Visa policy of Turkey

In this article, we will explore the topic of Visa policy of Turkey in depth, examining its origins, evolution, and relevance today. From its impact on society to its influence on various aspects of our daily lives, Visa policy of Turkey has generated a great deal of interest and debate among experts and enthusiasts alike. Over the next few pages, we will explore the many facets of Visa policy of Turkey, analyzing its implications in areas as diverse as science, culture, politics and economics. Through a detailed and exhaustive approach, this article aims to offer a complete and up-to-date view on Visa policy of Turkey, providing readers with a deeper understanding of its importance in the contemporary world.

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The visa policy of Turkey is the policy by which Turkish Government determines visa requirements for visitors to Turkey and those seeking to work, study or reside there.[1]

Anyone who does not have right of abode in Turkey (Turkish citizens and Turkish Cypriot citizens) requires entry permission to enter Turkey. "Visa nationals" must always obtain entry clearance by obtaining a visa in advance of travelling to Turkey from Turkish diplomatic mission responsible for area of their residency,[a] and "non-visa nationals" may travel as a visitor to Turkey for up to ninety days within any one-hundred-eighty-day period without a visa.[2]

Document validity requirements

Turkey requires visitors from all jurisdictions holding ordinary passports to have their documents valid for at least 60 days beyond the maximum duration of stay. For example, British citizens holding ordinary passports may be granted maximum 90-day duration of stay (within any 180-day period) without a visa. Thus their passports must be valid for at least 150 days when seeking entry into the country.[3]

Council of Europe treaties
See also: List of Council of Europe treaties

Under the European Agreement on Regulations governing the Movement of Persons between Member States of the Council of Europe, Turkey maintains special facilitations to citizens of some European countries.
Citizens of Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Northern Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine may use their ID cards in lieu of their passports to visit Turkey.[4][5][6]
Citizens of Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland may use ‘a passport expired for less than five years’, and citizens of Germany may use ‘a passport or an ID card expired for less than one year’ when entering Turkey.
Document validity requirements do not apply to citizens of countries holding specified documents above. These requirements do not apply to citizens of Bulgaria holding ordinary passports as well; they are only required to present valid passport for duration of stay.[7]
Even though the facilitations by Turkey mentioned above, these are not reciprocated by said European countries towards Turkish citizens except for Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Northern Cyprus, and Ukraine where Turkish citizens may visit with valid ID cards.

Comparison with the visa policy of the European Union
See also: Visa policy of the Schengen Area

Even though being a candidate member of the EU, Turkish and EU visa policies differ towards each other and third countries.[2] Turkey requires visas from citizens of Schengen Annex II countries and territories – Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, East Timor, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, and Tuvalu. However, citizens of most of these countries may apply for electronic visas.
On the other hand, Turkey grants visa-free access to citizens of Schengen Annex I countries and territories – Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bahrain, Belize, Bolivia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Tunisia, Uzbekistan as well as Northern Cyprus.[b]
Turkey does not require visas from citizens of the EU and EFTA members except for the Republic of Cyprus, whose citizens are required visas due to the Cyprus issue however they can apply for electronic visas or may be exempted from visa requirement under certain circumstances.
On contrary to facilitations provided to the European Union and EFTA citizens, EU and EFTA members still require visas from Turkish citizens unlike the other candidate members’ citizens.

Visa policy map

  Republic of Turkey
  Unlimited stay
  Visa not required (90 days and may enter with ID card)
  Visa not required (90 days)
  Visa not required (60 days)
  Visa not required (30 days)
  Visa not required (90 days - conditional)
  eVisa (30 days)
  eVisa (30 days - conditional)
  Visa required

Visa exemptions

Turkish entry passport stamp issued at Istanbul Atatürk Airport
Turkish exit passport stamp issued at Istanbul Atatürk Airport
Turkish entry and exit passport stamps issued at Istanbul Atatürk Airport

