy, which takes effect on 1 January, will allow holders of diplomatic, special, and service passports from both nations to obtain electronic visas free of charge.
In a statement released on the social media platform X, the ministry said the two countries had "reaffirm[ed] once again their commitment to continue the normalization process... with the goal of achieving full normalization without any preconditions." This move is designed to make travel between the two neighbours easier for officials and dignitaries.
Decades of Strained Relations
The agreement represents a fragile breakthrough in a relationship fraught with historical conflict. Turkey and Armenia have no formal diplomatic ties, and their shared border has been closed since the 1990s. The deep-seated tensions are rooted in two primary issues:
- The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: Turkey is a staunch ally of Azerbaijan and supported it during the 2020 war with Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. This six-week conflict reshaped the dynamics of the South Caucasus.
- The 1915 Dispute: The nations are divided by the historical events of 1915, when an estimated 1.5 million Armenians died in massacres, deportations, and forced marches in Ottoman Turkey. While historians widely regard this as a genocide, Turkey vehemently denies the term, arguing the death toll is inflated and that the casualties were a result of civil war.
The Path Forward for Normalisation
The current visa initiative stems from a 2021 agreement where both countries appointed special envoys to explore reconciliation. These talks have proceeded alongside parallel efforts to ease tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
While the visa simplification is a positive development, it is a limited measure. The major hurdles of opening the closed border and establishing full diplomatic relations remain. Furthermore, the profound disagreement over the events of 1915 continues to loom large over any long-term normalisation, with Turkey actively lobbying against international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Nevertheless, the agreement signals a mutual, albeit cautious, willingness to build bridges and improve bilateral ties after decades of hostility.
