Turkish Visa question
 

My husband will be going to Turkey for a golf weekend soon. I wanted to make things simpler by getting the visa ahead of time - rather than having him stand in line at the airport.

BUt when I went down to the Turkish embassy this morning, in addition to the completed form and USD, they wanted a photo and a letter from my husband's company stating his work status (we are US citizens but live overseas). This seemed a bit much for a tourist visa.

If he gets his visa at the airport.....what does he need? I have the form for US citizens off the internet and he will have USD, but does he need a photo? What about a letter from his company? He has a resident visa for the country we live in.

He has about 1-1/2 hours between landing in Istanbul and the flight to Antalya - all on Turkish Air.

Any information/advice would be appreciated!

it would be logical that any visa issued outside of the airport would need a photo ( for the records at embassy) to verify the person who applied for the visa is the same one on the passport.

however, in the airport itself no photo was required, and that is the way most tourists get it. it was a very fast proceedure.

Getting the visa is very simple at the airport. You just go to the kiosk in the baggage claim area. The line was short when we got there, and it moves very quickly. We only had to show our passports, the pre-completed form and I think another ID (a driver's license), pay the $20 in US. and they stamp your passport. I don't remember there being anything problematic. I don't think you'll have any problems.

Good - Glad to know it will be simple! We always have passport-sized photos around - I just didn't have one with me when I went to the Embassy because I didn't think it would be needed. I had my Turkish Visa done ahead of time last year (in Egypt) and didn't have to provide a photo.

It was the letter from the company that got me......what a pain that would have been!

I'll just have him get it at the airport .....no worries.

Thanks for all your help!

To get in the country is quite simple as stated above posters. I am also a bit confused why they asked the letter of the company ( probably becouse you reside elswhere ? )

But just as a statement about visas;
Unfortunately we do not have the "Freedom" of travelling as much as we like and whenever we wanted.... Us and EU contries would ask us ;
Letter of invitation,
Letter from the work and salary papers, bank details, chanber of commerce forms, other official paperes including last tax invoice, if you have a house or land on your name they need the copy of the deed paper, usually noterized, pass photos without this and with that on it and certain size, travel insurance, return tickets (issued) hotel reservation with confirmation.... these are what I remember... Later Either you have to travel to Ankara or to istanbul, arrive to certain consulate at about 04:00 am in the morning to get a decent place on the quee.... Once you get in and if you are lucky you pay around 100 Usd. and get appoinment for some days later. Once you done all this procedure its also not quranteed that they will give us Visa.......... Its a shame and inhuman...
Please do not misunderstand me, I do not support Turkish Visa should be complicated or so, but wanted also to give you another visa issue how it goes around her :-)
Happy travelling, Enjoy Turkey
Murat

I'm topping this because I will be going to Turkey in June. According to the Turkish Consulate website, if you are a U.S. citizen you may get a visa at the airport on arrival with a U.S. passport and (now) $26 USD. That's it. It doesn't mention anything about a form. However, a previous poster above said something about filling out a pre-completed form. The website does not mention that. Is this a form I will receive in flight or at the airport, or is it not necessary?

I don't recall filling out any forms in flight; just line up at the booth at IST immigration (all the way to the left) with USD, EUR or GBP in the proper amounts, and the gent with the magnificent moustache will glue a visa into your passport and send you back to the passport control lines.

Thanks. Looking forward to the magnificent moustache!

Just got back yesterday...

We purchased our visas at the airport - $20 per person (US passports). I had forms that I had gotten off the internet, but they weren't needed.

REALLY EASY!!!!