Relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Russian Federation (RF) at the beginning of 2021 were marked by a warming. Today, Turkey, as before, is the most popular tourist destination for Russians. According to statistics, approximately 40% of the turnover of Russian travel agencies comes from trips to the resorts of this state. Let's consider what entry rules into Turkey for Russian citizens apply in 2021.
Requirements for Russians planning to cross the Turkish border
Citizens of the Russian Federation who plan to travel to the territory of the Republic of Turkey on a short business trip, to visit relatives or for tourism purposes for up to 60 days do not need to obtain a visa. For comparison: citizens of Ukraine can stay in Istanbul and other Turkish cities without a visa for no more than 90 days, citizens of Belarus and Kazakhstan - no more than 30 days.
The traveler will only need a foreign passport, which must be valid for at least another 4 months from the date of crossing the Turkish border. If the duration of the planned private, business or tourist trip exceeds 60 days, a visa must be issued.
If we are talking about several short-term trips to Turkey, in this case Russians can also take advantage of the visa-free regime. The main condition is that the total duration of visa-free stay in Turkish territory should not exceed 90 days within 6 months.
The 6-month period starts from the date of the first crossing of the Turkish border. If a traveler plans to stay in Turkey for longer than 90 days over six months, he will need a visa.
Russians can also transit through the Republic of Turkey without a visa. At the border, such a traveler will simply have a visa stamp placed in his passport and the date of transit will be indicated.
The rules for entry into Turkey for Russians also regulate the list of documents that a Russian citizen must have with him when crossing the border. In addition to the foreign passport, the package of documents includes:
- hotel reservation confirmation or travel voucher;
- ;
- ;
- financial guarantee for the duration of the trip (no less than $300 for the entire duration of the trip per person).
Neither a migration card nor a health declaration, which was required to be filled out previously, is needed in 2021 when traveling to Turkey.
Back in 2021, the Turkish government made a statement that Russian citizens would soon have the right to travel to this country using their internal passports. But due to the deterioration of relations between states, these intentions were never realized. In 2021, entry into Turkey with Russian passports is impossible.
The visa regime for citizens of the Russian Federation planning to visit the Republic of Turkey is valid if the trip is for the purpose of:
- training in local educational institutions, taking Turkish language courses;
- employment under contract;
- acquisition of real estate;
- official marriage with a citizen of Turkey;
- running a private business;
- cargo transportation.
To obtain a visa, you should contact the Embassy of the Turkish Republic in Moscow or one of the Consulates General of this state operating in Russia (in St. Petersburg, Kazan or Novorossiysk).
Citizens of which countries can enter Turkey using an internal passport?
Citizens of the following countries can enter Turkey without obtaining a visa:
- Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Moldova, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - all countries that were part of the USSR.
- Thailand, Mongolia, Tunisia, Syria, New Zealand, Morocco, Iran, Asia and other countries of the Americas, Asia.
- The vast majority of European countries.
Citizens of many countries, including Estonia, Lithuania, Georgia, and Moldova, can stay on the territory of the Turkish state without a visa for a period of no more than 90 days. Ukrainians and Russians can stay in Turkey without a visa for 60 days for six months. Citizens can travel to Turkey for only 30 days:
- Uzbekistan.
- Tajikistan.
- Latvia.
- Azerbaijan.
- Turkmenistan.
- Kazakhstan.
- Belarus.
But all dates will be revised soon. In order to improve the activities of the tourism sector, the period of stay in Turkey for foreign citizens will be extended to 90 days.
Important detail : when going on vacation, you must make sure that your foreign passport is valid for at least 120 days. Turkish customs officers may not allow a foreigner into the territory of their country if the specified validity period of the document at the time of entry is less than that required by customs rules.
But this rule does not apply to citizens of many other states. For example, citizens of Bulgaria, Germany, Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain and others can enter Turkey with expired passports.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its website published a complete list of countries that are not subject to requirements for the validity of a foreign passport.
Ban on visiting the Republic of Turkey for citizens of the Russian Federation
On November 28, 2021, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree according to which the country introduced a moratorium on the sale of tourist packages to Turkey. The presidential decree was followed by the complete cancellation of charter and regular flights to this state.
