Visa Applications at Points of Entry to the Republic of Turkey as of 11 April 2014 and Measures to be taken During the Transitional Period, 2/14/2014

In accordance with the new Law on Foreigners, the practice of obtaining visas upon arrival to points of entry to Turkey came to an end as of 11 April 2014.

Visas for touristic or business purposes can be obtained via the new Electronic Visa Application System (www.evisa.gov.tr). This system, which was launched in 2013, allows intending visitors to obtain their e-Visas in approximately three minutes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues efforts to strengthen the e-Visa system and to better enable foreign nationals to easily obtain their visas.

In this context, as of 11 April 2014;

- In addition to English, French, and Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, German, Arabic and Chinese language options will be added to the e-Visa system.

- In addition to Visa and Master Card, payment will be accepted from other commonly used credit cards and debit cards.

- Necessary arrangements will be made to allow foreign visitors to obtain e-Visas from authorized airline companies’ offices, including those companies’ offices in airports.

- Tour operators will be able to apply for group e-Visas and make lump sum payments for them.

- Fees for e-Visas obtained via the e-Visa website (www.evisa.gov.tr) will be lower than the fees for visas obtained upon arrival to Turkish airports. Information regarding visa fees can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.gov.tr).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to carry out these efforts in coordination with all relevant public authorities and private sector partners in order to make the transitional period as smooth as possible. It is our goal to eliminate waiting periods at Turkish airports. The new arrangements will be in service as soon as possible.