Germany’s Federal Foreign Office has upgraded its travel advice for Turkey, urging Germans to avoid non-essential trips to the provinces of Şırnak, Hakkâri, Mardin and Gaziantep after Turkish security forces arrested 115 suspected Islamic State members earlier in the week . The advisory, published on 27 December, also calls for vigilance in Istanbul and Ankara over the New-Year period.
While the notice stops short of a formal travel ban, insurance underwriters often exclude cover for journeys that contravene official warnings. Corporate mobility teams with project staff in Turkey – particularly in energy and construction – should therefore review duty-of-care protocols, ensure employees are enrolled in crisis-alert apps and confirm that insurance extensions are in place.
To help travellers navigate these shifting requirements, VisaHQ’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) provides up-to-date visa guidance, passport validity checks and expedited processing services. The platform’s alert features can be integrated into corporate duty-of-care programmes, giving both employees and mobility managers an extra layer of assurance before departure.
![German Foreign Office Issues Heightened Travel Warning for South-Eastern Turkey]()
Employers are reminded that German consular support in high-risk regions may be limited. The Foreign Office suggests that travellers register their itineraries via the ELEFAND system and carry at least six months’ passport validity.
The warning follows similar moves by France and the Netherlands after an alleged Christmas-market plot in Paris. Security analysts believe the co-ordinated alerts are a signal that EU governments will take a more proactive stance on terrorism-linked risks in 2026, especially where infrastructure projects with European investment are involved.
Companies should brief travelling staff on avoidance of large gatherings, maintain strict communications protocols and prepare for heightened checks at German airports for flights bound for Turkey.
While the notice stops short of a formal travel ban, insurance underwriters often exclude cover for journeys that contravene official warnings. Corporate mobility teams with project staff in Turkey – particularly in energy and construction – should therefore review duty-of-care protocols, ensure employees are enrolled in crisis-alert apps and confirm that insurance extensions are in place.
To help travellers navigate these shifting requirements, VisaHQ’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) provides up-to-date visa guidance, passport validity checks and expedited processing services. The platform’s alert features can be integrated into corporate duty-of-care programmes, giving both employees and mobility managers an extra layer of assurance before departure.
Employers are reminded that German consular support in high-risk regions may be limited. The Foreign Office suggests that travellers register their itineraries via the ELEFAND system and carry at least six months’ passport validity.
The warning follows similar moves by France and the Netherlands after an alleged Christmas-market plot in Paris. Security analysts believe the co-ordinated alerts are a signal that EU governments will take a more proactive stance on terrorism-linked risks in 2026, especially where infrastructure projects with European investment are involved.
Companies should brief travelling staff on avoidance of large gatherings, maintain strict communications protocols and prepare for heightened checks at German airports for flights bound for Turkey.
