Turkish passport

  • Turkish Passport
  • Türk Pasaportu
The front cover of a current Turkish biometric passport
TypePassport
Issued byTurkey Ministry of the Interior
First issued1 June 2010 (1st generation biometric passport)
1 April 2018[1] (2nd generation biometric passport)
25 August 2022[2] (3rd generation biometric passport)
PurposeIdentification, international travel
Valid inAll countries
EligibilityTurkish citizenship or Northern Cyprus citizenship[3]
Expiration10 years (5 years if under 18 years of age or if is a Turkish Cypriot)[3]
Cost8623[4]

Turkish passport (Turkish: Türk pasaportu) are issued in accordance with the Passport Act from 15 July 1950[5] to Turkish citizens to travel abroad. Citizens of the de facto state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are also eligible to apply for a Turkish passport.

Passports issued since 1 June 2010 are biometric and valid for up to 10 years.

Ranking the Turkish passport 53th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.[6]

Types

Turkish Special Passport
Turkish Service Passport
Turkish Diplomatic Passport
  • Ordinary passport (Turkish: Umuma mahsus pasaport), after 2010 also referred to as Maroon Passport (Turkish: Bordo pasaport). It is issued to Turkish citizens who don't qualify for any of the following passport types.
  • Special passport (Turkish: Hususi pasaport), also referred to as the Green Passport (Turkish: Yeşil pasaport) allows the bearer to travel visa-free to the European countries (except the UK and Ireland), some 67 countries, including but not limited to Ivory Coast, China, the Philippines and others.[7] As opposed to the regular passport, it is exempt from the passport fee and is only subject to the booklet fee (₺790).[4] It is issued to;[8]
  • Service passport (Turkish: Hizmet pasaportu), also referred to as the Grey Passport (Turkish: Gri pasaport). It is issued to;[8]
    • People who do not qualify for the Special or diplomatic passports, however, are assigned to travel abroad for official and/or government related purposes.
    • National athletes
    • Turkish citizens working for international organisations of which Turkey is a member
    • Staff members of the Turkish Red Crescent
    • Employees of the Turkish Aeronautical Association
    • Spouse of the service passport holders
    • Unwed and unemployed children of the service passport holders who live with parents, until they turn 25.
  • Diplomatic passport (Turkish: Diplomatik pasaport), after 2010 also referred to as Black Passport (Turkish: Siyah pasaport). Diplomatic passports are issued to diplomats, cabinet ministers and other government officials on positions of utmost importance to national security and government function. See below for a complete list of individuals eligible for a diplomatic passport:
Eligible individuals
Title The nature of importance
The President of Turkey Executive
Members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Legislative
Cabinet Ministers Executive
Constitutional Court members Judicial
Supreme Court of Appeals members Judicial
Council of State members Judicial
Court of Jurisdictional Disputes members Judicial
Court of Accounts members Judicial
First Chairperson of the General Staff Judicial
Second Chairperson of the General Staff Judicial
Chief Public Prosecutor Judicial
Full Generals Military
Admirals Military
Former Presidents Executive
Former Speakers of Legislative Assemblies Legislative
Former Prime Ministers Executive
Former Foreign Ministers Diplomatic
Secretary-General of the Presidency Executive
Undersecretaries of the Prime Ministry and Ministries Executive
Head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs Religious
Individuals with the title of Ambassador Diplomatic
Professional members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic
Senior officials of the Presidency General Secretariat sent on official missions Diplomatic
Advisers appointed at the representations of the Republic of Turkey abroad Diplomatic
Attachés appointed at the representations of the Republic of Turkey abroad Diplomatic
Assistants appointed at the representations of the Republic of Turkey abroad Diplomatic
Individuals sent to conduct international official negotiations on behalf of the Government Diplomatic
Individuals sent to contract treaties Diplomatic
Individuals sent to attend international meetings, congresses, and conferences Diplomatic
Political couriers Diplomatic

Diplomatic passports can also be issued to the spouses, minor children, or children who are adults but living with them, unmarried, unemployed, and continuing their education until the age of 25, as well as adult children living with them, unmarried, unemployed, and in need of constant care due to at least one of physical, mental, or emotional disabilities as documented by an official health institution report, for as long as the eligibility of the person holding the diplomatic passport continues.

Diplomatic passports are not subject to any stamp duty or tax.

Biometric passports

Turkish biometric passports (Turkish: Biyometrik pasaport), compatible with the new ICAO standards, have been available since 1 June 2010.[9] Application appointments for the new passports can be reserved online through the government's website, applications must be lodged in person.[4][10] Passports are then sent via mail.

The biometric passports have different coloured covers; regular passports in maroon and diplomatic passports in black, in compliance with ICAO standards.

New biometric passports, compatible with possible future EU visa waiver access, started to be printed in 2018 made out of a polycarbonate material.[11]

Fees

A Turkish passport has been one of the most expensive passports in the world for many years. As a result of increasing public demands, the cost of ordinary passports was almost halved in June 2010.[12] Despite the massive reduction, the Turkish passport remains one of the most expensive passports in the world (along with Liechtenstein (€252)[13] and Australian (€214)[14] passports for 10 years). The passport law was then amended to increase the maximum validity of a passport from 5 to 10 years. It currently costs ₺8623 (€265) for a 10-year passport, including the compulsory booklet fee.[15] In addition to the expensive passport prices, the Turkish state charges (₺225)[16] from Turkish passport holders (excluding ship and aircraft crew, those who live abroad and those with dual citizenship) every single time they leave Turkey.

