Most international travelers need an entry permit to visit Turkey. We explain Turkey's visa types and which countries are exempt from the visa and e-Visa requirements.
If you plan a trip to Turkey, you will need a visa, an electronic travel authorization, or a complete waiver of all visa requirements.
More than 100 countries are granted the use of the simple e-Visa for traveling to Turkey, while nationals from around 40 countries must apply for a proper visa at Turkey's diplomatic missions abroad.
An e-Visa is an electronic entry permit that replaces the classic visa issued by Turkish embassies. The key advantages of the online procedure are the speed of the application process as well as the lower costs.
Travelers from eligible e-Visa countries can use the travel permit to stay in Turkey for between 30 and 90 days (depending on their nationality) for tourism or business purposes.
However, some of these e-Visa countries are considered "Conditional." That is, the approval of a Turkey visa is subject to certain conditions. For example, some travelers must be in possession of a visa for the Schengen area, Ireland, the UK, or the USA, or fly with certain airlines in order to be eligible to apply for the Turkish e-Visa.
Hotel reservations and proof of sufficient funds must also be provided by some e-Visa applicants from "conditional" e-Visa countries.
Of all the countries that have e-Visa eligibility for Turkey, some are considered "conditional." That is, travelers must simultaneously hold a valid visa for the Schengen area, the US, Ireland, or the UK. This applies to Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Cape Verde, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, India, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Yemen.
Travelers from "conditional" countries (except Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines) must enter Turkey on an airline that has a protocol with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (e.g., Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, or EgyptAir for Egyptian nationals).
In addition, all travelers from "conditional" e-Visa countries must have hotel reservations and sufficient funds for their stay when entering Turkey. The rule of thumb here is $ 50 per day.
Nationals of many countries and regions do not need a visa or an e-Visa to travel to Turkey. Instead, they can enter the country for 30, 60, or 90 days with a valid passport and, in some cases, even with just an ID card. These regions include:
|
Turkey without visa: eligible citizens |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Albania1 |
Andorra |
Argentina |
Austria |
|
Azerbaijan |
Belarus |
Belgium |
Belize |
|
Bolivia |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Brazil |
Brunei Darussalam |
|
Croatia |
Czech Republic |
Denmark |
Ecuador |
|
El Salvador |
Estonia |
Finland |
France |
|
Georgia |
Germany |
Greece |
Guatemala |
|
Honduras |
Hong Kong |
Hungary |
Iceland |
|
Indonesia |
Iran |
Ireland |
Israel |
|
Italy |
Japan |
Jordan1 |
Kazakhstan |
|
Kosovo1 |
Kuwait |
Kyrgyzstan |
Latvia |
|
Lebanon1 |
Liechtenstein |
Lithuania |
Luxembourg |
|
Macau |
Malaysia |
Malta |
Moldova |
|
Monaco |
Mongolia |
Montenegro |
Morocco |
|
Netherlands |
New Zealand |
Nicaragua |
North Macedonia |
|
Northern1 Cyprus |
Norway1 |
Panama |
Paraguay |
|
Peru |
Poland |
Portugal |
Qatar1 |
|
Romania |
Russia2 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
San Marino |
|
Serbia1 |
Seychelles |
Singapore |
Slovakia |
|
Slovenia |
South Korea |
Spain |
Sweden |
|
Switzerland |
Tajikistan |
Thailand |
Trinidad and Tobago |
|
Tunisia |
Turkmenistan |
Ukraine |
United Kingdom1 |
|
Uruguay |
Uzbekistan |
Vatican City |
Venezuela |
1 Travelers from Albania, Serbia, the United Kingdom, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Northern Cyprus, Qatar, and Norway may enter without a visa for tourist purposes only.
2 Travelers from Russia cannot be journalists and can only stay in Turkey for 60 days if they want to enter without a visa
Travelers from Algeria who are younger than 15 years or older than 65 years and travelers from Libya who are younger than 16 years or older than 55 years are also allowed to travel to Turkey without a visa.
If you want to travel to Turkey on an e-Visa, you must meet additional requirements besides being a citizen of one of the countries approved for e-Visa. These include:
The officials could place other conditions on you during the online application process and entry, depending on your nationality. These include:
Each person traveling with you to Turkey requires a separate e-Visa. Thus, you must also submit an application for all children accompanying you.
This works easiest via a family request, where you can add up to ten members in the online application. For this, all family members must have the same nationality and travel to Turkey for the same reason.
Applying for your e-Visa for Turkey will take between ten and fifteen minutes on the e-Visa application page of our partner iVisa. Please have your passport, your personal data, including your home address, the names of your parents, and a valid email address ready. In the case of a group application, you will also need all this data from your fellow travelers.
Fill out the application form truthfully and check your information again before sending it. Especially with regard to your passport data, you have to be precise because, in case of discrepancies in the name or the passport number, you will not be able to enter the country despite an approved e-Visa.
You will receive an email with your reference number. Keep this number and a copy of your confirmation in your travel documents.
An e-Visa for Turkey is valid for 180 days but not longer than the end of the validity of your passport. Within these six months, you can enter Turkey for 90 days (or 30 days, depending on nationality) at a time.
Please note that the date of entry indicated in your e-Visa application is binding. If the date of your entry changes subsequently, you must submit a new application.
With an approved e-Visa, you may vacation in Turkey, visit friends and relatives, and conduct business (e.g., attend meetings and conferences).
