Shakilla Blocked From Travelling To Turkey, Fined Ksh62,000 [SCREENSHOT]

Kenyan socialite Shakilla on Wednesday, May 31 alleged that she was banned from travelling to Turkey for two months.

She took to her Instagram stories to share videos and photos of her at an airport in the country, alongside one which captured her in front of a visa violation department.

According to the 22-year-old, she was barred from travelling to Turkey as she had overstayed at the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan-led nation for two months.

"The streets is calling me!...and that's how I lost $450 (Ksh62,392.50) and a two-month ban in Turkey due to an overstay of 2 months," she captioned.

Screenshot of Shakilla at the Visa Violation Department during her trip to Turkey on May 31, 2023. /INSTAGRAM.IAMSHAKILLA

Prior to the ban, Shakilla had documented her visit to Turkey through her Instagram page, touring the populous city of Istanbul where she visited the Sultanahmet, a neighbourhood known for being home to the striking Ottoman-era Blue Mosque with its iconic minarets, along with the famed, mosaic-filled Hagia Sophia mosque.

The adjacent Sultanahmet Square has a park, gardens and fountains, along with the Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius and the nearby 4th-century Stone of Million pillar ruin. The popular district is home to many shops, hotels and traditional eateries.

Can You Be Banned From Travelling To Turkey?

According to Turkey's Presidency of Migration Department under its Ministry of Interior, the Directorate General, when necessary and upon consultation with the relevant government departments and institutions, may impose an entry ban against foreigners whose entry into Turkey is objectionable for public order, public security or public health reasons.

The Directorate General or governorates shall impose an entry ban for foreigners who are deported from Turkey, a ban which shall not exceed five years. However, in cases where there is a serious public order or public security threat, this period may be extended for a maximum of an additional ten years by the Directorate General.

The entry ban to Turkey for foreigners whose visa or residence permit has expired and who have applied to the governorates to exit from Turkey before their situation is established by the competent authorities upon which a removal decision has been taken, shall not exceed one year.

Among those who have been invited to leave Turkey pursuant to Article 56 of its Law No 6458, an entry ban might not be imposed for those who leave the country within the specified period of time.

The Directorate General may revoke an entry ban or, allow the foreigner to enter into Turkey for a given period of time, without prejudice to the entry ban.

For reasons of public order or public security, the Directorate General may introduce advance clearance conditions for the admission of certain foreigners to Turkey.

Shakilla's case of being blocked from entering Turkey is one of the notable cases of Kenyans claiming to have been barred from entering European countries.

On July 13, 2022, one Kenyan, Stacey Nyandiko, narrated how she was denied a visa to fly to Europe, specifically Belgium, though it was a torrid experience as she was first of all informed that touring the country and going for the biggest Electronic dance music (EDM) festivals in the world, Tomorrowland, were not reasons to travel.