Turkey Trip from Iraq 2027: Visa by Age, Flights and Family Plans

Whether an Iraqi traveller needs a visa for Turkey depends on age: Iraqi ordinary passport holders under 15 or over 50 can enter without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, while those aged 15 to 50 need a visa, or an e-Visa if they hold a valid Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit. For a family, that usually means the parents apply and the children and grandparents do not. Once the paperwork is sorted, a week split between Istanbul and the Black Sea, as in our 4-day Istanbul and Trabzon tour, is the most popular plan.

This page covers the 2027 visa rules by age, direct flights from Baghdad, Erbil and other cities, family itineraries and what our tours cost.

Visa rules for Iraqi citizens by age

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets the rules for Iraqi ordinary passport holders as follows:

A few points families ask about:

• Age is checked at the border against the date of birth in the passport, so a traveller who has turned 15 by the day of entry needs a visa even if they were 14 when you booked.
• The e-Visa route is only for those who already hold a qualifying Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit. It is single entry and valid for one month, and evisa.gov.tr lists the conditions that apply when you apply. Our page on the Turkey e-Visa for visa and permit holders explains how it works.
• Everyone else aged 15 to 50 applies through the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad or a Turkish consulate general in Iraq. Start early in the year if you plan to travel in the summer holidays, when demand is highest.
• Each traveller needs their own passport, including babies and children.

The rules can change, so check the ministry's visa page close to your travel date. Our Turkey visa requirements update summarises recent changes for all nationalities.

Flights from Baghdad, Erbil and other Iraqi cities

Both of the main Iraqi airports have a wide choice of direct flights to Turkey. According to the airline listings for each airport:

• From Baghdad: Turkish Airlines, Iraqi Airways, Fly Baghdad and Basra Airlines fly to Istanbul Airport; Pegasus, AJet, Iraqi Airways and UR Airlines fly to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. Iraqi Airways and UR Airlines also list Ankara, Antalya and Samsun, AJet lists Ankara, and Iraqi Airways adds Trabzon in season.
• From Erbil: Turkish Airlines, FlyErbil and Iraqi Airways fly to Istanbul Airport; Pegasus and AJet fly to Sabiha Gökçen; AJet and Iraqi Airways list Ankara; Pegasus lists Adana; SunExpress flies to Antalya in season.

Routes from Basra, Najaf, Sulaymaniyah and other cities change between seasons, so check the airline sites for your dates.

Which Istanbul airport to choose:

• Istanbul Airport (IST) is on the European side, closer to Taksim and the Bosphorus hotels.
• Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side, convenient for hotels in Kadıköy or Ataşehir, but farther from Sultanahmet.

For arrival, book our VIP airport transfer from $60 per group.

When to go: summer in the Black Sea, spring and autumn in Istanbul

Most Iraqi families travel in the summer school holidays, when the heat at home is at its worst. That is when the Black Sea coast is at its best: long-term averages in Trabzon, from the Turkish State Meteorological Service, are a high of 26.1 °C in July and 26.7 °C in August, with lows around 20 °C. Expect some rain even in summer, as the region is green for a reason, with around eight rainy days a month.

Istanbul in July and August is warm and busy. It is still very pleasant by the water, on a Bosphorus cruise, or on the Princes' Islands.

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are quieter and better for walking tours of Istanbul's old city, if your holidays allow it.

Turkish public holidays and the Eid holidays bring many domestic travellers to the Black Sea highlands too, so book hotels in Uzungöl and Ayder early if your dates overlap.

A 7 to 10-day family itinerary

Many Iraqi families combine three things: Istanbul's sights and shopping, a cooler nature trip, and a day or two of easy fun for the children. Here is a plan that fits most school-holiday trips:

For a shorter trip, drop days 8 to 10. For a longer one, add a second highland day at Ayder from Rize.

Istanbul with children

• Bosphorus by boat. Our Bosphorus lunch cruise with hotel pickup costs from $75 per person; for a family or a large group of relatives, the private Bosphorus yacht for 6 to 32 guests costs from $525 per hour.
• A car and driver for the day. The Istanbul private driver for 8 hours costs from $299 per group for up to six guests, so the whole family moves together without taxis.

Day trips near Istanbul

• Bursa and Uludağ: our Bursa day trip with cable car and lunch costs from $90 per person. The cable car climbs into pine forest on Uludağ, which is cooler than the city.
• Sapanca and Maşukiye: our Sapanca and Maşukiye day trip with ATV, zipline and cable car costs from $70 per person.

Trabzon, Uzungöl and the Black Sea highlands

The eastern Black Sea is the reason many Iraqi families come back to Turkey year after year: green mountains, lakes, cool air and wooden villages. Trabzon is the gateway, with its own airport.

• Uzungöl: a mountain lake inland from Trabzon, with a mosque on the shore and hotels along the water. Our private Uzungöl day trip from Trabzon costs from $80 per person. More on the lake in our Uzungöl guide.
• Sumela Monastery: a Byzantine monastery built into a cliff above the Altındere valley. The Sumela Monastery tour from Trabzon costs from $120 per person. See our Sumela guide.
• Ayder and Rize: a high plateau with waterfalls and tea gardens. The Ayder and Storm Valley tour from Rize costs from $85 per person.

If you prefer one booking that covers flights and hotels, the 4-day Istanbul and Trabzon tour costs from $1,455 per person. Our Black Sea Turkey tour page covers longer routes.

Road trips from Trabzon to the highlands have narrow, winding sections, and fog can come down quickly. A private driver who knows the roads makes the day easier than a self-drive rental.

Money, food, language and practical tips

• Halal food: Turkey is a majority-Muslim country and meat in ordinary restaurants is halal. Many restaurants serve alcohol, but family restaurants in the Black Sea highlands often do not.
• Prayer: mosques are everywhere, and guides plan days around prayer times on request.
• Money: prices in Turkey are in Turkish lira. US dollars change easily at exchange offices in Istanbul and Trabzon. Cards are widely accepted in cities; carry cash for highland villages.
• Language: Arabic is spoken in many Istanbul hotels and shops, less so in the highlands. Arabic-speaking guides are arranged on request, subject to availability; see our Arabic-speaking guide in Istanbul page and our overview of Istanbul tours and day trips in Arabic.
• SIM card: buy one at the airport or a shop in town with your passport.
• Dress: shoulders and knees covered for mosques, and women cover their hair; scarves are often lent at the entrance.

What a family trip costs with our tours

Our prices are in US dollars and exclude international flights. Some examples for a family of four:

• Istanbul and Trabzon, 4 days, packaged: from $1,455 per person.
• Istanbul city package, 4 days: the 4-day Istanbul tour package from $699 per person, with hotel and a Bosphorus cruise.
• Day trips: from $70 to $120 per person each, as listed above.
• Car and driver: from $299 per group per day in Istanbul, shared by the whole family.

Visa fees for travellers aged 15 to 50, hotels in Uzungöl in peak season, and meals outside the tour inclusions come on top. For a wider look at the budget, see our Turkey trip cost guide.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul and Trabzon tour, 4 days with Sumela Monastery and flights: from $1,455 per person.
• Private Uzungöl day trip from Trabzon: from $80 per person.
• Bursa and Uludağ day trip from Istanbul with cable car and lunch: from $90 per person.
• Istanbul private driver for 8 hours, 1 to 6 guests: from $299 per group.

Frequently Asked Questions