On June 30, 2021, the moratorium was lifted. Thus, there is no ban on Russians traveling to Turkey in 2021. Nevertheless, there are categories of citizens for whom this restriction still remains relevant. These include employees:
- Ministry of Defense,
- Ministry of Internal Affairs,
- Armed Forces,
- law enforcement agencies specializing in the fight against drug trafficking,
- departments and organizations related to state secrets.
But there are circumstances in which restrictions for representatives of the above categories of citizens can be temporarily lifted as an exception. Thus, permission to travel to Turkey for employees of all listed structures can be issued if:
- you need to visit a relative who is seriously ill and near death;
- notification of the death of a relative was received;
- it is necessary to undergo treatment that is not available in Russia.
When applying for admission, you must first obtain a certificate with permission to travel abroad from your immediate superior. Then, in order for the ban on travel to Turkey in 2021 to be temporarily lifted, you need to provide the received certificate to the personnel department employees, where his foreign passport is kept. Afterwards, you must submit an application to the relevant minister.
This procedure for obtaining clearance is provided for all law enforcement officers, regardless of the positions they occupy.
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Rules for entry into Turkey for children
The required documents for traveling to Turkey with a child without a visa are:
- the child’s foreign passport (must be valid for at least 4 months from the date of entry into the Republic of Turkey);
- notarized permission to take a minor abroad from the mother/father, if the child is traveling with only one of the parents;
- notarized consent for a minor to travel abroad from parents/guardians if the child is traveling alone (for example, with a proxy).
If a child has not reached the age of 14 and does not have his own foreign passport, an entry about him is made in the foreign passport of the parent/guardian with whom he will travel. Also, a photo of a child aged 6-13 years is pasted into an adult’s foreign passport.
If parents/guardians are traveling to Turkey with a minor under visa regulations, the child will also need a visa. The registration procedure is similar to that which adults go through.
If a minor is included in the parent/guardian’s foreign passport, they must also be included in the adult’s visa application.
Who should apply for a visa to Turkey?
For residents of countries not included in the visa waiver program, there is also a way out: before going on a trip to Turkey, you can buy an electronic visa online: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/. The procedure will take only 3-4 minutes.
Of the countries that formerly comprised the Soviet Union, only residents of Armenia are required to obtain a visa. Residents of some European countries must also obtain permission: Norway, the Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus, Belgium, Austria, Great Britain. Taiwanese, Canadians, Australians, Americans and citizens of other wealthy countries need a visa.
Residents of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and other poor countries can only obtain a permit if they already have an open visa to one of the OECD or Schengen countries. If you do not have such a document, you will have to apply for a visa only at the embassy.
The rules for entry into Turkey for Russian citizens due to coronavirus have changed in 2021.
This is explained in more detail in the video.
Where Russians can fly without a visa, watch the video.
Is it possible to enter Turkey with a Schengen visa?
Many travelers are interested in whether a Schengen visa gives the right to enter the Republic of Turkey. Today it is impossible to cross the Turkish border under Schengen. This is due to the fact that this state is not part of the European Union and does not belong to the Schengen area.
Thus, the answer to the question of whether Schengen is needed in Turkey is negative. Citizens of EU countries have the right to enter the territory of the Republic of Turkey on the basis of national ID passports.
Sanctions for violators of entry rules into Turkey
Failure to comply with the visa regime entails certain penalties. Their severity depends on the severity of the offense.
Exceeding the legal period of stay in the country threatens a foreigner with the following sanctions:
- up to 15 days – a fine of 250 liras;
- more than 15 days – a fine and an entry ban for 30 days;
- more than 30 days – a fine and an entry ban for 90 days;
- more than 90 days – a fine and an entry ban for 180 days;
- more than 180 days – a fine and an entry ban for 12 months;
- more than 12 months – a fine and an entry ban for 24 months;
- more than 24 months - a fine and an entry ban for 5 years.
Even if a foreigner stayed in Turkey 15 days longer than he was entitled to, but refused to pay the fine, he will be prohibited from entering the country for the next 5 years.
How to buy the cheapest air tickets to Turkey
Naturally, the question often arises of how to get to your destination. The best way out would be cheap air tickets to Turkey. But where and how to look for such tickets?
You can see the schedule of low-cost airlines to Turkey. It is also possible to purchase air tickets to Turkey with special offers from popular airlines. In any case, we recommend using the search form from Aviasales, with which you will definitely find the cheapest air tickets to Turkey for the dates you are interested in.
