Do you need a visa for Türkiye? e-Visa rules, 90 days in 180 and passport validity

If you are planning a first trip to Türkiye, the visa question comes before the flights and the hotels. The rules come from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and they differ by nationality, passport type and purpose of travel. This guide sets out what the ministry's pages actually say, how the e-Visa works, and how long your passport must be valid.

The short answer by nationality

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes country-by-country visa information on its Visa Information For Foreigners page in English and on a Turkish-language equivalent. This guide follows both pages as they stood on 12 November 2026. The two pages do not always say the same thing, and where they differ we give both readings below. Note also that the Turkish page states its country-by-country information applies to tourist travel; for study, work and similar purposes a visa suited to the purpose must be obtained from Turkish missions (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Where the ministry's two pages disagree

The two pages disagree, so neither reading is stated here as the answer: check the official pages or a Turkish mission before you fly, especially if you plan to enter for any purpose other than tourism.

One more UK-specific point: holders of UK passports marked British National (Overseas), British Subject or British Protected Person are subject to visa, obtainable only from Turkish missions abroad (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The exemption applies to ordinary British passports.

The 90 days in 180 rule

The Turkish page states that the rule of no more than 90 days of total stay in the last 180 days applies to citizens of all foreign countries travelling to Türkiye (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Two things follow from that wording:

• The clock is rolling, not calendar-based. The 180-day window is counted back from any given day, so long stays and repeat visits add up against each other.
• The cap applies even to nationalities whose exemption is shorter. Russian ordinary-passport holders, for example, are exempt for tourist and business travel of up to 60 days, and the 90-in-180 ceiling sits above that as the general limit.

If you are a repeat visitor who spends part of each year in Türkiye, count your previous stays before assuming a fresh 90 days is available to you.

What the e-Visa covers, and where to apply

The e-Visa is applied for at www.evisa.gov.tr, and it is valid only for travel for tourism or commerce. For other purposes, such as work and study, visas are issued by Turkish embassies or consulates (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Foreigners must get an e-Visa at www.evisa.gov.tr or apply in person at a Turkish mission, depending on their country (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Fees: online is cheaper than the airport

Fees for e-Visas obtained through www.evisa.gov.tr are lower than fees for visas obtained on arrival at Turkish airports (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Check the current fee for your nationality during the application at www.evisa.gov.tr. The practical lesson is simple: do not leave it to the airport.

Indian passport holders: the e-Visa route

Indian ordinary-passport holders need a visa for Türkiye, but there is an online route if you already hold the right documents. The ministry's English page says ordinary, special and service passport holders with a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit may get their single-entry e-Visas valid for one month via www.evisa.gov.tr; the Turkish page words the same route as a stay of up to 30 days, granted under certain conditions (sources: the ministry's English page and Turkish page).

If you qualify, the process looks like this:

1. Check your supporting document. You need a valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the US, the UK or Ireland.
2. Apply at www.evisa.gov.tr. The application is made online, and the e-Visa is sent to your e-mail address after a successful application (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
3. Print it. Applicants must take a printout of the e-Visa.
4. Show it, then keep it. Show the printout to airline and customs officials, and keep it until the end of your trip.
5. Apply early. Because of possible delays in issuing visas, the ministry says it is useful to apply at least one month before the planned travel date (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

If you do not hold one of the qualifying visas or residence permits, apply for a visa in person at a Turkish mission.

After you apply: printing and carrying the e-Visa

This step catches people out. The ministry's Turkish page is explicit that e-Visa applicants must print their e-Visa, show it to airline and customs officials, and keep it until the end of their trip (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs). A copy on your phone is not what the rule describes: take a paper printout, carry it through check-in and border control, and keep it with your passport until you leave Türkiye. The e-Visa arrives by e-mail after a successful application, so check your inbox, including junk folders, before you travel.

Passport validity: the 60-day rule and the 6-month advice

There are two separate passport rules, one a requirement and one advice.

The requirement. Since 1 January 2015, under Article 7.1(b) of Law no. 6458, foreigners entering Türkiye should carry a passport valid at least 60 days beyond the "duration of stay" of their visa, e-Visa, visa exemption or residence permit (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Certain categories are exempt, including holders of diplomatic and official passports and citizens of listed countries entering on national ID cards.

The advice. The ministry also advises holding a passport or travel document valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Türkiye (source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

The two are easy to confuse. The 60-day rule is measured from the end of your permitted stay, so a passport with, say, five months left can still satisfy it for a two-week tourist visit. If your passport is close to either limit, renew before you book.

Putting it together before you book

Before you commit to flights, work through three questions in order:

1. What passport do I hold, and is it ordinary? Check the ministry's rules for your nationality and passport type, including any separate rules for official and diplomatic passports.
2. What is my purpose of travel? The ministry's country-by-country information applies to tourist travel, and the e-Visa covers tourism or commerce only. Anything else means a Turkish mission.
3. How long is my passport valid? Check it against the 60-day rule for your stay, and against the ministry's 6-month advice.

Then check the ministry's own pages for your nationality, both the English and the Turkish version if you can, since the two do not always agree. Where they differ, treat the narrower reading as the one to plan around and confirm with a Turkish mission if your trip is not straightforward tourism.