More on Turkey Visa on Arrival for Indians

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Update – 13 Nov 2013 Looks like the Visa on Arrival has been replaced by an e-visa that has to be obtained at least 24 hrs before arriving in Turkey. https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

Old post:
I have been getting questions about visa on arrivals for Indians in Turkey. While I don’t have personal experience in this matter, I can only quote official sources.

Here is what CIBT have to say:

The traveller must:
* Hold a valid UK, Schengen or USA visa
* Hold the minimum of US$50.00 in cash on entry, per day of stay
* Hold a passport valid at least six months on entry with one blank visa page
* Hold proof of sufficient funds
* Hold proof of onward/return flights
* Hold all documents required for the next destination

Here is what the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to say:

India: Diplomatic passport holders are exempt from visa for their travels to Turkey up to 90 days. Ordinary, Special and Service passport holders are required to have visa to enter Turkey. Ordinary, Special and Service passport holders with a valid Schengen, UK or US visas may get their one month single entry visas at the Turkish border gates upon their arrival.

I hope this helps!

If you have personal experience with VOA in Turkey, please comment on this post

29 thoughts on “More on Turkey Visa on Arrival for Indians”

  1. I hope this helps all those anxious souls who are searching for answers, and its not easy to find. I have a personal experience of getting such a Visa on Arrival at Istanbul airport on 8th April 2012. The conditions listed above are all accurate; they also ask for hotel reservation proof.One has to find the sign, next to Passport Control "Fast Track", that asks one to stand in line & give your passport to the officer, who will ask why you wish to stay, return ticket & hotel reservation, besides funds availability. He then gives you a receipt…take this to the counter marked VISA ( dont go there 1st); make the payment there–its US $ 20, and then give that receipt to the Officer..he stamps the Visa & then you can stand in line for Passport control. The whole process takes 15 mins avg. time

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  3. Hi Thanks for the helpful insights – when you say proof of sufficient funds, do you mean we need to carry our bank statements with us or the mandated $50 per day per person will suffice? Also did you need a photo?ThanksSeema

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  4. Seema – unfortunately I only have what the website says to go by. I don't have personal experience with Turkey.Readers, please comment if you have personal experience!

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  5. HI, Last year i traveled to Turkey. I am an Indian passport holder with valid Schengen & US biz visas and UK tier 2 work permit. First of all…the whole airport scene out there is like a sarkari office, no one really knows the rules or the latest updates. So please dont sit around (or stand in any visa line)waiting to be served. You will need to ask some airport staff what u need to do with your Indian passport…My experience was there IS visa on arrival but the cost varies depending on what additional visas you hold (this is not stated anywhere on any website/doc etc). My colleague showed his indian passport and Uk work permit and he needed to pay 230 GBP for his turkish visa (yes! 230 GBP). Most VOAs pay around 20 euros except Canadians who are charged $200 (god knows the turks are pissed off at them!) I could also do the same, but i showed my Schengen visa and i paid 20 euros! I didnot need to show any bank statements or hotel stays. Also they take payment only in US$, euros or credit cards (VISA only), no GBP.The VOA is only for Indians who also hold a UK/Schengen/US visa. Best is to ask the Turkish embassy for latest updates. If you have time, the best thing to do is apply for a visa at the embassy before travel – saves you a lot of hassle. I spent almost 2 hours going from 1 line to another and made to stand with refugees from Iraq :p.ThanksRia

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  6. Hi, came back from Istanbul a few days back [3rd Sept 2012] after going there for a few days.I had/have a valid Schengen Visa, Turkish Visa is given On-arrival [single entry, valid for 30 days]. I paid total 45 Euros for myself and 2 of my friends with whom I had travelled, so 15 Euro per person.There is a Passport Control 2 section[, no longer near Fast Track now as mentioned above in Comment 1] where you will have to produce your passport, a receipt will be given to you informing you the amount to be paid. After you pay the amount in the Visa counter which is right next to the Passport Control 2 section, you will be given the visa, the whole procedure is almost same as mentioned by Anonymous in Comment #1.I was only asked about hotel accomodation. Although the people in front of me were asked about the amount of money they have.

