Turkey e-Visa Checklist — Documents and Rules for the Online Visa
The Turkish e-Visa is an online system launched in 2013 that issues visas in about three minutes, 24/7. It is valid for tourism or commerce only, and your passport validity has a rule most travellers miss. This checklist sets out the documents, the purpose limits and the validity rules. Verified against the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, September 2026.
Turkey e-Visa: at a glance
- Purpose: tourism or commerce only.
- Speed: obtainable online in about three minutes, 24/7.
- What you enter: identity, passport and travel dates — then pay online.
- Passport: advised valid at least 6 months from arrival.
- 60-day rule: passport expiry must be at least 60 days beyond the stay.
What the e-Visa is
The system is described officially: “the Electronic Visa (e-Visa) Application System was launched on 17 April 2013 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye. This system allows visitors travelling to Türkiye to easily obtain their e-Visas online, in approximately three minutes.” It is available around the clock: “it is possible to obtain e-Visa 7/24 at everywhere with internet connection.”
The documents (and information) you need
The e-Visa is built around information rather than a bundle of attachments. Applicants “can obtain their visa after they fill in the necessary information concerning their identity, passport and travel dates and pay visa fee online.” In practice the checklist is: your identity details, your passport details, your travel dates, and an online payment. The official page does not itemise attachment or photo uploads, so this page does not invent a list.
Tourism or commerce only
Purpose is a hard limit: “e-visa is only valid when the purpose of travel is tourism or commerce. For other purposes, such as work and study, visas are given by Turkish Embassies or Consulates.” If your trip is work or study, the e-Visa is not the route.
Passport validity — two rules
First, the guidance advises a passport “valid for at least 6 months as from the date of your arrival in Türkiye.” Second, a legal rule applies to expiry: since 1 January 2015, under article 7.1b of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (no. 6458), foreigners entering Türkiye should carry a travel document with an “expiration date at least 60 days beyond the ‘duration of stay’” of their visa, e-Visa, visa exemption or residence permit. Check both before you book. The wider validity rules are set out in the six-month rule guide.
Work visas are a separate route
If you need to work in Türkiye, the route is not the e-Visa: you “must apply to the nearest Turkish mission to obtain work permit and visa”, with “your passport, visa application form and a letter from your employer” as the necessary documents. Applications are finalised by the MLSS “within thirty days at the latest.”
What is not published here
The exact e-Visa fee amounts are not stated here: the official page links to a separate fees PDF rather than quoting figures. Note only the principle that “fees for e-Visas obtained via the e-Visa website … are lower than the fees for visas obtained upon arrival” — applying online rather than on arrival is cheaper.
60-second Turkey check
- ☐ Trip purpose is tourism or commerce
- ☐ Passport, identity and travel dates ready to enter online
- ☐ Passport valid 6+ months from arrival
- ☐ Passport expiry 60+ days beyond the stay
- ☐ Online payment method ready
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Turkey e-Visa take?
The e-Visa system issues visas online in approximately three minutes, and it is available 24/7 wherever you have an internet connection.
What do I need to apply for a Turkey e-Visa?
You fill in information about your identity, passport and travel dates, then pay the visa fee online. The official page does not itemise attachment or photo uploads.
Can I work or study on a Turkey e-Visa?
No. The e-Visa is only valid for tourism or commerce. For work or study you must apply at a Turkish embassy or consulate.
How long must my passport be valid for Turkey?
You are advised to hold a passport valid for at least 6 months from your arrival, and since 1 January 2015 the passport expiry must be at least 60 days beyond your duration of stay.
Is the Turkey e-Visa cheaper than a visa on arrival?
The official guidance states that fees for e-Visas obtained via the e-Visa website are lower than the fees for visas obtained upon arrival at Turkish airports. Exact amounts are on the ministry’s fee list.
What documents are needed for a Turkish work visa?
Your passport, a visa application form and a letter from your employer. Applications are finalised by the MLSS within thirty days at the latest.
Passport validity rules are expanded in the six-month rule and photo validity guides. Turkey photo sizes are on the Turkey photo size page and the size chart, and all checklists are on the visa checklists hub.