# Visa policy of Turkey

The visa policy of Turkey deals with the requirements that a foreign national wishing to enter Turkey must meet to be permitted to travel to, enter and remain in the country.
Visitors to Turkey must obtain a visa from one of the Turkish diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the 95 visa-exempt countries and territories or one of the 22 countries and territories whose citizens are eligible to apply for an electronic visa. Turkish visas are documents issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its subsequent diplomatic missions abroad with the stated goal of regulating and facilitating migratory flows.
Visitors of most nationalities must hold a passport valid for no less than 150 days from the date of arrival. The passport validity requirement does not apply to citizens of Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland who can enter with a passport expired for less than five years, citizens of Germany who can enter with a passport or an ID card expired for less than one year, citizens of Bulgaria who are only required to have a passport valid for their period of stay. An identity card is accepted instead of a passport for citizens of Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Northern Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
The validity period requirement also does not apply to nationals of countries whose identity cards are accepted.
Even though Turkey is a candidate country for membership of the European Union, it has a more complex visa policy than the visa policy of the Schengen Area. Turkey requires visas from citizens of one EU member state (the Republic of Cyprus), as well as 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 can obtain electronic visas. On the other hand, Turkey grants visa-free access to citizens of other countries and territories – Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bahrain, Belize, Bolivia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Tunisia and Uzbekistan.

## Visa exemptions
### 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.
* Northern Cyprus$^{ID}$
| Albania$^T$  Andorra  Argentina  Azerbaijan$^{ID}$  Bahrain$^T$  Belize  Bolivia  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Brazil  Canada$^T$  Chile  Colombia  Ecuador  El Salvador  Georgia$^{ID}$  Guatemala  Honduras  Hong Kong  Iceland  Iran  Israel | Japan  Jordan$^T$  Kazakhstan  Kosovo$^T$  Kuwait  Kyrgyzstan  Lebanon$^T$  Liechtenstein$^{ID}$  Malaysia  Moldova$^{ID}$  Monaco  Montenegro  Morocco  New Zealand  Nicaragua  North Macedonia  Norway  Oman$^T$  Panama  Paraguay  Peru | Qatar$^T$  Saint Kitts and Nevis  San Marino  Saudi Arabia$^T$  Serbia  Seychelles  Singapore  South Korea  Switzerland$^{ID}$  Trinidad and Tobago  Tunisia  Ukraine$^{ID}$  United Arab Emirates  United Kingdom$^{T2}$  United States$^T$  Uruguay  Uzbekistan  Vatican City  Venezuela |
* Russia$^3$
| Brunei  Costa Rica | Indonesia$^T$  Macao$^T$ | Mongolia  Thailand |
* Belarus
$_{ID-MayenterwithanIDcardforastayofupto90daysper180-dayperiod.}$ $_{T-Visafreefortourismpurposesonly.}$ $_{1-EntrywithanIDcardinsteadofapassportisallowedforcitizensofBelgium,Bulgaria,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Italy,Luxembourg,Malta,theNetherlands,Poland,Portugal,RomaniaandSpain.}$ $_{2-Britishcitizensonly.}$ $_{3-Excludingjournaliststhatareonduty.}$

#### Conditional visa free access

* Algeria$^T$ $^1$
* Cyprus$^T$ $^2$
* Iraq$^T$ $^3$
* Libya$^T$ $^4$
$_{T-Onlyfortouristicvisits.}$ $_{1-Providedbeingundertheageof15orabovetheageof65.}$ $_{2-ProvidedresidinginNorthCyprusanddirectlyarrivingfromErcanInternationalAirport;orseaportsofFamagusta,Gemikonağı,orKyrenia.}$ $_{3-Providedbeingundertheageof15orabovetheageof50.}$ $_{4-Providedbeingundertheageof16orabovetheageof45.}$
* Date of visa changes
* 2 March 2020: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.
* 21 December 2021: Indonesia
* 23 December 2023: Bahrain, Canada, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United States.
* 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