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  11. Actually i have a friend who visited Istanbul and saw the list of countries eligible for visa on Arrival and Indians are on the list After enquiry at immigration. all you need to have his US/UK/Schengen VisaReturn flight/Onward flight ticketsAddress detailsSome cash in $ or EuroYou are good to goI personally going to travel may end and will share my experience

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  13. hi,I am planning to visit Turkey on 12th June 2013. After Turkey I will be going to Switzerland on 14th June. As I will be arriving in Switzerland on 14th June 2013 my Schegen Visa starts from 14th June 2013. This Visa was issued to me on 15th April 2013. Is this Schengen Visa legitimate to get e-Visa for Turkey from 12th June 2013.

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  15. Folks, I'm at Istanbul airport as I write this. I have a mixed story to share:- Flew via IST to Tirana last week; had a 9 hour layover, so flashed my schengen at passport control 2, got the VOA and enjoyed IST!- Tried the same today, 6 days later with 10 hour layover, en route to Bucharest and was denied entry because 'I'm transiting and not staying in IST, and don't have hotel bookings to show'!!- Looks like transit passengers looking to kill a few hours in IST may not be eligible for VOA. Last week, they did not ask and I did not show my onward boarding pass.- Passport police was rude, agitated for some reason! Perhaps Erdogan's getting to them or perhaps they're with him on the dark side. JK – don't mean to get political here.

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  17. The discussion seems very useful.I am not sure if anyone can help me with my case.But yet i want to share to get expect openions. I have single entry schengen visa and i am bangladeshi national. VOA will be an issue for me either. But the problem is i have already purchased my confirm ticket with one day stay on Istanbul.Since i have got single ebtry schengen visa so technically while i will be facing turkish border control authorities my schengen visa will be expired. Do you Think i will still granting a VOA? What should be my approach?

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  18. Tasfin – the rules say that you must hold a 'valid' Schengen, UK or US visa. If the Schengen has been used, it is no longer valid. Not being a risk-taker myself, I would say that getting a proper Turkish visa before you leave from your home town, is a good idea. But let's see what others here have to say.

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  19. Tasfin, I had a quick look on the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. For Bangladeshi Nationals they say " These passport holders with a valid Schengen or OECD member's visa or residence permit may get their single entry e-Visas valid for one month e-Visas via the website http://www.evisa.gov.tr, provided that they meet certain conditions.". So it looks like you HAVE to apply for a visa beforehand. Check out the official guidance at: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa

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  20. Hello guys,
    I desperately need help.I am Indian, holding an ordinary passport.
    I have a schengen visa that is valid till 6th of November. I am planning to visit France, italy and then on 6th November flying to Istanbul from Italy (will be there for 4 days). In that case, am I eligible to apply for turkish e-visa? My only concern, my schengen visa is not valid for the duration of my stay in Turkey (6th-10th November), though it is valid the day I arrive turkey that is 6th November.
    Please help me out.
    Priya

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  22. I am Pakistani and planning 8 days trip to Turkey. My question is regarding hotel booking and required funds. I got my e-visa by paying 20$, and also hold first 2 days hotel booking in Istanbul. I will take £100 cash with me, rest I would like to spend using my credit/debit cards. As I really want to be flexible on my itinerary my question is; do I need to have hotel booking for all 8 days and £250 cash in hand (8 x 50$/Day = £250) on arrival at Istanbul airport?

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    • Hi Khalid – I’m not sure about the answer to that. In my experience with most other countries (I don’t have experience with Turkey), if one has a valid visa, the immigration officers usually don’t ask for any other documents (except in the case of Employment or Student visas). I think you should be OK – but if you’d like to play it safe, I’d say make refundable hotel bookings – which you can cancel later, should you not decide to use them.

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  23. Hi all, I went to Istanbul in last week of January and the person at Ataturk airport immigration counter didn’t ask a single question to me, And for my surprise he just looked at my e-visa for merely 10 seconds and then looked at my OECD visa before accepting my entry into Turkey. No evidence of booking and finances were enquired at all.

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  24. Hello,
    I am an Indian Citizen.
    I am planning to visit Turkey for one day on 14th Nov with an E -visa (I have stamped Schengen visa valid from 15 Nov-15 December)
    Will arriving one day before my schengen visa starts cause a problem?
    I have already booked the e visa online.
    Please help if anyone knows what to expect.

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