If you are used to planning a trip abroad in advance, then we suggest you use the low price calendar.
When planning a trip to Turkey, find out the weather here by month.
What customs regulations apply in the Republic of Turkey?
The question of what can be transported to Turkey still remains one of the most pressing. Most tourists are primarily interested in what currency and in what quantity they can take with them when going to the territory of the Republic of Turkey.
The import of both Turkish lira and foreign currency is allowed into this country. There are no restrictions on the amount, but if it exceeds $5,000, it must be declared.
You can take with you not cash, but a bank card: when withdrawing money, the currency will be converted in accordance with the rate of the client’s bank. It is still recommended to have enough cash with you in case any problems arise with the card.
The next frequently asked question is: “How much alcohol can I bring into Turkey?” According to the current customs rules in the state, in 2021, a traveler has the right to bring into the territory of a given country no more than 2 liters of alcoholic beverages with a strength of up to 22% or no more than 1 liter of alcohol with a strength above 22%. You can take 3 or more types of alcohol with you.
It should also be remembered that only persons who have reached the age of majority are allowed to import alcohol into the Republic of Turkey.
Travelers can also take some food with them. These include sweets, chocolate, coffee, tea. The weight of each product cannot exceed 1 kg, and their total weight must not exceed 2 kg.
It is allowed to import dried and fresh fruits and vegetables (up to 3 kg), other food products of plant origin (up to 1 kg) as a gift to a Turkish friend or relative. Their cost must be included in the price of the gift itself.
By the way: the cost of gifts imported into the Republic of Turkey by an adult can be a maximum of € 430, and for minors - € 150.
Customs regulations govern how many cigarettes can be imported into Turkey in 2021. You can take on your trip:
- cigarettes - 200 pieces (or 400 if purchased at a duty-free store);
- cigars - 50 pieces (or 100 if purchased at a duty-free store);
- loose, pipe, chewing tobacco - 200 g (or 500 g if purchased at a duty-free store);
- hookah tobacco – 200 g;
- snuff – 50 g.
Care should be taken when importing medicines into the territory of the Republic of Turkey. It is strictly forbidden to bring into the country drugs that have a narcotic effect (morphine, amizil, atropine, digoxin and the like). There are also restrictions regarding legal medications: you are allowed to take them with you only in the amount that will be sufficient for the duration of your stay in Turkey.
If a person goes to study or work and needs to constantly take certain medications, in order to bring them across the border, he will need a prescription from a doctor and an extract from his personal medical record.
The rules for importing animals into the Republic of Turkey are also strictly regulated. You can take 10 aquarium fish, 1 bird, dog or cat with you on the plane. A pet crossing the border with its owner must have an international veterinary passport with notes on vaccination and absence of diseases.
You must obtain a veterinary passport at least 15 days before arriving in Turkey. The document must be certified by an employee of the Turkish consulate.
When will we go to Turkey without a foreign passport - the lawyer answers
The leading lawyer of the company “Lawyers for the travel business “Bayborodin and Partners” Vladimir Kazak answered the questions of “Subtleties”.
Last week, the Russian tourism market was rocked by news about the possible entry into Turkey without foreign passports. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not yet expressed itself unambiguously, but we decided to find out how realistic such a possibility is and in what time frame it will be feasible. Leading lawyer Vladimir Kazak answered questions from Subtleties.
Vladimir, first a general question: how do you assess the likelihood that Russia and Turkey will agree on Russians crossing the border without a passport? Don't you think that this is just a PR stunt for Turkey before the start of the summer season?
Now citizens of the Russian Federation are given the opportunity to visit, using general civil passports, only those countries with which the Russian Federation has a high level of integration and whose border services and police officers are fluent in Russian: Abkhazia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Ossetia. The number of Turkish border guards and police officers fluent in Russian will not allow solving all possible problems.
In addition, there are restrictions associated with putting any marks in the general passports of citizens of the Russian Federation, an exhaustive list of which is specified in paragraph 5 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 828 “On approval of the Regulations on the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, a sample form and description of a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation” dated 07/08/1997 (as amended on 11/20/2018). It does not contain a “mark on crossing the border of the Russian Federation” and “a mark on crossing the border of a foreign state.” And paragraph 6 of this resolution directly prohibits entering into the general passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation information, marks and entries not provided for by the above provision. In case of violations, the passport is declared invalid with all the ensuing consequences.
