Turkey Travel Requirements from the UK 2027: Passport, Visa, GHIC

To travel to Turkey from the UK on a British citizen passport you need no visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but your passport must have an expiry date at least 150 days after the day you arrive and at least one blank page. UK residents with other passports may need an e-Visa or a visa from a Turkish consulate, and everyone needs travel insurance, because the GHIC is not valid in Turkey. Everything below was checked on 7 November 2026 against the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advice, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the official e-Visa site, so you can book the trip itself with confidence, whether that is a city break or one of our Turkey tour packages from the UK.

Turkey entry checklist for British passport holders

Any website that offers British citizens a "Turkey e-Visa" is selling something you do not need. Holders of other British passport types, such as British National (Overseas), are in a different position; see the section on UK residents on other passports below.

The 150-day passport rule, worked out for 2027 holidays

Count 150 days from the day you land in Turkey; your passport's printed expiry date must fall on or after that date. For typical 2027 departures:

• Easter: arriving Saturday 27 March 2027, the passport must expire on or after Tuesday 24 August 2027.
• May half term: arriving Saturday 29 May 2027, on or after Tuesday 26 October 2027.
• Summer holidays: arriving Saturday 24 July 2027, on or after Tuesday 21 December 2027.
• October half term: arriving Saturday 23 October 2027, on or after Tuesday 21 March 2028.

If yours falls short, renew before you book; our Turkey trip from the UK in 2027 page lists the school and bank holiday dates to plan around. HM Passport Office says you will usually get a passport within 3 weeks. An adult renewal costs £102 online or £115.50 on paper, and a child passport, which lasts five years, £66.50 online or £80 on paper, at current fees. GOV.UK also warns not to book travel until you have the new passport, because it will have a different number.

UK residents on other passports: e-Visa, BRP and cost

Turkey's rules follow your passport, not where you live. That matters in households where not everyone holds a British passport. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists, among others:

The BRP question. GOV.UK says all biometric residence permits have now expired and been replaced by eVisas, the UK's digital immigration status. Turkey's official e-Visa site says, in its own words, that "e-Visas of other countries are not accepted as a supporting document", and we found no Turkish ruling that deals with UK digital status directly. If your UK permission exists only as an eVisa, confirm with the Turkish Consulate General in London before you book anything non-refundable, or apply for a visa there. Our page on the Turkey e-Visa with a residence permit goes into the detail.

Applying. Use the official site, evisa.gov.tr. Its rules say:

• your supporting UK visa or residence permit must still be valid on the day you enter Turkey;
• the fee depends on your passport and document type, is shown when you apply, is paid by credit or debit card (Mastercard, Visa or UnionPay) and is charged only if the e-Visa is approved;
• you should apply at least 48 hours before departure;
• every traveller needs a separate e-Visa, including a child with their own passport.

For other nationalities, see our Turkey visa requirements 2026 update.

Other British passports and dual nationals

• British National (Overseas), British Subject and British Protected Person. Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says these passports need a visa, and its country entries describe the route differently, so ask the Turkish Consulate General in London before booking.
• Other British passport types. The FCDO says holders of any other type of British passport need a visa and should check with the Turkish Embassy or Consulate General.
• Dual British and Turkish nationals. The FCDO says that leaving Turkey with a dual-national child may need the Turkish parent's permission, and that British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to return to the UK.

Travelling with children

• Every child needs their own passport, and the 150-day rule applies to it too. A UK child passport is valid for five years, so check its expiry date when you check your own.
• One parent travelling alone with a child. GOV.UK says you must have the permission of everyone with parental responsibility before taking a child abroad. A letter from the other parent with their contact details and the trip details is usually enough, and it helps to carry evidence of your relationship, such as a birth certificate, plus a marriage or divorce certificate if you are a single parent with a different surname from your child. You may be asked for it at a UK or foreign border.
• Children on other passports need their own e-Visa or visa, as above.

