Learn whether or not you need a Turkish e Visa for your business or leisure travels with the help of this guide. We also have information about the sticker visa.
The Turkish e Visa has been introduced to make it more convenient for most individuals who plan to tour and do business in the country to apply for one. The different types of eVisas are based on the number of maximum days and frequency of visit you’re qualified for. What type you’ll need would usually be based on your country of citizenship or residency.
Turkish e Visa: The different types
Turkey continues to expand their list of those who can apply for an electronic visa. That is especially since they belong to the UNWTO’s (UN World Tourism Organisation) list of the 10 most visited countries. Below is the list of countries whose citizens can apply for a single entry, conditional, or multiple entry eVisas, as of writing.
30-Day Single Entry Visa
Citizens of the following countries can stay in the country for a maximum number of days indicated on their approved electronic visa for Turkey:
● Armenia
● China
● East Timor
● Fiji
● Indonesia
● Mexico
● Mauritius
● Suriname
● Taiwan
60-To 90-Day Multiple Entry Visa
As with any multiple entry visa, there is a specific number of times you can enter the country and how many days you can stay for each visit. The general rule is as follows:
● 90-Day: 30 to 60 days per visit
● 60-Day: 30 days per visit
With that in mind, citizens or permanent residents of the following countries are qualified to apply for a multiple entry visa:
● Austria
● Australia
● Antigua and Barbuda
● Bahrain
● Barbados
● Bahamas
● Croatia
● Canada
● Dominica
● Dominican Republic
● Grenada
● Haiti
● Ireland
● Jamaica
● Kuwait
● Maldives
● Norway
● Oman
● Poland
● Santa Lucia
● South Africa
● Saudi Arabia
● St Vincent & the Grenadines
● UK
● UAE
● USA
Conditional 30-Day Single Entry Visa
On the other hand, you’ll only get granted a business or tourist e Visa Turkey for up to 30 days if you’re a national from the following countries and meet specific or conditional requirements:
● Angola
● Algeria (18 to 35 years old only)
● Afghanistan
● Benin
● Bhutan
● Burundi
● Botswana
● Burkina Faso
● Bangladesh
● Chad
● Comoros
● Cambodia
● Cameroon
● Cape Verde
● Côte d’Ivoire
● Central African Republic
● Djibouti
● DR Congo
● Egypt
● Eritrea
● Ethiopia
● Equatorial Guinea
● Ghana
● Gabon
● Guinea
● Gambia
● Guinea-Bissau
● India
● Iraq
● Kenya
● Libya
● Liberia
● Lesotho
● Mali
● Malawi
● Mauritania
● Madagascar
● Mozambique
● Nepal
● Niger
● Namibia
● Nigeria
● Pakistan
● Palestine
● Philippines
● Rwanda
● Republic of the Congo
● Sudan
● Somalia
● Senegal
● Sri Lanka
● Swaziland
● Sierra Leone
● Solomon Islands
● São Tomé and Príncipe
● Togo
● Tanzania
● Uganda
● Vietnam
● Vanuatu
● Yemen
● Zambia
● Zimbabwe
Additionally, North Korean nationals or citizens with a valid Schengen country, UK, or Ireland residence permit or visa can apply for the 30-day single entry business or tourist eVisas.
e Visa Turkey: Who doesn’t need it
If your country doesn’t belong to the list above, then don’t worry since you might not actually need an eVisa to enter Turkey for your business or leisure needs. Of course, there are limitations to this, especially in terms of the maximum number of days you can stay and how often you can enter within a certain period.
Nationals from certain countries
Citizens and permanent residents of countries belonging to the Russian Federation can enter Turkey visa-free. That is for a maximum of 60 days per visit and 90 days within six months.
Meaning, you can visit the country twice or thrice within six months. For example, 30 days for every entry if you visit the country three times within six months. Or 60 days for one visit and 30 days during the second visit.
On the other hand, you can enter Turkey visa-free for a maximum of 90 days within the six-month period if you’re a national of Costa Rica, Brunei, Belarus, Mongolia, Macau, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. Regarding the maximum number of days you’re allowed to stay for every visit, that is 30.
Cyprus citizens
Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can only visit the country without an eVisa for Turkey if they arrive directly from the Ercan International Airport or Famagusta, Karavostassi, or Kyrenia seaports. If you’re qualified, you can stay in Turkey for up to 90 days.
You can also divide those days. For example, you can stay for 30 days during your first visit and then 60 days on the second, as long as it falls within six months from the first visit.
Libya citizens
If you’re a Libyan national whose 12 years old and younger or 65 years old and older, you can stay for up to 90 days in Turkey visa-free. Similar to Cyprus citizens, you can also distribute the 90 days to the six-month allowable period.
National ID card or passport holders of certain countries
Citizens or residents of the following countries can present their national IDs and/or passports when visiting Turkey for business and leisure:
● Belgium
● France
● Greece
● Georgia
● Germany
● Italy
● Malta
● Liechtenstein
● Luxembourg
● Portugal
● Palestine (VIP passport only)
● Spain
● Switzerland
● The Netherlands
Apart from entering Turkey without an eVisa, some of you have other benefits to enjoy, such as:
● Five-Year Expired Passport: If you’re a national from France, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland, you can still enter Turkey as long as the expiry date isn't more than five years ago.
● 10-Year Expired Passport and/or ID: If your German national ID and/or passport expired about 10 years ago or less, you can still enter Turkey visa-free.
If you belong to this list, your allowable maximum stay per visit is 90 days. Like the others, you can distribute it within the six-month validity period.
The Sticker Visa: An overview
Now, what if you plan to tour or have business matters to attend to in Turkey, but you’re not qualified for an eVisa or a visa-free entry? In this case, you should apply for a sticker or regular tourist visa. Expect that both the application and approval time will take longer than the eVisa process.
Generally, the sticker visa application involves the following steps:
1. Fill out the online application form. Note that the list of countries eligible for an eVisa for Turkey gets updated. As such, the consular website made sure that their system informs the applicant that they’re eligible for an eVisa after providing the initial information.
2. Make a note of the additional documents you need to prepare and the date and time of your visa interview.
3. Proceed to the Turkish embassy or consulate on the day of your visa interview, ensuring you have all the required documents at hand.
Turkish e Visa: In conclusion
The type of eVisa you would need to tour Turkey or attend to business matters is already determined by the country of your residency or citizenship. The same goes with the maximum days and the frequency of visits within the standard validity period (six months or 180 days).
While some of you not included in the eVisa list can enter visa-free, others need to apply and get approved for a sticker visa. Since getting one takes longer, always make sure you apply for a visa a few months before your planned trip.