Ordinary passports

Citizens of the following countries and territories who hold ordinary passports do not require a visa to visit Turkey for the durations described below for tourism or business purposes (unless otherwise stated). For visits of up to 90 days within 180 days, an identity card is accepted instead of a passport for citizens of some countries. Visitors are not permitted to work and recourse to public funds.[2]

Unlimited stay

90 days within any 180 days

60 days, 90 days within any 180 days

30 days, 90 days within any 180 days

30 days, 90 days within any 1 year

ID - May enter with an ID card for a stay of up to 90 days per 180-day period.
T - Visa free for tourism purposes only.
1 - Entry with an ID card instead of a passport is allowed for citizens of Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.
2 - British citizens only.[14]
3 - Excluding journalists that are on duty.[16][17]

Conditional visa free access

90 days within 180 days[2]

T - Only for touristic visits.
1 - Provided being under the age of 15 or above the age of 65.
2 - Provided residing in North Cyprus and directly arriving from Ercan International Airport; or seaports of Famagusta, Gemikonağı, or Kyrenia.[1]
3 - Provided being under the age of 15 or above the age of 50.[18]
4 - Provided being under the age of 16 or above the age of 45.

  • A visa exemption agreement for holders of ordinary passports was signed with the Maldives on 28 January 2022, but it has not yet entered into force[26]
Cruise ship passengers

Passengers of cruise ships may be allowed to enter Turkey without a visa but with a visitor permit issued by officers of the docked port under authority of governor of respective city. Visitor permits shall be used to visit the port city only (and neighbouring cities depending on the permit) where the ship docked and the validity shall not be longer than seventy two hours.[27]

Non-ordinary passports

Under reciprocal agreements, holders of diplomatic or service passports or laissez-passers issued by the following jurisdictions are allowed to enter and remain in Turkey for up to 90 days in any 180 days, unless otherwise noted:

90 days within any 180 days

D - Diplomatic passports
S - Service passports
S* - For holders of service passports, 60 days within any 180-day period.
T - Only for touristic visits.
1 - Visa-exempt in general.
2 - 30 days within any 180-day period.
3 - 30 days per visit, 90 days within any 1-year period.
4 - British citizens only.

United Nations UN laissez-passer holders who have blue UN travel documents shall be exempted from entry visa requirement for their official visits to Turkey for up to 90 days in 180 days if they can certify their official assignment. Otherwise, general visa provisions shall apply.

Red UN Travel Document holders, shall be exempted from entry visa and may stay in Turkey for 90 days within the preceding 180 days regardless of their purpose of visit.[31][2]

Visa types

These are correct As of March 2025.[32]

Visitor visas

  • Touristic visit
  • Business meeting/Commerce
  • Conference/Seminar/Meeting
  • Festival/Fair/Exhibition
  • Sportive activity
  • Cultural artistic activity
  • Official visit
  • Transit visas
    • Single transit
    • Double transit
  • Visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus[e]

Official visas

  • Assigned for duty
  • Courier

Student visas

Work visas

  • Employment purpose/Special employment purpose
  • Assigned lecturers/academics
  • Assigned sportsperson
  • Assigned artists
  • Assigned free zone workers
  • Assigned journalists
  • Montage and repairman purposes

Other visas

  • Archaeological excavation, exploration purpose
  • Documentary purpose
  • Tour operator representative
  • Medical treatment purpose
  • Accompaniment purpose
  • Family unification purpose
  • Freight visa
  • Seafarer visa

Visa nationals

Visa nationals are citizens who need a visa to enter and transit through Turkey.
All visa nationals are required visas for landside transit; and some visa nationals are required visas also for airside transit depending on their final destination.

