Turkey is indeed an exciting country to explore, starting from its cultural richness, good food and strategic location between the continents of Asia and Europe. Many of my friends who vacation with the main tourist destinations are tourist cities in Turkey such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. But there are also those who travel to Turkey due to chance on a transit trip from Indonesia to Europe (as I have also tried). But … to visit Turkey, you need a visa, you know! Here it is 3 ways to get a Turkish visa according to my experience.
1. How to make a Turkish e-Visa
Now this is actually the easiest way to get a Turkish visa, the easiest way. You don’t need to bother coming to the embassy, just fill in the information requested online and include the documents requested online as well. In addition to saving time, saving money is also due to the lower cost compared to applying for a Turkish visa at the embassy.
Among all types of Turkish visas that you can make, e-Visa is one of the most we recommend. Because the manufacturing process is quite simple, you don’t need to bother coming to the embassy and of course in a much shorter time.
There are only two documents that you need to prepare when applying for this visa:
- A valid passport, valid for at least 6 months after the date of departure from Turkey. Who doesn’t have a passport yet,
- Credit cards or debit cards Visa, Master Card or Union Pay that can be done in international transactions. This card is required for online Turkish e-visa payment.
The first thing you need to do is enter the official Turkish government website
After that, you are required to fill in the information requested namely personal data, passport number, date of your arrival, email and others. After confirmation, you will be taken to the payment page. You just pay with the card you have. The fee for an online Turkish visa is 35 dollars (plus a small card transaction fee).
This Turkish e-visa has a validity period of 180 days and the length of stay in Turkey for each arrival is 30 days. Don’t overstay it, guys!
This is the way I used to do for a visit to Turkey in 2016. Because at that time I flew from Australia to London for a conference, via Singapore and Turkey using the services of Turkish Airline. The fun is using Turkish Airline, I can get a free one-day tour in Istanbul from this airline! Complete with buses, tour guides, good breakfast and lunch!
2. How to make Turkish VOA
If you want something more practical, you can apply for a visa upon your arrival in Turkey with Visa on Arrival (VOA).
Once you arrive at Istanbul’s Attaturk International Airport, all you have to do is go to the signboard directing you to the counter to process VOA. You are also required to have a cash fund of US $ 35 for VOA payments.
In contrast to Turkish e-visas, using VOA service means that you have a visa file in your passport. Visa will be stamped on a blank page in the passport turkey with a validity period of 30 days. My advice for those of you who plan to be going back and forth in Turkey, it’s better to apply for Turkish e-visa because you can use mutiple entries. Use the VOA alternative if your visit is impromptu.
3. How to Make a Turkish Visa via a Travel Agent
In addition to the two ways above, you can also arrange for a visa through a travel agent. The advantage is that you don’t have to bother filling out online forms or looking for a VOA office when you arrive in Turkey. You only need to submit the documents to the travel agent to process your documents. Usually this method is done if indeed you plan to take a vacation to Turkey with a tour group.