AB ve Türkiye?de vize rejimleri: Türkiye Schengen vize rejimini kabul etmeye hazır mı?

This qualitative study is conducted in order to analyze the relationship between the European Union (EU) and Turkey in the domain of visa and migration regimes. Turkey?s current visa regime is accepted as flexible and significantly more liberal than the Schengen visa regime. The EU requires Turkey, a candidate state to join the EU, to harmonize its visa and migration regime with that of the EU countries as a part of Turkey?s obligation to adopt the EU acquis in its entirety. The study identifies the major differences between the visa and migration regimes of the EU and Turkey and investigates Turkey?s readiness and willingness to align its visa and migration regime with that of the EU. As a novel approach, this thesis analyzes the requirements that the EU sets for Turkey in this domain and Turkey?s responses to these requirements from the perspective of institutional theory. By applying the analytical framework of institutional theory to the domain of visa and migration regimes, this study identifies the factors motivating and inhibiting change in Turkey?s relevant institutions and suggests policy implications for both Turkey and the EU.