But this is only part of the problems that require changes in the legislation of the Russian Federation and Turkey.
- Vladimir Kazak
In general, I believe, taking into account the position expressed by the official representative of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, Russia and Turkey will not be able to agree on Russians visiting Turkey using regular passports.
And if the parties do agree, when theoretically can all formalities be settled and how soon will Russians be able to travel to Turkey using Russian passports?
The settlement of all formalities will require considerable time. In addition, you need to keep in mind that from 2021 in our country it is planned to introduce electronic passports, and this does not reduce, but adds, the number of problems associated with resolving the issue regarding Turkey. So in 2021 this issue will not be resolved with one hundred percent probability.
How will children who do not have Russian passports go to Turkey?
It is quite difficult or, rather, almost impossible to predict the order of departure of children under 14 years of age. As for 2019, the procedure for the departure of children under 14 years of age remains unchanged.
If a minor is included in a passport (biometric) of a new type, his departure is carried out on the basis of an identity document of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Therefore, we recommend that you issue international passports for your children.
If a minor is included in an old-style passport, then he can travel without obtaining a separate passport.
So that children under 14 years of age can leave Russia for Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Ukraine, a birth certificate indicating Russian citizenship (with an insert or mark) is provided as a document for the right to cross the state border. It can be assumed that if the procedure for visiting Turkey is similar to the procedure for visiting these countries, children of this age will visit Turkey under the same conditions.
But this is all theory; how it will be in practice will be determined by the legislators of the Russian Federation and Turkey.
How can the border be crossed? How to control those not allowed to travel?
The procedure for crossing the border will be determined in the relevant regulatory documents. And the procedure for controlling those restricted from traveling abroad will remain unchanged. The absence of restrictions on leaving the country will be checked at border control points. To find out whether there are restrictions, it is enough to check the citizen’s personal data: full name, date of birth and information about which subject of the Russian Federation he is registered in. What else to read on the topic:
- 10 good reasons to never vacation in Turkey
; - Test: 15 difficult questions for Turkey lovers. Test yourself
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April 3, 2019
What is allowed to be imported/exported duty free?
Turkish customs regulations provide for duty-free import into the country of:
- one name of each household item (they must be taken back when returning to their homeland);
- 1 TV;
- 1 projector;
- 1 video camera and 5 empty cassettes for it;
- 5 laser discs;
- 1 VCR;
- 1 laptop computer;
- 1 radio;
- 1 CD player;
- 1 binoculars;
- 1 camera;
- 3 musical instruments (1 name of each type);
- strollers, bicycles, children's toys.
Customs in Turkey allows you to export duty-free:
- 400 cigarettes;
- 50 cigars;
- 200 g tobacco;
- 1 kg of coffee, tea, sweets (but the total weight of these goods should not exceed 2 kg);
- 12 bottles of local alcohol of 0.5 liters each or 1 liter per passport if purchased at duty-free sales points (you should take into account the rules for importing alcoholic beverages into the territory of your state);
- souvenirs and gifts with a total value of no more than $200;
- 600 ml of perfumes and cosmetics.
If the traveler plans to export more of the items listed above, he will have to pay a government fee before departure. Weight restrictions do not apply only to goods purchased in duty-free stores.
You cannot export from Turkey:
- archaeological finds;
- antiques (products older than 50 years);
- narcotic substances;
- chemicals and toxic substances;
- weapons (firearms, piercing and cutting weapons, etc.);
- ammunition;
- pornographic materials;
- pirated products;
- counterfeit money;
- medicines containing narcotic substances.
There are restrictions on the export of local currency from Turkey. Its amount should not exceed the equivalent of $1000.
Instead of an afterword
Despite the deterioration of relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation over the past few years, the Turkish authorities, as of 2021, offer fairly democratic entry rules for Russians. Short-term trips lasting up to 60 days in a row or up to 90 days over the course of six months can be carried out without issuing a visa. In this case, you only need a foreign passport.
Customs provides the opportunity to import and export a fairly wide range of goods duty-free. The Turkish authorities are generally loyal to foreigners; the main thing is not to violate the rules of the visa regime, so as not to fall under sanctions. , unpaid housing and communal services receipts, alimony or fines from the traffic police. Any of these debts may threaten to restrict travel abroad in 2021; we recommend finding out information about the existence of debt using a trusted service
