Travelling to Turkey? Important changes to visa requirements

Turkey is due to implement changes to its visa system this spring which will mean travellers will be turned away unless they have applied for a visa in advance.

From 10 April 2014 it will not be possible to get a visa on arrival in Turkey. If you are arriving in Turkey after that date you will need to obtain a visa online before you travel.

Previously travellers could buy a visa once they landed in Turkey, but now they must have purchased a visa from the Turkish government website (evisa.gov.tr) first.

Cruise ship passengers with ‘British Citizen' passports entering the country for a day trip, remaining in the port of embarkation and returning to the ship the same day will continue to be able to enter Turkey without a visa or e-visa.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is warning holidaymakers to be wary of unauthorised sites which may charge for information about e-visas, and for submitting applications. These websites are not endorsed by or associated with the Turkish government.

Although this change in the Turkish visa system means that you need to be more organised before you travel, the good news is that it should help cut down the queues which many travellers experience when they arrive in Turkey.

If you are travelling to Turkey, whether for business or pleasure, make sure you have travel insurance in place.

Get a travel insurance quote now >>

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