I’m in Istanbul this week, enjoying a quick solo trip after many months of limited travel. January was the last time I’d headed abroad, and I was very eager to enjoy a few days exploring a new place. Turkey is one of a handful of countries outside the Americas that are open to U.S. citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. You do need a visa to enter the country, but it turns out that it’s a cinch to apply for and get a Turkish e-visa online. Here’s how the process works.
Applying for a Turkish E-Visa Online
To apply for a Turkish e-visa online, you want to make sure you use the official website. The top level domain for Turkey is .tr, and .gov.tr is what is generally used by Turkish government websites. The Turkish visa application process happens in three steps:
- Fill out all your personal information
- Pay the visa application fee
- Download your Turkish e-visa
Click “New Application” to begin a Turkish visa application. The first form will prompt you only for your passport country and the type of document. For most people, this will be “ordinary passport.” You’ll need to pass a security verification ton continue.
The next step is to pick your arrival date in Turkey. Your Turkish e-visa will be valid for 180 days from the date chosen and it is valid for multiple entries. Each stay may only be up to a maximum of 90 days.
The last page will contain the form that prompts you for all the relevant personal info.
If needed, you can add additional people to your visa application. This will make it easy for you to obtain visas for your family or travel group.
Payment, Email, and Visa Download
Once you’ve verified your personal information and clicked submit, you’ll be send a confirmation email. Make sure you input your email address correctly! You need to click through this email to be taken to the payment screen.
The visa fee for U.S. citizens is $50 USD. You have to pay by credit card, and there is an additional $1.50 service fee. Paying for your Turkish e-visa online is easy.
Once payment is made, you’ll be sent another email. This one is a link to download your Turkish e-visa online. Once you’ve downloaded it and saved it, you’re done. I printed mine as well and stuck it in my passport to have available when I entered Turkey. You only need the paper. Turkey will stamp your passport with entry and exit, but they will not affix an actual visa to any of the pages.
Conclusion
The idea of needing a visa to travel somewhere can be daunting. However, the process is super simple for some countries, including Turkey. It’s incredibly simple and easy to get a Turkish e-visa online. You can be done with the entire process in under 10 minutes.
Heading to turkey this Wednesday For a couple weeks. Did this yesterday. Truly painless