Turkey Entry Rules for Canadians: Passport, 90 Days, Kids and Cash

Canadians with a regular passport do not need a visa for Turkey for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the passport must be valid for at least 150 days from the day you enter. That is the whole entry rule for most travellers. The rest of this page covers the details that trip people up: how the 150 days are counted, why you should not buy an "e-Visa", what changes if you live in Canada on another passport, and what to know about cash, children and dual citizenship. If you are already choosing a route, our 8-day private Turkey tour package is a common starting point for a first visit.

All rules below come from Global Affairs Canada (travel.gc.ca) and the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mfa.gov.tr), checked on 6 November 2026.

The checklist at a glance

If your trip is a normal holiday of a few weeks on a Canadian passport, the first and third rows are all you need to check.

The passport rule: 150 days from the day you land

Global Affairs Canada says your regular Canadian passport must be valid for at least 150 days from the date you enter Türkiye. It is easy to misread this as "six months" or "three months after you leave". It is neither.

The number comes from Turkish law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that since 1 January 2015 a passport has to be valid for at least 60 days beyond the end of your permitted stay. Canadians are allowed up to 90 days, and 90 plus 60 is 150. So the rule is the same whether you stay one week or twelve.

A worked example: if you land in Istanbul on 1 June 2027, your passport must be valid until at least 29 October 2027. If it expires in September 2027, renew before you fly, even though your trip ends in June. Airlines can check this at check-in in Canada, so a passport that falls short may stop you before you board rather than in Istanbul.

Also check the pages. Canada's advice warns that entry can be refused if there is not enough blank space for stamps. A passport that is nearly full is worth replacing before a long trip.

The 90-in-180 limit, and how to count it

Canadians can spend up to 90 days in Türkiye within any 180-day period. The window rolls. On any day you are in the country, look back 180 days and add up all the days you spent in Türkiye. The total must not exceed 90.

Global Affairs Canada adds a plain rule of thumb: once you have used 90 days, you need to spend at least 90 days outside the country before you get another 90 visa-free days. For a two- or three-week holiday this never matters. It matters for snowbirds who winter on the Aegean or Mediterranean coast, and for people combining a long Turkey stay with trips to Greece or Georgia and back.

Staying past 90 consecutive days requires a residence permit, and applicants must show private health insurance that covers the whole permit period. Overstaying can lead to fines, deportation or an entry ban, according to travel.gc.ca. Work, study, business and medical visits need the right visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate before travel, and remote workers are directed to the Digital Nomad visa.

You do not need an e-Visa

This is the most common mistake we see from Canadian travellers. Search for "Turkey visa Canada" and you will find sites that charge a fee to "process your Turkish e-Visa". Canadians on ordinary passports do not need one.

Türkiye's official e-Visa system is at evisa.gov.tr, and it is meant for nationalities that still need a visa. The Ministry's visa page lists Canada among the countries whose ordinary passport holders are exempt for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Only Canadian official passports need a visa.

If you already paid a third-party site, the document it sends you is not needed at the border. What you need is your passport, with enough validity and pages. Keep your return or onward ticket and hotel details on your phone, since border officers can ask about your plans, but no form or online registration is required for Canadian tourists.

For other nationalities travelling with you, check our Turkey visa requirements update before booking.

Other passports, dual citizens and children

Living in Canada on another passport

Many people who search for "travel requirements from Canada" are Canadian permanent residents or work-permit holders who still travel on another country's passport. For them, the Canadian rules above do not apply. What counts is the passport you travel on.

Some nationalities can apply for a conditional e-Visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Egypt and several others in this group, usually for a one-month, single-entry stay. The condition is a valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the United States, the United Kingdom or Ireland. A Canadian permanent resident card is not on that list.

In practice, that means:

• An Indian or Filipino passport holder living in Toronto with a valid US or Schengen sticker visa can usually use the conditional e-Visa.
• The same traveller with only Canadian PR status needs a regular visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate in Canada before flying.
• Some nationalities have age bands. Egyptian passport holders aged 15 to 45, for example, also have to fly with specific airlines.