Airside transit

In general, a passenger who transits through one single airport in Turkey while remaining airside in the international transit area less than one day will not require a visa (transit privilege). This only applies if the transfer is possible without leaving the international transit area, which depends on the connecting flight and airport layout.[33]

Bound for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

On 15 August 2023, airport transit visa requirements were re-introduced.[34] Citizens of the following countries and territories are required to hold a double airport transit visa (ATV) when transiting through any airport in Turkey when they are bound for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Transit visas must be obtained from Turkish diplomatic mission responsible for the applicant’s area of residency:[35]


Bound for South America

On 15 April 2024, further airport transit visa requirements were introduced. Citizens of the following countries are required to hold an airport transit visa (ATV) when transiting through any airport in Turkey when they are bound for Mexico, Panama, Colombia, or Venezuela. Airport transit visa may be applied and granted electronically.[36]


Electronic visa (eVisa)

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
Elektronik Vizesi
Turkish electronic visa issued to an Indian citizen holding U.S. visa
URLevisa.gov.tr

Holders of passports from following countries and territories are required visas to enter Turkey. However they may apply for an electronic visa (eVisa) for short term visits. Electronic visas may be issued with duration of stay for up to 90 days with multiple entries (unless otherwise noted) in any 180 days. Visitors are not permitted to work and recourse to public funds.[2]

1 - May only apply for a single entry e-Visa on which they can stay for up to 30 days per 180-day period.
2 - eVisas shall be issued free of charge.


Conditional eVisa

Citizens of the following jurisdictions holding ordinary passports may apply electronic visa if they meet the conditions listed below. Citizens whose applications are approved shall be issued with electronic visas for single entry and for duration of stay up to 30 days. Visitors are not permitted to work and recourse to public funds.[2]

1 - e-Visas are issued free of charge.

Physical visa

A Turkish visa issued for AIESEC internship

Citizens of the following countries and territories are not eligible for any of the “Visa Free Access” or “Electronic Visa” schemes. Therefore they have to obtain the appropriate type of visa for their intended visits in advance at a Turkish diplomatic mission unless they qualify for any of the “Conditional Visa Free Access” or “Conditional Electronic Visa” schemes:[2][1][39]

Visitor statistics

Main article: Tourism in Turkey § Development of tourism

Turkey issued 16,199,968 electronic visas between April 2013 and January 1, 2017. The acceptance rate was 87.79% as 18,452,733 applications were filed in this period. Most visas were issued to nationals of the United Kingdom (4.6 million), Iraq (2 million) and the Netherlands (1.8 million).[40]

Historic visas

See also

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Turkey.

