turkish tourist visa duration

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Turkey Visa for Tourists: A Complete Guide

Updated: October 19, 2023

Turkey has a liberal visa policy offering visa exemption and e-visas to many nationalities. A Turkey visa is also quite easy to obtain from the embassy or an authorized agent. 

Turkey has introduced e-Visa to simplify its visa application process and replace its Visa on Arrival. Currently, 30 nationalities can obtain a Turkey e-Visa from the comfort of their homes. 21 nationalities can also obtain an e-Visa if holding a visa or residence permit from any Schengen country, US, UK or Ireland. 

Many nationalities from the African continent that were previously eligible for e-Visas were unfortunately removed from that list recently. They will now have to apply for a Turkey visa through a Turkish mission or an agent. 

Table of Contents

Turkey visa requirements by nationality.

Minimum passport validity to enter Turkey as a tourist

The passport validity is different for different nationalities. It also depends on whether you are visa-exempt or require a visa. 

For nationalities that are visa-exempt, the minimum passport validity required is 60 days beyond your “allowed period of stay” in Turkey. For some, it’s 90 days.

For those who require an e-Visa, VOA or visa from the embassy, the minimum passport validity required is 6 months from the day of arrival. For some, it’s 3 months beyond the validity of their visas.

So in general, you will be fine with 6 months of validity remaining your passport at the time of entering Turkey. 

VISA EXEMPT nationalities

90-day entry (total 90 days within any 180 days).

• Algeria (below 15 or above 65)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Czech Republic
• El Salvador
• Hungary 
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City

30-day entry (total 90 days within any 180 days)

• Turkmenistan

60-day entry (total 90 days within any 180 days)

30-day entry (total 30 days within any 180 days), visa on arrival eligible nationalities, 90-day, multiple-entry.

• Antigua-Barbuda
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• United States

30-day, multiple-entry

E-visa eligible nationalities.

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Dominican Republic
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• South Africa

30-day, single-entry

• Timor Leste

30-day, single-entry with a US, UK, Ireland or Schengen visa or residence permit

• Afghanistan
• Algeria (below 18 or over 35)
• Egypt (below 20 or 45 years)
• Equatorial Guinea
• Philippines
• Solomon Islands

CONSULAR VISA REQUIRED nationalities

• Burkina Faso
• Central African Republic
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Congo, Dem Rep of
• Guinea-Bissau
• Marshall Islands
• North Korea
• Papua New Guinea
• Congo, Rep. of
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Sierra Leone
• South Sudan

Turkey transit visa requirements

Transit visas are NOT REQUIRED for transiting through Turkish international airports. 

If you are not leaving the international transit area, then you do not require a transit visa. But if you have to leave the international transit area, or claim your bags, or change to a different airline, then you would require a transit visa. 

Turkey visa requirements for cruise passengers

A Turkey visa is NOT REQUIRED for cruise passengers for up to 72 hours. 

Cruise visitors are issued a Harbor City Entry Permit that’s valid for 72 hours and limited to the harbor city where the cruise arrived and its surroundings.

TURKEY VISA ON ARRIVAL

Turkey introduced its e-Visa system in 2013 with the intention of phasing out its Visa on Arrival. But VOA is still available and a few countries that are eligible for e-Visa are also eligible for obtaining VOA at international airports in Turkey. 

Even though the e-Visa takes only a few minutes to apply, the VOA fee is considerably lower than the e-Visa fee for certain nationalities. It makes sense to simply get a VOA instead of an e-Visa if you are eligible and the fee is lower. 

Validity of Turkey Visa on Arrival

Visa on Arrival is valid for 90 days, with multiple entries. Total stay cannot be more than 90 days in a 180-day period. 

How long can you stay in Turkey with Visa on Arrival

Turkey Visa on Arrival is valid for 90 days. That means, if you continue to stay in Turkey after you have obtained your Visa on Arrival, you can stay up to 90 days. But if you leave and come back, you can only stay until your Visa on Arrival expiration date. 

Also, your total stay in Turkey cannot exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. 

• Your arrival date in Turkey is March 10
• You obtained VOA on March 10
• Your visa is valid from 10 March 2022 to 08 June 2022 (90 days)
• After 45 days, on 24 April 2022, you left Turkey. 
• You entered Turkey again on 19 May 2022 using your previous VOA. You can only stay till 08 June 2022, which is 21 days. 

Visa on Arrival application process

The VOA process is quite quick at airports in Turkey. Right before the immigration or passport control, you will see a section called “Visa”. Stop by there and get your visa on arrival. 

For obtaining VOA, all you need is your passport and visa on arrival fee in USD, EUR or GBP. Some nationalities require a passport-size photo.

Documents required

You must present the following documents.

• Passport that’s valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival in Turkey
• Cash in USD, EUR or GBP for visa fee payment

The Visa on Arrival (VOA) fee starts from $30 and goes up all the way to $70 USD depending on nationality. Below is the Visa on Arrival fee for all eligible nationalities. 

Processing time

It usually takes a few minutes for the Visa on Arrival process. But it depends on how busy the Visa on Arrival section is.

TURKEY E-VISA

Turkey introduced its e-Visa portal in 2013 to help visitors obtain visas from the comfort of their homes. Today, 51 countries are eligible for Turkey e-Visa .