Check the exact conditions for your passport on mfa.gov.tr or evisa.gov.tr, and give yourself several weeks for a consulate visa.

Dual citizens and children

Dual Turkish-Canadian citizens must present a valid Turkish passport or Turkish identity document to enter, according to Global Affairs Canada. Canada's ability to give consular help to a dual citizen in Türkiye may be limited.

Children with dual nationality need attention when leaving. Canada's advice says that if you leave Türkiye with a dual Turkish-Canadian child aged 18 or younger, you may need written permission from the Turkish parent. Families where one parent is Turkish should sort this out before travel, not at the airport.

Any child travelling without both parents should carry a consent letter from the parent who is not travelling. This is Canada's standard recommendation for all international trips, and officials can ask to see it.

If you are planning a trip with children, our Istanbul tours for kids page covers the practical side once you arrive.

Cash, medicines and souvenirs

Money. There is no limit on bringing foreign currency or Turkish lira into Türkiye. Leaving is different: you cannot take out more than the equivalent of US$5,000 in lira or foreign currency unless you can show the funds came from authorized banks. Cards work in most hotels, restaurants and shops in Istanbul and the tourist regions. Our guide to Turkey trip costs from Canada breaks down a realistic budget.

Medicines. Some prescription medicines are not available in Türkiye, and you are responsible for checking that yours are legal there. Canada advises bringing enough for the whole stay, in original containers, with a copy of your prescriptions, in your carry-on bag.

Souvenirs. Turkish antiquities and objects of historical value cannot be exported. If a "very old" coin or carving is offered at a market, assume it is either fake or illegal to take home. Carpets and ceramics from licensed shops come with receipts; keep them.

Insurance. Canada recommends travel insurance that covers hospital stays and medical evacuation, since hospitals can ask for payment up front.

Once you are in Türkiye

Carry your passport. Authorities can ask for ID at any time, and Global Affairs Canada says you need the original, not a photocopy or a phone photo. Hotels must register foreign guests and will ask for your passport at check-in.

Get your stamps. Make sure you receive an entry stamp on arrival and an exit stamp when leaving. This includes leaving by sea, for example a ferry from the Aegean coast to a nearby Greek island. A missing stamp can cause trouble the next time you enter.

Dress at mosques. In places of worship, women cover their hair with a scarf and everyone covers arms and legs. The Blue Mosque and other working mosques in Istanbul lend scarves, but bringing your own is easier. Our what to wear in Istanbul page goes into more detail.

Photos and speech. Do not photograph military or official installations, police or protests. Insulting the state, its institutions, the president or the flag is a crime, and Canada notes that people have been prosecuted for social media posts, including older posts made abroad.

The safety level. As of the last update on 29 September 2026, Canada advises a high degree of caution in Türkiye overall, and advises against all travel within 10 km of the Syrian and Iraqi borders and against non-essential travel to Hakkari and Şırnak provinces. Istanbul, Cappadocia and the coast are far from those areas. Our page on whether Turkey is safe for Canadians explains the advisory in plain terms.

Getting there and what to book first

Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. From other cities you connect through one of those or through a European hub. Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year, so Istanbul is seven hours ahead of Toronto and Montreal in the Canadian summer and eight hours ahead in winter; from Vancouver add three more.

Once your passport dates check out, book in this order: flights, then any domestic flights inside Turkey, then hotels and tours. A private airport transfer is worth booking ahead for a late-night arrival. Our city pages for Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal show routes that work with each city's flight times, and Turkey tour packages from Canada lists our full range.

Tours that cover this

• Turkey Tour Package 8 Days: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale from $2,250 per person
• Turkey Tour Package 10 Days: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Flights from $2,800 per person
• Istanbul and Cappadocia Tour Package: 5 Days with Flights and Cave Hotel from $1,150 per person
• Istanbul Airport VIP Transfer: Private Mercedes Vito to Your Hotel from $60 per group

Frequently Asked Questions