You may need a visa to come to Türkiye to study, work, visit or join family.

There are different visas depending on:

• where you come from

• why you want to come to Türkiye

• how long you want to stay for

• your personal circumstances and skills

Before you apply, you must check if you need a visa and what type you need. Depending on your nationality, you might not need a visa to visit or transit through Türkiye.

Your application must be approved before you travel.

You do not need to apply for a visa if you’re a citizen of the Republic of Türkiye or hold a valid Blue Card (Mavi Kart).

If you want to visit Türkiye

Apply for a Tourist or Business Visa (often available as an e-Visa) to visit Türkiye for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. For example:

• for a holiday or to see family and friends

• for a business trip or meeting

• to do a short seminar or unpaid academic event

There is no specific 'Marriage Visitor visa' in Türkiye, but you can enter on a standard tourist visa if you want to visit Türkiye to get married or register a marriage at a local municipality.

If you have a visitor visa you cannot take a job in Türkiye.

If you’re travelling through Türkiye

You might need a visa if you’re traveling through Türkiye on your way to another country, for example if you have a layover between flights and need to pass through passport control.

If you want to study in Türkiye

Your course length, type and place of study affect which visa to apply for.

• A Tourist/e-Visa lets you do a short, non-academic course or seminar that does not require formal enrollment.

• A Turkish Language Course Visa lets you come to Türkiye to study at a licensed language institution (such as TÖMER) for the duration of your course.

• A Student Visa is usually for a longer course. You must have an acceptance letter from a licensed Turkish university and have a confirmed place. On this visa, you may be able to do some work if you apply for a separate student work permit.

• A Primary and Secondary Education Visa is for children (typically aged 6 to 18) who want to study at a Turkish school. If the child already holds a Family Residence Permit, they do not need this visa to study at the primary or secondary level.

If you want to work in Türkiye

You can work in Türkiye on a short or long-term basis with a Work Visa and a corresponding Work Permit. There are many types of work authorizations.

The visa you need depends upon:

• your skills and qualifications

• if you have a formal job offer and a Turkish employer to sponsor your work permit

• if you want to bring your family with you

• what you’ll be doing - for example academic, sporting, journalism, or montage/repair work

You can set up a business and apply for an Independent Work Permit or Turquoise Card if you meet specific investment and employment criteria.

If you want to join family in Türkiye

If you’re a spouse or dependent child of someone who has Turkish citizenship or a valid residence permit in Türkiye, you can apply for a Family Visa (and subsequently a Family Residence Permit) to join them. They may need to show that they can support you financially and have adequate health insurance.

You may be able to apply for a Long-Term Residence Permit (Uzun Dönem İkamet İzni) after 8 years of continuous legal stay in Türkiye.

If your family member is in Türkiye on a visa or permit

You may be able to apply for a visa to join a family member who’s in Türkiye on a Work Permit or Residence Permit. They must be either:

• your spouse

• your parent if you’re 18 or under

Check what visa you’ll need to join them. (LİNK EKLENECEK)

If your family member is a Blue Card or Turquoise Card Holder

You can apply for a Family Residence Permit to come to Türkiye if you have a close family member who:

• holds a valid Blue Card (Mavi Kart - for people of Turkish descent)

• holds a Turquoise Card (Turkuaz Kart - for highly skilled workers and investors)

Close family members include your spouse and your dependent children. A Family Residence Permit lets you live and study in Türkiye for the duration of your sponsor's permit.

Other ways to get permission to live in Türkiye

If you’re from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)

If you are a citizen of the TRNC, you do not need a visa to enter, live, or work in Türkiye. You can enter using your valid national identity card and are exempt from standard residence permit restrictions.

Foreigners of Turkish Descent

You can apply for a Blue Card (Mavi Kart) to live and work freely in Türkiye if you were a Turkish citizen by birth but renounced your citizenship by obtaining official permission. You will have the right of abode and can work without needing a separate foreigner's work permit.

If you are of Turkish descent and cannot prove your right to be in Türkiye, read about the citizenship and Blue Card schemes via the Ministry of Interior.

Returning residents

You’ll need to apply for a new visa to come back to Türkiye if one of the following is true:

• you had a Long-Term Residence Permit but it was cancelled because you left Türkiye for more than 1 continuous year for reasons other than health, education, or compulsory public service.

• you had a standard residence permit but it expired while you were outside the country.

Other visas

There may be another visa that’s right for you based on your circumstances (such as medical treatment, filming, or archaeological research). Check if you need a visa and what other visas you’re eligible for.