What do you need to travel to Turkey?

Turkey is one of the most gorgeous countries in the world, and when you’ve got a stunning view and a beautiful culture like that, you simply can’t miss it. There are thousands of reasons that make Turkey a great place to travel. The people, the weather, the charm, and the breathtaking landscapes are just some of the things that will make you fall in love with the country.

Like any other country, Turkey has some requirements you must follow to enter the country. These include important documents, necessary procedures and even health SOPs. Don’t worry, we know it can be worrisome to figure everything out on your own, so here’s a detailed overview.

Requirements to visit Turkey

Passport

Passports are required for most international tourists who are on their way to travel to Turkey. Tourists are required to carry a passport which is valid for at least another six months after the date of entering the country.

Some countries and nationalities are exempted from carrying a passport and can carry their national identity cards instead. These include: Germany, France, Belgium, Georgia, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Greece, Ukraine, Portugal, Malta, Lichtenstein, and Northern Cyprus.

Visa

For the most part, all nationalities must have a visa. If you are travelling for tourism or business purposes you can obtain the visa online. This procedure saves queuing and long waiting hours, as well as any additional paperwork that may be required and not available when applying in person. If you have a Turkish tourist visa and you wish to extend its duration, you might be able to. Discover the requirements for extending a Tourist visa for Turkey here.

Furthermore, applying for a visa online is much quicker and easier. All you have to do is fill in an online form with your correct details. Once your application has been accepted, the agents will approve your visa within approximately 48 hours and send it to your email. The visa will be valid for 180 days from the issuing date and will allow you to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days, with the possibility of multiple entries.

All Turkish e-visas are strictly limited to tourism and business visits. That means that you can only travel with e-visas to Turkey for holidays, to visit family, establish business connections, attend seminars, etc.  Under no circumstances, you can go to look for employment or work.

Certain nationalities are exempted from Turkish visas or have special conditions. You can check the situation of your nationality here.

• Exempted Stay: 90 Days. Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South America, and neighboring nations to Turkey near the Atlantic Ocean are exempt from a visa and may stay up to 90 days.
• Exempted Stay: 60 Days. Russian citizens can stay in Turkey upto 60 days without a visa.
• Exempted Stay: 30 Days. Central America, Southeast nations and Turkmenistan don’t need a visa for a trip of 30 days.
• Multiple Entry e-Visa: 60 Days. Australia, South Africa, UAE, and Saudi Arabia are allowed a multiple entry e-visa for 60 days.
• Single Entry eVisa: 30 Days. China and Mexico are only allowed a single entry e-visa for 30 days.
• Conditional Visas. Conditional visas are for the majority of North Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India.

Things you need to know when travelling to Turkey

Vaccines

When Covid-19 hit, most countries introduced vaccines, Turkey being one of them. While there are currently no obligations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting the Covid-19, Hepatitis A & B, Rabies, Anthrax, Typhoid and Polio vaccines to travel to turkey. 

Currency

Turkey's currency is the Lira (TRY). In Turkey, 1 Lira= 100 kuruş (kurush). Turkey has bills of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200. The coins are  of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 liras.
The exchange rate will depend on when you go, as it does fluctuate; currently 1TRY is equivalent to 0.059 USD and 0.048 Pound sterling.

The best place to exchange currency in Turkey is at the exchange bureau; try to avoid local markets and hotels. Also try to avoid crippled notes, even if you’re handed them, since they won’t be accepted just anywhere.

Travel Insurance

It’s always best to get travel insurance, even if you know where you’re going is safe. Turkey may not be unsafe, but you can never predict incidents, and it’s best to be prepared. Travel insurance protects you from petty crimes, minor offenses, and lost luggage or documents. 

Security

Turkey is an extremely safe country for tourists. The only issues you can have is petty crime in tourist hot-spots like Istanbul and Ankara. Follow these tips and you will be okay:

• Be cautious in the tourist areas of Istanbul (Taksim, Osmanbey, Haciosman, Yenikapi) and in public transport, especially the underground, as pickpockets are frequent.   
• Avoid large concentrations of people.
• There is seismic risk in the area, so it is advisable to follow different protocols and remain calm if there is an earthquake. 

General tips for your trip to Turkey

• Travel during the months of March-April and August-November. Then you will avoid the crowd, the tourist price surge, and the extreme weather.
• It can be expensive to have data roaming services, so buy in Turkey a SIM card.
• Don't forget to visit Cappadocia!
• Turkey is blessed with gorgeous natural attractions like Pamukkale and Oludeniz. One visit, and you’ll fall in love!
• Busiest cities like Istanbul are best explored on foot. If you want to use public transport, buy an Istanbulkart from the airport.
• If you’re hoping to explore Istanbul in less than a week,here’s an ideal travel itinerary and guide!
• Taking photographs of military objects/areas is a crime.