For family trip ideas, see our February half term 2027 in Istanbul plan and Turkey family tour packages.

Health cover: your GHIC is not valid in Turkey

The FCDO is explicit: the European Health Insurance Card and the Global Health Insurance Card are not valid in Turkey. Before you go:

• Buy travel insurance that covers local treatment and medical evacuation, as well as your planned activities. The FCDO notes that insurance can be invalidated if you travel against its advice.
• Check your medicines. British prescriptions are not accepted in Turkish pharmacies, and some common medicines are controlled in Turkey; the FCDO points to Turkish customs guidance on the documents you need.
• Check vaccinations with TravelHealthPro or your GP at least eight weeks before travel.
• In an emergency, dial 112 and ask for an ambulance.

Customs: what you can take out and bring back

Arriving in and leaving Turkey (FCDO):

• There is no limit on the foreign currency or lira you bring in, but you must not take more than the equivalent of US$5,000 in Turkish lira out of the country, and other currency above US$5,000 must be declared to Turkish Customs.
• Controlled drugs, firearms, offensive weapons, endangered species and obscene material are prohibited; declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to duty.
• Buying or exporting antiquities is illegal. Some old items sold legally in markets and antique shops cannot be exported, so confirm an item's status before you buy it.

Coming home to Great Britain (HMRC rules on GOV.UK):

• Alcohol: 42 litres of beer or cider, 18 litres of still or sparkling wine, plus either 4 litres of spirits over 22% or 9 litres of drinks up to 22% such as port or sherry.
• Tobacco: 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, 250 g of tobacco or 200 heated tobacco sticks; and up to 50 ml of vaping liquid.
• Other goods: up to £390 in total. Go over any allowance and you pay tax and duty on everything in that category. There are no alcohol or tobacco allowances for under-17s.
• Not allowed: personal imports of meat and dairy products from most non-EU countries, and fake branded goods may be seized.
• Cash: declare £10,000 or more, including when a family's combined total reaches that figure.

Driving in Turkey on a UK licence

The FCDO says you need a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) or a UK driving licence notarised in Turkish; the older 1949 permit is no longer accepted, and you cannot buy an IDP outside the UK. GOV.UK says IDPs are sold at some PayPoint shops for £5.50 to UK residents aged 18 or over with a full licence, and a 1968 permit lasts three years or until your licence expires, whichever is sooner. If you take your own car, the FCDO adds that you must carry a green card as proof of third-party insurance.

Many visitors would rather not drive at all. Our packages include transfers between airports, hotels and sights, and a private Istanbul airport transfer costs from $60 per group (about £45 at the Bank of England rate of $1.3476 to £1 on 5 November 2026). Our Istanbul airport transfer guide compares the options.

Photo: CeeGee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FCDO travel advice for Turkey in brief

The FCDO advises against all travel to within 10 km of the border with Syria. Visits to areas near the borders with Iraq and Iran in Hakkari need permission from the local governor's office, and climbing Mount Ararat needs a permit. Its latest update, on 27 October 2026, covers regional tensions in the Middle East, warns of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures, and advises following updates on airports and airspace, which could close at short notice. Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts are well outside these areas. Our Is Turkey safe to travel to? article goes further, and the flight itself takes about four hours from London to Istanbul.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul City Tour Package, 4 Days: from $699 per person (about £520). Hotel, a guided Old City day and a Bosphorus cruise.
• Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour, 7 Days: from $1,286 per person (about £955). Group tour with three domestic flights.
• Private Istanbul Tour with a Licensed Guide, 1 to 3 Days: from $199 per group (about £148).
• VIP Private Istanbul Airport Transfer: from $60 per group (about £45).

No prepayment needed: pay on the tour day. Once your passports pass the checks above, send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will suggest a route, from a long weekend with the 4-day Istanbul package to a week touring the country. For short breaks, see our Istanbul city break from the UK guide.

Frequently Asked Questions