Notes

  1. ^ Certain visa nationals may apply for electronic visas.
  2. ^ European Union does not recognize the sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and it does not list the country on Appendix I or II. However some EU members accept Turkish Cypriot passport for visa applications primarily at their offices in North Nicosia.
  3. ^ a b Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have the right to enter, reside, study, and work indefinitely in Turkey without any immigration restrictions.[7]
  4. ^ For Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders
  5. ^ Applications for this type of visa are processed on behalf of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus where a Turkish Cypriot representation is absent but also for transit[citation needed] purposes.
  6. ^ Applications for this type of visa are processed on behalf of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus where a Turkish Cypriot representation is absent.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "From Rep. of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 21 July 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Passport Validity Requirements While Entering Turkey by Law on Foreigners and International Protection". Turkish MFA. Archived from the original on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  4. ^ Polonya Cumhuriyeti'nin Kimlik Kartı Hamili Vatandaşlarının Türkiye'ye Yapacakları Her 180 Gün İçinde Azami 90 Gün İkamet Süreli Turistik Amaçlı Seyahatlerinde ve Transit Geçişlerinde Vize Muafiyeti Sağlanması Hakkında Karar (PDF) (Cumhurbaşkanı kararı 5423) (in Turkish). President of the Turkish Republic. April 18, 2022. Archived 2022-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Bulgaristan Cumhuriyeti'nin Kimlik Kartı Hamili Vatandaşlarının Türkiye'ye Yapacakları Her 180 Gün İçinde Azami 90 Gün İkamet Süreli Turistik Amaçlı Seyahatlerinde ve Transit Geçişlerinde Vize Muafiyeti Sağlanması Hakkında Karar (PDF) (Cumhurbaşkanı kararı 5887) (in Turkish). President of the Turkish Republic. July 27, 2022. Archived 2022-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "CUMHURBAŞKANI KARARI (Presidential decision)" (PDF). 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  7. ^ a b "Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Türkiye with their national ID's / Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Mfa.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  8. ^ "MİLLETLERARASI ANDLAŞMA (International agreement)" (PDF) (in Turkish). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Visa exemption for 6 countries" (PDF).
  10. ^ "From Rep. Of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Archived from the original on 2016-07-16. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  11. ^ "Cumhuriyet haber verir... Son dakika haberler ve doğru haberin sitesi". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  12. ^ "Sırbistan ile Türkiye arasında kimlikle geçiş uygulaması". 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  13. ^ "Türkiye'den 6 Avrupa ülkesine vize muafiyeti". NTV. 2020-02-20. Archived from the original on 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  14. ^ a b "Visa Information For Foreigners". Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  15. ^ "Visa and Passport Information Results | Visa and Passport | Emirates".
  16. ^ "Turkey Introduces Visa Regime for Russian Journalists". themoscowtimes.com. 4 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Türki̇ye, Hi̇zmet Pasaportu Hami̇li̇ Rusya... – T.C. Moskova Büyükelçiliği-Посольство Турции Москва-Turkish Embassy Moscow". Facebook. 2016-04-18. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  18. ^ "Bakan Fidan duyurdu: Irak'a vize serbestisi başlıyor". Cumhuriyet (in Turkish). 15 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  19. ^ https://www.milliyet.com.tr/tatil/sirbistana-vize-kalkti-1323287
  20. ^ "Türkiye'den 11 ülkeye vize muafiyeti". NTV. 2020-03-02. Archived from the original on 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  21. ^ "Cumhurbaşkani karar" [Presidential decision] (PDF). www.resmigazete.gov.tr (in Turkish).
  22. ^ "Turkey's New Visa Exemption for Canadians and Americans". Gaba Travel Blog. 6 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Turkey grants visa exemption to citizens of six countries, including the United States and Canada". VisaIndex.com.
  24. ^ https://www.airturkhaber.com/haberler/turkmenistana-vize-muafiyeti-kaldirildi/
  25. ^ https://www.turizmguncel.com/haber/tacikistan-vatandaslarina-uygulanan-vize-muafiyeti-kaldirildi
  26. ^ "Maldives, Turkey to sign agreement to facilitate visa-free travel to Turkey". Archived from the original on 2022-01-31. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  27. ^ "Vize Genel Bilgileri / T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı".
  28. ^ a b "MİLLETLERARASI ANDLAŞMA (International agreement)" (PDF) (in Turkish). 2021-10-16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-10-17.
  29. ^ "200305-6.pdf" (PDF). 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  30. ^ "CUMHURBAŞKANI KARARI (Presidential decision)" (PDF). 2020-11-25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-03-06. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  31. ^ "General Information About Turkish Visas". mfa.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  32. ^ General information about Turkish visas
  33. ^ https://www.mfa.gov.tr/frequently-asked-questions.en.mfa
  34. ^ https://www.kibrisgenctv.com/icisleri-bakanligi-transit-vize-uygulamasi-kktcnin-gelecegi-acisindan-onemli
  35. ^ Announcement regarding 3rd country citizens planning to travel to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) via Türkiye – Turkish Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  36. ^ "Foreign Ministry applies visa requirements for citizens of 10 countries traveling to South America via Türkiye". 8 April 2024.
  37. ^ Must be below 18 or over 35 years old.holding valid visa or residence permit issued by Schengen area countries, Ireland or the United Kingdom
  38. ^ "Electronic Visa Application System". Electronic Visa Application System. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  39. ^ "Pre-Application System for Turkish Sticker Visa". Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  40. ^ "Turkey issued over 16 million online visas since 2013". dailysabah.com. 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.