Turkey tax
 

I've heard rumors that americans (and only americans) are charged a $100 fee upon landing in turkey. Can anyone tell me if this is true?

It's a visa and yes it's true that it is $100 and you can pay it at the airport upon arrival. The US charges Turkish citizens $100 to enter the US, the Turkish visa was lower before the US raised their fee. Other nationalities are also required to get visas, not sure of the cost.

As stated above, this is the fee for visas for US citizens. It used to be $65. You must have cash either US Dollars or Turkish lira, they do not accept credit cards. Most other nationalities are charged about $30 for a visa.

You can either pay the $100 when you land, or obtain your visa before you leave. Go to the website for the Turkish embassy in the US, at http://www.turkishembassy.org/consul...ices/visas.htm

For information on visa requirements for US citizens traveling to other countries, go to travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html

I remember when the Turkish Visa cost was USD$20 in '97. Since then the price has increased to $45, $65 and last year $100.

As the US raises the VISA cost to citizens of Turkey (and other countries) so do the VISA prices seem to increase on the other end.

Well, I'm taking Turkey off my list of places to visit. None of the other NATO countries charges visa fees. It's back to the Greek Islands for me!!! ((b))

I have to say, Budman, you have me LOL. The good ole' USA imposes probably the toughest, and definitely most expensive, visitor visa requirements of all countries. This was true before 9/11 and has only gotten worse. Look what you have to provide to get a simple visitors visa (see www.travel.state.gov/visa;visitors.html):
? All visitor visa applicants must have these things:
- Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-156, completed and signed
- Current, valid passport or travel document
- Photograph (2 x 2 inches, passport type.
- Application fees. All applicants must pay the application fee. Some applicants, according to nationality and type of visa, must also pay an issuance fee
- Evidence of funds to cover expenses in the United States
- Evidence of compelling social and economic ties abroad
- Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-157, for men between 16-45 years of age, and for all applicants age 16 and over who are from Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Note that a consular officer may ask any applicant to complete this form.

The last three items are especially interesting to me as being required for a visitor. . .in addition to the above, the website for the US State Department indicates that many people will be required to make a personal appearance at their local US Consulate (which could be hundreds of miles away.) The application fee for all countries is $100, THEN you may have to pay a separate issuance fee which is based on what your home country charges US citizens for a visa. So we charge a minimum of $100, not to mention the cost for all the above paperwork, and travel costs to get to the local consulate. And, oh yes, it can take up to 30 days to get the visa. That $100 visa-on-arrival in Turkey is looking pretty good to me. At least they have stopped asking people in they are a member of a communist party. . it was easier and cheaper for me to get my visa for China than a US visa.

Out of roughly 150 nations in the world, only citizens of the following countries do NOT need a visa to visit the US:

Andorra Iceland Norway
Australia Ireland Portugal
Austria Italy San Marino
Belgium Japan Singapore
Brunei Liechtenstein Slovenia
Denmark Luxembourg Spain
Finland Monaco Sweden
France the Netherlands Switzerland
Germany New Zealand United Kingdom

Notice how our neighbour Canada is not included, but nice little fascist Singapore is.

Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter the United States

For Canadians going to Turkey-the cost of obtaining a visa is $75

Budman - perhaps you could explain to me why Turkey is the only NATO country whose citizens must obtain a visa to visit the US? The application process for Turks is much more onerous and prolonged. They cannot just show up at JFK, pay their fee, and obtain entry.

CharlieB - I could care less why Turkey is the only NATO country whose citizens must obtain a visa to visit the US. I, personally, will not pay $100 to visit Turkey when it will cost me zero visa fees to visit other places. My priorities may be different from others.

In fact, I am now thinking about going back to Munich!!! ((b))

Don't sweat it, Budman. Turkey is so much less expensive than Munich - or wherever - that you will earn back your hundred before you can say..."Teshekur ederim".

Hey BUDMAN,

Whay don't you go to your GREEK ISLAND? instead of Munich(Munchen)

WOuld be great for you and you don't pay your visa fee.

Have a nice holiday in GREECE

Sinan Akdeniz
[email protected]

Budman, you personally should have to pay more to get into Turkey so that people who value their holidays don't have to be there alongside cheapskates like you!

If you include the visa cost, Turkey will still be less expensive for the quality of vacation than anywhere else in Europe, including Greece, and the people are among some of the nicest around.

I'm personally glad you won't go there to taint the nice people with your nasty attitude.

Carolred -

I couldn't have said it any better.

What Budman doesn't realize is that with a single US$ he becomes a millionnaire in Turkey.

Definitely worth the $100 Visa feel, granted it is high, but everything else is just so reasonable.

Budman should stay home.

Over the past 25 years, I have traveled from Turkey's east to its west, from its north to its south -- and many points in between. I have been treated with unfailing courtesy and kindness everywhere I have gone. Never once was I ever treated with suspicion, rudeness, or aggression.

Our current administration has seen fit to raise visa fees charged to Turkish travelers and businessmen to higher and higher levels. In retaliation, Turkey has raised its visa fees.

I suppose this is done because of our administration's paranoia when dealing with Moslems. This seems a curious way to encourage person-to-person friendship and understanding through travel. The American travel industry has been strangely silent. I wonder why.