Note, however, that you may not pursue professional employment or study in Turkey. For this purpose, you would need a work visa or student visa.
If your Turkish e-Visa has been rejected, you may not be told why. Most often, the causes are spelling mistakes, number errors in the application, or insufficient passport validity. Also, suspicion of planned illegal immigration or endangerment can be a reason for e-Visa rejection.
If you suspect the reason for your rejection to be an error, you can fix it and reapply no sooner than 24 hours after the rejection. However, if the reason might be in your biography, you should rather apply for a classic visa at the embassy or consulate instead of making a new e-Visa application.
At the Turkish border, the responsible border officials will take a close look at you and check the data from your e-Visa application once again. Depending on your nationality and personal appearance, you may be required to provide additional documents upon entry.
To be on the safe side, have the following documents ready:
The border official makes the final decision about your entry into Turkey. Therefore, keep a calm attitude during the interview and answer directly and truthfully.
Please observe the current entry regulations when entering Turkey, including all safety instructions.
Find out about the exact import regulations for Turkey before you enter the country.
Do you have further questions about the Turkey visa? Then you will find answers in our FAQ:
You should apply for an e-Visa for Turkey at least 48 hours before your trip. However, it is even safer if you apply right after booking your flight and hotel.
Once approved, an e-Visa for Turkey is valid for a total of 180 days from the date you specify as your start date. The last day of validity of your e-Visa must also be the latest day you leave Turkey.
If you notice before your trip that your e-Visa will no longer be valid beyond the duration of your stay in Turkey, then you must apply for a new e-Visa before your trip.
If you are a national of one of the countries exempted from the visa or e-Visa requirement, you can enter Turkey with a passport or (depending on your nationality) even an identity card. Nationals of more than 100 countries are exempt from the classic visa requirement but need an e-Visa to enter the country.
If you are traveling to Turkey on an e-Visa, you are not allowed to pursue any professional employment there. You will need a purpose-built visa approved by the Turkish embassy for anything beyond tourist or short business trips.
You are not allowed to study in Turkey with an e-Visa. If you plan to attend an educational institution in Turkey, then you must apply for a student visa at the Turkish embassy. You can get more information about the available visa categories for Turkey on the Turkish government website.
If the e-Visa for private and business trips to Turkey is not enough for you because you are planning a longer stay, you can choose between different visa categories offered by the Turkish embassy. These include:
Whenever you travel to Turkey, make sure to stick to the purpose of your visa to avoid any hassle with the Turkish authorities.
If you are only making a stopover in Turkey and will not be leaving the airport's transit area, then you do not need a transit visa. Otherwise, please apply for an e-Visa or visa.
If you wish to extend your stay in Turkey beyond the validity period of your e-Visa, you must apply for an extension at the relevant authorities in Turkey (e.g., immigration, police, or embassy). It is important that you follow the legal requirements for extending your stay and ensure that you have the necessary documentation.
Your passport must be valid for at least 60 days after your arrival in Turkey if you wish to enter the country on an e-Visa. If your passport expires within this period, you should renew it or apply for a new e-Visa with your updated passport information before entering Turkey.
E-Visa fees are generally not refundable, even if your travel plans change or your e-Visa application is rejected. It is important that you review your application carefully before submitting it and ensure that all information is correct to avoid any potential problems.
If your e-Visa application is rejected, you may not be given specific reasons for the rejection. Common reasons include errors in the application information or not having a valid passport. If you believe the rejection was due to an error, you have 24 hours to reapply. If the application is still rejected, it is advisable to contact the Turkish embassy or consulate. If the reason is due to your personal background, you may need to apply for an ordinary residence visa.
The processing time for an e-Visa to Turkey can vary, but it usually takes only a few days. However, it is recommended that you apply well in advance of your planned travel to avoid any unforeseen delays during the application process.
Travelers from most countries can only apply for a single entry e-Visa. Once you leave Turkey, the e-Visa becomes invalid, and you will need to apply for a new visa if you wish to re-enter Turkey. Exceptions are highly dependent on the very dynamic political situation between Turkey and other countries. For example, in 2023, travelers from China can apply for a Turkey e-Visa for multiple entries.
If you overstay your Turkey e-Visa, you may be subject to fines, deportation, or other legal consequences. To avoid these problems, you should leave Turkey before your e-Visa expires.
The e-Visa must be applied for before you travel to Turkey, as you must already be in possession of a valid e-Visa when you arrive at the border.
You can apply for an e-Visa for another person, such as a family member or friend, as long as you have the required information and travel dates for that person.
The e-Visa for Turkey is designed for tourists and short business trips. If your purpose of travel is for medical treatment, you will need to apply for a special visa. It is recommended that you contact the Turkish Embassy or Consulate for detailed information on travel for medical reasons.
Your e-Visa to Turkey will be issued based on the purpose of your original application. If you wish to change the purpose of your trip, you must apply for a new e-Visa with the appropriate purpose before entering Turkey.
An e-Visa for Turkey only entitles you to enter Turkey. If you plan to visit other countries from Turkey, you should make sure that you have the necessary visas or permits for those countries before you travel.
Yes, e-Visas can be applied for individuals, families (minimum 2 and maximum 10 people), and groups (minimum 10 and maximum 300 people). Each traveler needs their own e-Visa. This includes babies and children who are registered in the parent's passport.
No. Once an e-Visa has been issued, the information cannot be changed. If the information does not match, the e-Visa will be invalid, and you will need to apply for a new one.