Türkiye & Istanbul Visa Requirements by Nationality: Visa-Free Countries, e-Visa Countries and Consular Visas

Türkiye welcomed more than 50 million visitors last year, and its visa policy is built for that: broad visa exemptions, an online e-Visa that takes ten minutes, and consular visas only for a minority of nationalities. This guide is organised the way immigration officers think about it — by passport. Visa rules are set by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and change; confirm on the official portal (evisa.gov.tr) or the consulate before you book non-refundable travel.

The three routes

Visa-free (90 days in any 180-day period unless stated)

• European Union and EEA: all 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland; plus the UK, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican.
• Balkans: Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova.
• Americas: USA and Canada (visa-free since December 2023), Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bolivia (60 days), Belize, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica.
• Gulf and Middle East: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar; Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Iran (90 days), Morocco, Tunisia, Libya (90 days).
• Asia: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei, Thailand (30 days), Indonesia (30 days), Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan (30 days), Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan (see note).
• Europe/Eurasia: Russia (60 days per visit, 90 in 180), Ukraine, Belarus (30 days), Armenia (e-Visa/visa-free depending on scheme).
• Africa: South Africa (visa-free since 2024 for ordinary passports, 90 days), Seychelles, Mauritius, Tunisia, Morocco.
• Oceania: New Zealand (90 days), Australia (e-Visa — see below).

Visa-free travellers need a passport valid at least 150 days from the date of entry (Turkish immigration applies a 60-day rule beyond the intended stay); some nationalities are admitted with 90 days' validity, but 150 days is the safe number.

e-Visa countries (apply online before travel)

• Australia (90 days, multiple entry), China (30 days), Taiwan, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Suriname, Fiji, Mauritius, Maldives, Bhutan.
• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya (some categories), Algeria (under 18 / over 35), Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon and many other African and Asian states — conditional e-Visa: you must hold a valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the USA, UK or Ireland, arrive on Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AJet or another approved carrier, and hold a return ticket and hotel booking. Without the supporting document you must apply at a consulate.
• Armenia, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica: unconditional e-Visa.

Consular visa

Nationals of countries not covered above — and conditional-e-Visa nationals who lack a supporting Schengen/US/UK visa — apply at a Turkish consulate or its outsourced visa centre with a passport, photos, bank statements (typically USD 50 per day of stay), flight and hotel bookings, travel insurance and, where applicable, an invitation. Processing takes 5–15 working days. DXB.IST provides the hotel and itinerary confirmation letters that consulates require.

The 90/180 rule and overstays

Visa-free and e-Visa stays are counted within a rolling 180-day window: a total of 90 days, however many trips. Overstaying attracts a fine calculated per day (roughly USD 10–20 per day on top of a base fee), payable at the airport on departure, and an entry ban of 1 month to 5 years depending on the overstay length — bans are enforced. For longer stays, apply for a short-term residence permit from inside the country before day 90.

Practical notes

• Official e-Visa site only: evisa.gov.tr. Copycat sites charge three times the fee and sometimes issue nothing.
• The e-Visa is linked to the exact passport number; a new passport means a new e-Visa.
• Children need their own e-Visa where applicable; under-18s travelling with one parent should carry a consent letter.
• Dual nationals: enter and leave on the same passport; use the passport that gives the better regime.
• Turkish citizens' Gulf-resident family members: Türkiye grants visa-free entry to UAE/GCC nationals regardless of residence status; expatriate residents of the Gulf follow their own passport's rule.
• Cruise passengers docking at Galataport for under 72 hours are admitted visa-free if they remain with the ship's tour.