Turkey Closes Walk-Up E-Visa Windows: Apply Online Before You Fly

Turkey has permanently closed walk-up e-visa windows at all airports and land border crossings. Travellers who previously held off on arranging their visa until reaching the terminal are no longer able to do so — the application must now be completed online at evisa.gov.tr before departure.

The change affects nationalities that were previously eligible to purchase a Turkish e-visa on arrival or at a kiosk, including citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, South Africa, and Mexico. Citizens of these countries must apply and pay the e-visa fee (currently approximately USD 50–60) through the official portal and receive digital approval before flying to Turkey.

How the new system works

Applications are typically processed within minutes but can take up to 24 hours in busy periods. The approved e-visa is issued digitally — Turkey no longer places visa stickers in passports. All visa records are held in a centralised digital system and accessed electronically by border officers at passport control. Travellers simply present their passport; no printed visa document is required.

Major airports including Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Istanbul Atatürk, Antalya, and Ankara Esenboğa have all transitioned to biometric entry lanes, making processing faster than under the old paper-sticker system.

Which nationalities are visa-free

Citizens of EU member states and a number of other countries do not need a visa or e-visa to enter Turkey for short stays. From 2 January 2026, Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports were added to the visa-free list for tourism and transit. US citizens entering Turkey for tourism or short business trips of up to 90 days within a 180-day period do not require a visa.

Summer travel conditions

Antalya and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts are entering their busiest season. June brings peak temperatures and high hotel occupancy along the Turkish Riviera. For practical booking timing and transport options between major destinations, our flights to Türkiye guide covers the most useful connections from European and Middle Eastern hubs.

June is also the opening month of the Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival near Antalya, which stages performances inside a spectacularly preserved second-century Roman amphitheatre — one of the best-attended summer cultural events in the country. Istanbul remains fully operational with no travel restrictions in the city, and Cappadocia is welcoming visitors under normal conditions through the summer balloon season.