How to Apply for a Turkey Tourist Visa: A Step-by-Step Guide
Your zest for traveling knows no bounds when it’s a matter of visiting a new country! And if the country in question is Turkey, know this for sure that you are signing up for a trip that is going to give you a lifetime of memories.
Brimming with culture, nature, and history, Turkey is a country that offers you all the pizzazz of being one of the most breathtaking places in the world. So, ready to book your flight to Turkey? Hold on a second! There is something more important - applying for a Tourist Visa! The country primarily offers a Turkey eVisa for tourists and a Sticker Visa for tourists. There is also a Visa on Arrival that we will discuss later.
Turkey has some places that are preserved well under UNESCO. From the spectacular Hagia Sophia to the Roman Ephesus to the coastal city of Antalya, Turkey truly has some of the world’s greatest wonders awaiting you! So, if the globetrotter in you is awake, get down to applying for an eVisa to Turkey and fly down to the country.
What Is a Turkey Tourist Visa? Do I Need One?
Except for the citizens of visa-waiver countries, everybody else wanting to visit the country has to acquire a Tourist Visa. The visa is basically your passport to kickstart exploring and signing up for adventure in this breathtakingly beautiful land. This official document is issued by the Turkish government and gives foreign nationals to gain entry access to the country.
Speaking of which, Turkey has announced 78 countries as visa-free nations. Citizens of visa-waiver countries can enter and stay in Turkey for 3 months. Russians do not need a visa and can stay here for up to 90 days, with not more than 60 days at one go. Citizens of Belarus, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Brunei, Macao, Latvia, Thailand, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan cannot exceed 30 days per visit, and 90 days per 6 months.
Individuals not belonging to the visa-waiver countries need to apply for a Tourist Visa to travel to Turkey. With the visa, they can:
- Go for sightseeing around the country
- Try out new restaurants and taste local cuisine
- Visit (but not participate in) fairs and exhibitions
- Stay with friends or family
Therefore, applying for a Tourist Visa is mandatory if you are planning a trip to Turkey. Citizens of most countries have to either apply for an eVisa to Turkey(which can be done online) or a sticker visa (which requires you to pay a visit to the Embassy). There is also the option of a Turkish Visa On Arrival, but that is only for a handful of countries.
The Tourist Visas are essentially of 2 types:
Single-entry visa
Having this visa will let you enter Turkey only once during the validity period, which is a time period of 90 days. Once you exit the country, there is no entering again on the same visa.
Multiple-entry visa
This option is convenient for those who may need to enter and exit the country quite a few times in a short timeframe.
Application Procedures for the Sticker and the eVisa
Citizens of most countries have to apply for either a sticker visa or an eVisa; VOA is not an option for most nationalities. If both eVisa and sticker visa options are available, people tend to apply for the eVisa, as the online application procedure makes it convenient and hassle-free.
eVisa
The Turkey eVisa for tourists can be applied on our online portal, right from the comfort of your home. The visa issuance time is quite quick, mostly within a few business days. Those eligible for an eVisa need not apply for a sticker visa anymore.
Ensure you have the following ready before you apply for an eVisa to Turkey:
- A passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your date of departure from Turkey
- Proof of intent to leave Turkey within visa expiry (return/onward flight booking details, proof of employment, etc.)
- Proof of hotel reservations or other accommodations
- Bank statements to ensure financial stability for the duration of your stay
The application procedure for the Turkey eVisa for tourists is simple as well and does not require days to get completed. All you have to do is visit our online portal and fill out the application form with the required details. You have to upload a digital copy of your passport-sized photograph. Once the form submission is complete, make the visa fee payment with a credit or debit card suitable for international transactions. You will receive the visa confirmation in just a few days in your email ID.
Sticker Visa
Those not eligible to apply for an eVisa to Turkey have to go about the long way of visiting the Embassy or Consulate and applying for a sticker visa. Considering you have to submit all documents physically, the procedure is a tad bit time-consuming and requires you to visit the Embassy quite a few times. This means that you have to apply for a sticker visa well in advance, a minimum of 30 days before you travel.
You need quite a few documents when applying for a sticker visa. Make sure to have them in person when visiting the Embassy.
- A passport with validity of the next 6 months
- Two passport-sized photographs, preferably taken in front of a white or lighter background
- A visa application form completed with the correct details given
- Travel itinerary along with hotel booking proof or any other accommodation address
- Round-trip flight reservation details
- Travel insurance covering your entire stay
- Bank statements of the last 3 months that suffice you have enough means to sustain your stay
- Receipt of the visa fee payment
Once you have all the documents collected in place, you now have to visit the Embassy to apply for the sticker visa. You can either have the visa application form downloaded or fill it out after visiting the Embassy. Make sure no documents are omitted. You have to pay a visa processing fee at the time of submission. You may also have to reappear after a few days if the consulate calls you for a round of visa interview. Once the visa is processed, you will be notified, and you have to collect the sticker visa from the Embassy.
Now Comes the Turkey Visa On Arrival!
Not many countries are allowed a VOA. Those getting a Tourist VOA can stay in the country for up to 90 days within a validity of 180 days.
Countries eligible for a Turkey VOA are:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Armenia
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Croatia
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Estonia
- Grenada
- Haiti
- Hong Kong
- Jamaica
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Saint Lucia
- Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Being eligible for a visa on arrival means there is no need to apply for one beforehand; you can get one after arriving at any one of Turkey’s international airports (Istanbul Airport, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Antalya Airport, Ankara Esenboğa Airport, and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport)
You need to have the following documents:
- Passport with 6 months validity from date of return
- Proof of financial means, provision of stay, and proof of intent to leave the country
- Cash or card to pay the visa fee
There may be a need for additional documents, depending on your nationality.
The procedure for obtaining a visa on arrival can be a little time-consuming. Show your passport to the immigration office once you reach the airport. You get a visa application form, fill it out, submit the required documents, pay the visa application fee, and wait for the officer to check the application and then affix the visa to your passport.
But when choosing to opt for the Turkey visa on arrival, exercise caution regarding carrying the right documents with you. Otherwise, if the application gets rejected due to any reason, there is no other option but to return to your home country.
So, Learnt Everything about the Turkey Tourist Visa?
If your heart is set on experiencing a cross between the East and the West, there is no better place to visit than Turkey! And so, you have to know about the Tourist Visa in detail. From applying for an eVisa to Turkey to visiting the Embassy to opting for the VOA, there are different ways of acquiring the Tourist Visa. If you belong to a nationality where Turkey eVisa for tourists is an option, come to our online portal right away and fill out the application. There is nothing more convenient than this!
For more queries regarding the Turkey Tourist eVisa, contact us!
Check your eligibility for Turkey Visa and apply for Turkey e-Visa 72 hours in advance of your flight. Australian citizens, Vanuatuan citizens, Sri Lankan citizens and Senegalese citizens can apply online for Electronic Turkey Visa.