#### 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.

### 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 180 days, unless otherwise noted:
| Albania$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Algeria$^D$ $^S$  Andorra$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Angola $^D$ $^S$  Argentina$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Azerbaijan$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Bahamas$^D$ $^S$  Bahrain$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Bangladesh$^D$ $^S$  Barbados$^D$ $^S$  Belarus$^1$ $^3$ $^D$ $^S$  Belize$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Bolivia$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Bosnia and Herzegovina$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Brazil$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Bulgaria$^1$ $^2$ $^D$ $^S$  Burkina Faso$^D$  Burundi$^D$  Cambodia$^2$ $^D$ $^S$  Chile$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  China$^D$ $^S$  Republic of the Congo$^D$  Costa Rica$^1$ $^2$ $^D$ $^S$  Cuba$^D$ $^S$  Djibouti$^D$ $^S$  Ecuador$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Egypt$^D$ $^S$  El Salvador$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Ethiopia$^D$  Fiji$^D$ $^S$  Gabon$^D$  Gambia$^D$ | Georgia$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Grenada$^D$ $^S$  Guinea$^D$  Guyana$^D$ $^S$  Honduras$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Indonesia$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Iraq$^D$ $^S$  Israel$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Ivory Coast$^D$ $^S$  Jamaica$^D$ $^S$  Japan$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Kenya$^D$ $^S$  Kosovo$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Kuwait$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Laos$^D$  Libya$^D$ $^S$  Maldives$^2$ $^D$ $^S$  Mali$^D$  Mauritania$^D$ $^S$  Mauritius$^D$ $^S$  Mexico$^D$  Monaco$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Mongolia$^1$ $^2$ $^D$ $^S$  Montenegro$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Mozambique$^D$ $^S$  Namibia$^D$ $^S$  New Zealand$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Niger  Nigeria$^D$  North Macedonia$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Northern Cyprus$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Oman$^1$ $^D$ $^S$ | Pakistan$^D$ $^S$  Palestine$^D$  Panama$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Paraguay$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Peru$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Philippines$^D$ $^S$  Qatar$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Russia$^1$ $^D$ $^{S2}$  Rwanda$^D$ $^S$  Saint Lucia$^D$ $^S$  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines$^D$ $^S$  San Marino$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Saudi Arabia$^1$ $^T$ $^D$ $^S$  Senegal$^D$  Serbia $^D$ $^S$  Sierra Leone $^D$ $^S$  Singapore $^1$ $^D$ $^S$  South Africa$^2$ $^D$ $^S$  South Korea$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  South Sudan$^T$ $^D$  Sudan$^T$ $^D$  Tajikistan$^D$ $^{S*}$  Tanzania$^D$ $^S$  Thailand$^D$ $^S$  Togo $^D$  Uganda$^D$  United Arab Emirates$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  United Kingdom$^1$ $^4$ $^D$  Vatican City$^1$ $^D$ $^S$  Vietnam$^D$ $^S$  Yemen$^2$ $^D$ $^S$  Zambia$^D$ |
$_{D-Diplomaticpassports}$ $_{S-Servicepassports}$ $_{S*-Forholdersofservicepassports,60dayswithinany180-dayperiod.}$ $_{T-Onlyfortouristicvisits.}$ $_{1-Visa-exemptingeneral.}$ $_{2-30dayswithinany180-dayperiod.}$ $_{3-30dayspervisit,90dayswithinany1-yearperiod.}$ $_{4-Britishcitizensonly.}$
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.

## Electronic visa (eVisa)

Holders of passports from the following countries and territories can apply and obtain an electronic visa (eVisa) for a fee before arrival. The duration of stay for these nationalities is up to 90 days (or 30 days per applications) within 180 days.
| Antigua and Barbuda  Armenia$^1$  Australia  Bahamas  Barbados British National (Overseas)  China  Cyprus$^1$ | Dominica  Dominican Republic  East Timor$^1$  Fiji$^1$  Grenada  Haiti  Jamaica  Maldives | Mauritius$^1$  Mexico$^1$ $^2$  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  South Africa  Suriname$^1$  Taiwan$^2$ |
$_{1-Mayonlyapplyforasingleentrye-Visaonwhichtheycanstayforupto30daysper180-dayperiod.}$ $_{2-e-Visasshallbeissuedfreeofcharge.}$

### Airport 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.
However, on 15 April 2024, airport transit visa requirements were introduced. Citizens of the following 10 countries are required to hold an airport transit visa (ATV) when transiting through any airport in Turkey when they bound to Mexico, Panama, Colombia, or Venezuela. Airport transit visa may be applied and granted electronically.
| Afghanistan  Burkina Faso  Cameroon  Chad  Guinea | India  Nepal  Mauritania  Somalia  Yemen |

### Conditional eVisa

Citizens of the following countries and territories are eligible to apply for a single entry eVisa on which they can stay for up to 30 days only if meeting the conditions listed below:
| Afghanistan  Algeria  Bangladesh  Cape Verde | Egypt  Equatorial Guinea  India  Iraq$^1$ | Libya  Pakistan  Palestine  Philippines | Senegal  Sri Lanka  Vietnam  Yemen |
$_{1-e-Visasareissuedfreeofcharge.}$
* Conditions
* All nationalities must hold a valid visa or residence permit from one of the following countries: Schengen area countries, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States. Electronic visas or e-residence permits are not accepted. Egyptian citizens who are under 20 or over 45 years old do not need to fulfill this requirement.
* All citizens except for the citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and the Philippines must travel with one of the airlines that has protocols with Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The following airlines meet the criteria: Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines. Citizens of Egypt may also travel on flights operated by EgyptAir.
* Must hold a hotel reservation and adequate financial means (50 USD per day).
* Algerian citizens must be aged below 18 or over 35 years old to be eligible for e-Visa. Otherwise, a sticker visa is required.

## Physical visa required in advance

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:
| Afghanistan  Algeria  Angola  Bangladesh  Benin  Bhutan  Botswana  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cambodia  Cameroon  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Cuba  Congo  DR Congo  Djibouti  Egypt  Eritrea  Eswatini | Ethiopia  Equatorial Guinea  Gabon  Gambia  Ghana  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Guyana  India  Iraq  Ivory Coast  Kenya  Kiribati  Laos  Lesotho  Liberia  Libya  Madagascar  Malawi  Mali  Marshall Islands  Mauritania | Micronesia  Mozambique  Myanmar  Namibia  Nauru  Nepal  Niger  Nigeria  North Korea  Pakistan  Palau  Palestine  Papua New Guinea  Philippines  Rwanda  Samoa  São Tomé and Príncipe  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Solomon Islands  Somalia  South Sudan | Sri Lanka  Sudan  Syria  Tajikistan  Tanzania  Togo  Tonga  Turkmenistan  Tuvalu  Uganda  United Kingdom: British Overseas Territories citizens British Overseas citizens British protected persons British subjects  Vanuatu  Vietnam  Yemen  Zambia  Zimbabwe |

## Visitor statistics

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).