Turkey Travel Guide

Turkey — Passport and Visa Information

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Passports

Country	Passport Required	Visa Required	Return Ticket Required
British	Yes	2	Yes
USA	Yes	2	Yes
Canadian	Yes	2	Yes
Australian	Yes	2	Yes
Other EU	1	2/3/4	Yes

Nationals from the UK, EU, USA, Australia, Canada and all other countries require a passport to enter Turkey.

Visas

Visas are required, and are issued on arrival at all airports, sea and land entry points for a flat fee (£10 or 10 euros in 2010) payable in sterling, US dollars or Euros. A return ticket is not required.

Visa Note

(a) *British National Overseas passport holders should contact the visa section of the consulate general before traveling. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Important Addresses).

Validity

Tourist visas are valid for 90 days. However Turkish officials no longer allow holders to leave Turkey and return without further visa charges during that period.

Applications to:

Consulate (or consular section at embassy). Applicants must pre-book an appointment with the relevant consulate. An online appointment system is available for The Consulate General for the Republic of Turkey in London (www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/visa). Travel agencies can also make visa applications.

Working Days Required

Usually three, but dependent on nationality of applicant and type of visa. Some applications may be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, which may take much longer (minimum six to eight weeks).

Travel Warnings

Most visits are trouble-free. However, there is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey, and a number of terrorist groups remain active in the country. Terrorist attacks are regularly carried out against the security forces in the south east of the country by the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Travelers are advised against all but essential travel in the provinces of Hakkari, Sirnak, Siirt and Tunceli and visitors should remain vigilant when traveling in other provinces in south eastern Turkey. Terrorist attacks have also taken place against both government and civilian targets in major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, and tourist resorts on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. Improvised explosive devices (IED's) have been placed in crowded areas, restaurants, refuge bins, outside banks and hotels and on dolmus mini-buses and trains.

Al Qaida and other networks inspired by religious extremism have specifically targeted western interests in Turkey and there remains a global risk of attack from such groups.

Turkey's Kurds will celebrate 'Newroz', the Kurdish New Year which begins on Saturday 20 March and continues into Sunday. In the past, some Newroz demonstrations have been marred by violence, for example in and around the Taksim area of Istanbul, the coastal road into Istanbul from Ataturk airport and in the cities of south east Turkey where there are large Kurdish populations. Travelers are advised to be extra vigilance at this time and avoid these areas if possible.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Health Care

Turkey has a large health sector with high-standard private health-care available at reasonable cost in the main cities. In rural areas and the east of the country, health services are less developed. Many Turkish doctors and dentists speak a foreign language, particularly at major hospitals. Private health insurance is recommended.