Turkey

Entry requirements Visitors from the Republic of Cyprus should present their ID cards to supplement their passports since Turkey does not recognize the country. Visa-free Turkish visa requirements were relaxed in 2020. Ordinary passport holders of the countries below can enter Turkey visa-free for tourism and commerce, for up to 90 days unless a shorter period is stated. Your passport must be valid for 60 days beyond your maximum stay, so for most visitors that is 150 days beyond entry. That is just under five months: they politely ask for six months validity on entry but it is not a requirement. (Be prepared to argue this point with airline clerks.) So, no visa needed if you're from: • all EU and EEA countries except the Republic of Cyprus. For Latvia, entry is only for 30 days. The EU/EEA visa regime also applies to Andorra, Monaco, the United Kingdom, and the Vatican. …

Dial 112 to contact all emergency services, including the police or the gendarme (a military-styled unit responsible for rural safety) from any phone, free of charge. Upon entering some museums, hotels, metro stations, and almost all shopping malls, especially in larger cities, you will notice security checkpoints similar to those found in airports. Don't worry, this is the standard procedure in Turkey and does not imply an immediate danger of attack. These security screenings are also conducted in a much more relaxed way than the airports, so you will not have to remove your belt to avoid the alarm when walking through the metal detector. Carry your passport or other means of identification at all times. …

Things to do Turks are a very friendly, polite and hospitable people, sometimes even to a fault. • When you are invited into a Turkish home, make sure to bring them a gift. Anything is fine from flowers to chocolate and indeed something representative from your country (but not wine and other alcoholic beverages if you are about to meet the host or if you do not know them well enough, as many Turks, for religious reasons or not, do not drink alcoholic beverages, and that is why it would be considered inappropriate as a gift). When you arrive at the house take off your shoes just outside or immediately inside the door, unless the owner explicitly allows you to keep them on. Even then, it might be more polite to remove your shoes. And if you really want their respect, thank your host for the invitation and compliment them. …