Turkish Visa Question

[cruisemom42]

Hello all,

Playing catch up here, our cruise originates and terminates in Istanbul, plus we are coming in a few days early of course.

 

Do we just get our visa at the airport? Can we get one earlier via mail or similar and is there any value in that?

 

Thanks in advance!:)

 

Thanks for all the tips on books!

 

There's no value in getting the visa in advance. It is quite easy to get it at the airport.

 

When you reach the passport control area, you will see a window to the left of the passport lines. This is where you get the visa. (It's not a true "visa"; really more of a visitor tax.) You must have the visa before going through passport control -- so don't bother getting in the passport line if you don't have the visa. I saw a lot of people from my flight rejected at passport control and directed to the visa window (and at that point the line was a lot longer!)

 

As of 2010, the cost for a visa (if you are a US citizen) is $20 or 15 euro -- they will accept either; they prefer not to give change.

 

Here is a list of the charges for other countries:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g293969-i367-k3360341-Visa_fees_2010-Turkey.html

[financialgrl]

TLCOhio: Thanks for the great pics. I will be on the Grand Med here in two weeks and the cruise down the Bosphorus is one of the excursions we are on. I can't wait.

[marp109]

As we arrived in Istanbul as our final cruise stop, did not have opportunity to buy visa stamps at airport. Ship charged $50/pp but apparently turkish immigration carefully scrutinized every passport upon our arrival in Istanbul. One of our fellow passengers had a problem disembarking due to a TYPO! It had gone un-noticed for 3 years of traveling the world and she ended up having to go to immigration police at port. Ship had held our passports for entire week, providing us with photo id card for use in ports, and we also saw highest level of security at Ataturk airport that we encountered anywhere. 3 separate points Each time they examined our visa stamp before we boarded the plane so plan accordingly time wise.

[mikab]

it is very simple to purchase your visa at the airport but try to have your own currency to do so. i am an australian citizen living in the uk and when i visited turkey a few months ago they insisted i pay for my visa in australian dollars. i only had pounds on me and they wouldnt accept that, luckily i was with a friend visiting from australia that still had dollars with them