Multiple passports

People who have valid reasons may be allowed to hold more than one passport booklet. This applies usually to people who travel frequently on business, and may need to have a passport booklet to travel on while the other is awaiting a visa for another country. Some Muslim-majority countries including Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Yemen do not issue visas to visitors if their passports bear a stamp or visa issued by Israel, as a result of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. In that case, a person can apply for a second passport to avoid travel issues. Reasons and supporting documentation (such as a letter from an employer) must be provided. One passport will have to be saved in a NVİ (provincial headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior, Civil Registration and Citizenship) or at embassy/consulate unless it awaits a visa for another country.[17][18]

Turkish Passport by Investment

To be suitable for Turkish citizenship by investment program, the foreigner must open a bank account, deposit $500,000 or equivalent foreign currency or Turkish lira and do not withdraw this amount for three years.[19] After $400,000 or more is invested in Turkish properties, all necessary transactions such as title deed purchase and cash proceeds are carried out.

According to the law, the property transfer is concluded after the official signed bills and registrations.

Secondly, foreigners must apply for a residence permit. Although the applicants don’t have to be residing in the Republic of Turkey to get a Turkish passport, they are required to demand a residence permit, of which the results are given on the same day of application.

After receiving the residence permit, an applicant can apply for citizenship. It does not require an interview or to be physically present in Turkey. They can allow someone else or a company for their application management by giving power of attorney. The documents required during the application through the procuration process are the original title or an official copy of the title deed with a notary confirmation.[20]

Visa requirements

Visa requirements for holders of Turkish ordinary passports
  Republic of Turkey
  Visa free
  Visa on arrival
  Electronic authorization or e-Visa
  Visa available both on arrival or online
  Visa required
Visa requirements for holders of Turkish special passports
  Republic of Turkey
  Visa free
  Visa on arrival
  Electronic authorization or e-Visa
  Visa available both on arrival or online
  Visa required


Visa requirements for Turkish citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Turkey. As of 2024, holders of an ordinary Turkish passport may travel without a visa, or with a visa received upon arrival, to 116 countries according to the Henley Passport Index.[21][22]

Turkey is the only EU candidate country whose citizens are still required visas for their travels to the European Union member countries. However the European Union is planning to introduce visa free travel for Turkish citizens[23] as well as the United States lists Turkey as an aspiring country for inclusion to the Visa Waiver Program.[24]

International travel using Turkish identity card

Turkish identity card

Turkish citizens can also use their identity cards in lieu of a Turkish passport to travel to the following countries under bilateral agreements that have been concluded between the Turkish Government and governments of the respective countries:

Countries Stay
 Azerbaijan[a] 90 days
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 90 days
 Georgia 90 days
 Moldova 90 days
 Northern Cyprus 90 days
 Serbia 90 days
 Ukraine[a] 90 days

Gallery

Current passports

Historic passports

Listed chronologically:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Only if arriving directly from Turkey.

References

  1. ^ "Council of the European Union - PRADO - TUR-AO-03001". www.consilium.europa.eu.
  2. ^ "Yerli ve milli pasaportun üretimi 25 Ağustos'ta başlıyor". 20 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b "TÜRKİYE CUMHURİYETİ KONSOLOSLUK İŞLEMLERİ".
  4. ^ a b c "Başvuru Ücretleri - NVI". randevu.nvi.gov.tr.
  5. ^ "Pasaport Kanunu" (in Turkish). Regulations-Ministry of Justice. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Global Passport Ranking".
  7. ^ "T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı'ndan". T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  8. ^ a b "5682 sayılı pasaport kanunundan". Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi.
  9. ^ ERGAN/ANKARA, Uğur (7 March 2010). "AB'ye uygun 'çip'li pasaport haziranda geliyor süresi 10 yıla çıkıyor". www.hurriyet.com.tr.
  10. ^ "Atalay: Çipli pasaport başvurusu online olacak". 9 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Kağıt pasaport devri sona eriyor". www.sozcu.com.tr. 30 October 2017.
  12. ^ "2020 Yılı Pasaport Ücretleri". Türkiye'nin En Güncel Gezi ve Seyahat Sitesi, GeziPedia.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  13. ^ "2011.454 | Lilex - Gesetzesdatenbank des Fürstentum Liechtenstein".
  14. ^ Office, Australian Passport (7 March 2018). "Passport fees". Australian Passport Office.
  15. ^ "Pasaportta harçlar yarıya indirildi ama..." Radikal. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Yurtdışı çıkış harç pulu ücretine ilişkin resmi gazete kararı (Mart 2022)-(Turkish)" (PDF). Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Resmi Gazete.
  17. ^ "İkinci Pasaport Uygulaması". Embassy of Turkey, Ottawa. 24 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Sıkça Sorulan Sorular". NVİ. 24 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Turkey Citizenship by Property Investment". Tepe Law Office. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Turkish Passport by Investment| Bari Global". www.bariglobal.com. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Passport Index" (PDF).
  22. ^ "Passport Index".
  23. ^ "EU official: Visa-free travel for Turkish citizens is near". DailySabah. 29 November 2017.
  24. ^ Adding Countries to the Visa Waiver Program: Effects on National Security and Tourism, Congressional Research Service, October 27, 2021. Chile and Croatia were not listed as road map countries in 2007 but were later admitted to the VWP, while Turkey was listed in 2007 and sorted as an aspiring country on page 5.

External links

  • Media related to Passports of Turkey at Wikimedia Commons
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