“Everyone has seen the images of the devastating earthquake,” de Moor said in a statement. “Many Belgians have family in the affected regions and would like to help their relatives. They look at how they can accommodate family members at their home. I have therefore instructed the Immigration Office to process visa applications more quickly for people from the affected regions. In this way we help families who want to come to the rescue.”
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In the meantime, Foreign Affairs is still trying to reach 24 Belgians. It concerns 23 compatriots in Turkey and one in Syria. The local police in Belgium are trying to contact their relatives. If they do hear anything, the missing can be taken off the list. In the past 24 hours, five names could be deleted.
However, the actual number of Belgian missing persons may be even higher because not everyone registers at an embassy or consulate.