US resumes visas for Turks ahead of prime minister’s visit

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim will meet with US Vice President Mike Pence this week after a series of detentions and differences over Syria have damaged relations between the traditional allies.
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Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is pictured in front of the US and Turkish flags during a joint press conference with US Vice President Joe Biden at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Aug. 24, 2016. - ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images
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The US State Department eased visa restrictions on Turkish citizens in an apparent welcoming gift for Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who is in Washington this week for talks on a slew of disputes fraying ties between the NATO allies.

Tensions erupted on Oct. 8, when US missions in Turkey suspended non-immigration visas after authorities arrested a long-time employee at the Istanbul consulate in connection with a 2016 coup plot. It's the second time this year a local consular staff member was jailed in Turkey.

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