bsawg

Hi there,

I am wondering if anyone who has gone to Turkey recently can tell me how they got their visa (whether ahead of time or at the airport in Istanbul) and how much it cost. Did you pay in American dollars?

We are going to Istanbul in late March and I am getting conflicting information at various points around the web, so would appreciate some up-to-date advice.

Thanks very much.

Garfield

Get it at the airport on arrival, it is a postal style stamp, no paper work. $20 US cash.

ekscrunchy

I live very close to the Turkish consulate here in New York, so last fall I got mine in advance of my departure. I now realize that this was not necessary, as the procedure for obtaining a tourist visa upon arrival at Ataturk Airport is very straighforward and not time consuming...it just entails standing on one more line. Price is $20 US either way. The Turkish Tourism Office in New York is in the same building as the visa office so if you live here, it makes sense to get it in advance only if you are going to take advantage of visiting the TTT for maps, brochures, or information pertaining to your trip. The day I picked up my visa, the Turkish head of state was visiting and he was exiting the building as I was entering. I took this as a good omen for my upcoming trip!

lincasanova

sounds like the only thing that is cheaper than 10 years ago! i paid close to $60 or so at airport, if i recall correctly.

Flyboy

Yes, it was actually up to $100 for a time. Someone hot-tipped me to look for the visa window on my left as I approached passport control. By knowing that and not milling around with people still trying to figure it out, I ended up beating the line that formed behind me very quickly. Of course, if another flight has come in just ahead of you, that may not work as well.