Holidaymakers heading to Turkey warned to make 2 passport checks now
While the Foreign Office warn against all travel to within 10km of the Syrian border, the country has cemented itself as tourist-friendly. Indeed, while protests in Spain about over-tourism and lack of affordable housing rage, Turkey seems happy to welcome holidaymakers.
But those heading there over the summer need to make two vital passport checks to ensure they're not turned away.
Entry requirements for the country, home to tourist resorts such as Marmaris, Antalya and Bodrum, state that those travelling with a full British Citizen passport must have an 'expiry date' at least 150 days after you arrive.
This equates to 5 months and is different to the rules around heading to EU countries which state passports need to an 'expiry date' of at least three months beyond the date they plan to leave. So don't be caught out.
The Foreign Office also warns passports should have a full, blank page to allow for entry and exit stamps.
If your document does not have either of these, you should apply for a new passport. The current waiting times for new or renewal passports is three weeks from submitting an application, according to His Majesty's (HM) Passport Office.
And it could be sooner. The independent platform, UK Passport Waiting Time, collects data from the public and has found recent statistics suggest the current wait is around 19 days for a first adult passport and approximately 13 days for renewals or replacements.
The average processing time for a first child passport is 16 days, and for a replacement, it's 15 days, as per the website.
The Foreign Office says that if you live in Turkey, your passport must be valid for 6 months from the date you arrive.
And, if entering at a land border, make sure officials stamp and date your passport at the border crossing.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which issues advice and warnings about travel abroad, state: "You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen."
They recently issued fresh advice for tourists heading to Turkey. It pertained to those Brits entering from Iran.
On Friday, June 20, it issued an alert, which read: "If you are a British national wanting to cross the land border from Iran into Turkey, you will need to request facilitation from the British Embassy in Ankara by contacting the FCDO before travelling to the border, indicating whether you are contacting from Iran or from the UK on behalf of a relative.
"You will need to provide personal details (name, date of birth, details of travel document used to enter Turkey). This is required by the Turkish authorities.
"The usual entry requirements will apply, including that British nationals can enter without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you intend to leave Iran overland, you do so at your own risk."
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