Turkey says it is halting all visa services for Americans at its diplomatic missions in the US in a tit-for-tat move after the US administration made a similar announcement.

"Recent events have forced the Turkish government to reassess the commitment of the government of the US to the security of the Turkish mission facilities and personnel," a statement posted on the Twitter account of the Turkish embassy in Washington DC said, closely mimicking the earlier US notification.

"In order to minimise the number of visitors to our diplomatic and consular missions in the US while this assessment proceeds, effective immediately we have suspended all visa services regarding the US citizens at our diplomatic and consular missions," it added.

The Turkish restrictions appeared to go further than a move by the US to suspend the processing of "non-immigrant" visas, a specific category that relates to tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

Immigrant visa services are for those seeking to live in the US permanently.

A first version of the Turkish statement that was posted on the embassy's Twitter account yesterday afternoon had said the measure would apply "to visas in passports".

But a later version said: "This measure will apply to sticker visas as well as e-Visas and border visas," leaving open the question of whether US travellers who already have visas would be allowed to enter Turkey.

The statement also specifically alluded to American citizens applying for visas from within the US, and was not clear whether it applied to those applying from other countries.

The US had announced its suspension following the arrest of a Turkish member of staff working at the US consulate in Istanbul.

The employee was remanded in custody by an Istanbul court late last Wednesday on accusations of links to the group of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for last year's failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's Justice Minister said he hoped the US would review its decision to suspend most visa services to Turkish citizens following the arrest.

But he said the decision to proceed with the case against the detained consulate worker was one for the Turkish judiciary to take.



"Trying a Turkish citizen for a crime committed in Turkey is our right. I hope the US will revise its decision in this light," Abdulhamit Gul told A Haber television.