(Merged) Help!: Paid for visas but now they’re free!

misspenny321

Hi all! If you haven’t heard already Turkey are allowing the UK free visas from March 2020. We are a family of 6 and travelling there in May, we paid for our visas recently because we were told it’s best to have them ready 3 months before we travel. This set us back £162. We’re gutted! Is there anything we can do?? We’ve tried messaging the ministry of foreign affairs there but they just sent us a link with a statement of what the minister said. I’m guessing we’ll have to suck it up and lose the £162. We paid by credit card but they said they can’t help.  

NoodleDoodleMan

Not just the UK.

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-grant-visa-free-travel-to-six-european-countries-152246

I doubt the Turkish government will be making retrospective refunds on visa payments.

No harm in asking though.

leylandsunaddict

I doubt it. Visa charge isn't dropped until March. They're hardly likely to refund for every visa bought before that date. There was no need to get them so early. 3 months in advance is the maximum but you can do them up to 48 hrs prior. No benefit to getting them early. Visa on arrival is still available as well.  

heatherw_01

Most likely no. They would end up having to probably refund thousands of people otherwise.

misspenny321

leylandsunaddict said:

I doubt it. Visa charge isn't dropped until March. They're hardly likely to refund for every visa bought before that date. There was no need to get them so early. 3 months in advance is the maximum but you can do them up to 48 hrs prior. No benefit to getting them early. Visa on arrival is still available as well.  

I know, but my husbands super organised and just wanted it done so he didn’t forget. They only recently put the visa price up a bit too so we didn’t see this coming. Just gutted really. Lesson learned I suppose, don’t do them early lol 

Okydoky25

I’m in the same boat. Have you called your credit card company and asked for a charge back? I’m booked mine using my Tesco Credit card so was going to call and check. 

misspenny321

Okydoky25 said:

I’m in the same boat. Have you called your credit card company and asked for a charge back? I’m booked mine using my Tesco Credit card so was going to call and check. 

Let me know how you get on with them! We asked if we’d be able to claim it back but they said at the time of purchase it was all valid and we needed it, so there’s nothing they can do. 

Okydoky25

misspenny321 said:

Okydoky25 said:

I’m in the same boat. Have you called your credit card company and asked for a charge back? I’m booked mine using my Tesco Credit card so was going to call and check. 

Let me know how you get on with them! We asked if we’d be able to claim it back but they said at the time of purchase it was all valid and we needed it, so there’s nothing they can do. 

I’ll likely get the same response. Frustrating as I was already annoyed at the price increase from last year. Hardly fair to be penalised for being efficient but won’t dwell on it. 

bradders1983

Im sorry but why would a credit card company entertain a chargeback on this? What service is not being provided? 

heatherw_01

bradders1983 said:

Im sorry but why would a credit card company entertain a chargeback on this? What service is not being provided? 

exactly, chargebacks should not be used for this at all

mattyprice4004

Chargeback or Section 75 won't apply in this case - when applied for, the Visa was necessary and had to be paid for. 

I bought an item last week that's £50 cheaper this week - it's just how it is sometimes.