Of these 51 countries, 30 nationalities can apply for e-Visa with just their passports. And 21 nationalities can apply for an e-Visa only if holding a US visa , UK visa , Schengen visa or Ireland visa or a residence permit from any of those countries.

E-visa approval is immediate and it only takes 5 minutes to obtain the e-Visa. 

Validity of Turkey e-Visa

The validity of the Turkey e-Visa is 180 days from the “arrival date” that you’ve selected in your e-Visa application. 

E-Visas are either single-entry or multiple-entry depending on your passport. You must enter Turkey within the validity of your e-Visa. 

When to apply for e-Visa

You can apply for your Turkey e-Visa up to 3 months in advance. The latest you can apply is 48 hours. 

How long can you stay in Turkey on e-Visa

Depending on your passport, you can either stay up to 30 days or 90 days on an e-Visa. Your total stay cannot exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. 

E-Visa application process

Turkey e-Visa approval is immediate so there is no processing time. The application is quite simple, so it only takes about 10 minutes. You can pay the fee with a credit/debit card.

You will need the following documents.

• Original passport
• A valid visa from the US, UK, Ireland or Schengen (for those that require a supporting document)
• A credit or debit card for visa fee payment

Photo requirements

A photo is not required for the Turkey e-Visa application

The e-Visa fee varies from “no fee” to $77 USD depending on the passport. Below is the table for the current Turkey e-Visa fee.

There is no processing time for the Turkey e-visa as the approval is immediate. You can then save it as a PDF on your phone or print it to carry with you when you travel. 

Customer service

In case of questions on your visa status, you can contact the Turkey e-Visa authorities using their feedback form .

RELATED: How to apply for Turkey e-Visa – An easy step-by-step guide

TURKEY TOURIST VISA FROM THE EMBASSY/CONSULATE

Turkish tourist sticker visa can be obtained from your nearest Turkish embassy/consulate or through an authorized agent, depending on the country where you are applying from. 

For example, if you are applying from Indonesia or Georgia, you must apply at the Turkish embassy or consulate. If you are applying from India or Nepal, you must apply through an authorized agent. 

To figure out where to apply, simply start your application on the Turkey Visa Pre-application portal . The portal will tell you where to apply from. If you must apply from an agent, the portal will give you the details of the agent and their website. 

Validity of Turkey tourist visa

The validity of a Turkey tourist visa is up to 90 days from the day of the issue depending on the country. You can stay up to 90 days on such a visa, except for some countries where the stay granted is 30 days or less.

When to apply for Turkish tourist visa

You can apply for your Turkey tourist visa up to 3 months in advance. The visa processing takes up to 15 working days, so the latest you can apply is 30 days otherwise the embassy/consulate or the agent will not accept your application. 

How long can you stay in Turkey on a tourist visa

You can stay up to 90 days in Turkey on a tourist visa. Your total stay cannot exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. 

If you need to stay longer than 90 days, you would need to apply for a Short Term Residence Permit at your nearest immigration office. 

Tourist visa application process

You must start your application online on the Turkish Visa Pre-Application portal . If you qualify for an e-Visa, the portal will redirect you to the e-Visa website. If you need to use an agent, then the portal will provide you with the agent’s information and website. 

If applying online, you must fill out the application and make an appointment for an interview at the Turkish mission. After filling out the application form, you must download, print and sign it. You must carry your completed and signed application form, and copies of all the documents that were uploaded on the day of your appointment. 

The documents required for Turkish visa vary from country to country and also whether you would need to apply at the consulate or through an agent. 

You may need the following documents.

• A latest passport-size photo
• Flight reservation
• Hotel booking
• Employment letter
• Bank statements
• Health insurance

Apart from the above documents, some agents ask for the following as well.

• Property ownership
• Address proof
• Certified bank statements
• Income tax returns
• No objection certificate

For online applications, all documents must be in JPG, PNG or PDF format with a maximum of 2MB in size. 

The digital photo must be in JPG or PNG format and cannot exceed 2MB. If applying with an agent, the photo must be of passport size. 

The visa fee varies from country to country. The fee starts from $60 and goes up to $200.

The tourist visa processing time is 5-15 working days depending on the country, embassy or agent.

ENTRY AND EXIT PROCEDURE AT THE AIRPORT

Entering Turkey by air

After you arrive at the airport, walk towards passport control and baggage claim. 

At the immigration, present your passport, boarding pass and your Turkey e-Visa soft copy or print. 

The immigration officer may ask you a few questions about your trip such as whether it’s your first time in Turkey, how long you plan to stay, etc. You may be asked to show your return/onward ticket and your hotel booking.

If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, make sure to carry proof of your onward ticket .

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I entered Turkey at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul. I was asked to show my Turkey e-Visa. I showed my approved Turkey e-Visa PDF on my phone. No other questions were asked and my passport was stamped. 

Leaving Turkey by air

Leaving Turkey is a breeze. Simply present your passport and boarding pass at passport control. 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I left Turkey from Istanbul International Airport. I was not asked any questions. 

Turkey offers visa exemption, e-Visa and Visa on Arrival to many nationalities. A tourist visa from the embassy is necessary if you are not eligible for visa exemption, e-Visa or VOA.

About 30 nationalities are eligible for Turkey e-Visa. About 21 nationalities can also obtain an e-Visa if holding a visa or residence permit from any Schengen country, US, UK or Ireland. 

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

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