What documents do Ukrainians need to enter Turkey?

• A valid passport with a validity period of at least 150 days after the day you plan to leave
• or an ID card
• booked round-trip airline tickets
• hotel rental agreement
• proof of financial security
• health insurance policy with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros

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Is insurance required for Ukrainians in Turkey?

You need to have health insurance - it is a mandatory document for a tourist trip to Turkey. In addition to the fact that the policy must be presented when crossing the border, the availability of health insurance can protect the tourist from unnecessary cash costs in an emergency.

💡 Tip: Remember that a reliable insurance policy is the key to your confidence while traveling. Do not risk your own finances and health, choose insurance with a guaranteed payment and let your travels leave only pleasant memories.

How can Ukrainians extend their stay in Turkey?

The permitted period of visa-free stay is up to 90 days within 180 days. To extend the period of stay in Turkey, Ukrainian citizens need to apply to the Migration Service of the Republic of Turkey and obtain a residence permit in Turkey (tourist, humanitarian) or International Protection Status. This status is provided free of charge, allows you to legally stay in Turkey for 1 year, get free housing (dormitory), life insurance for 1 year, free medical services in public clinics for 1 year, etc.

💡 Tip: To ensure a successful trip to a new country, take advantage of expert advice. Our qualified specialists with legal education will help you avoid unpleasant situations during your stay abroad.

Information for those traveling from Ukraine by car to Turkey:

Remember that you need to have a Green Card to drive your own car outside of Ukraine.

✅🚘 To take out insurance, you will need the following documents:

- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine;

- international passport;

- car registration certificate.

It takes a few minutes to apply for an insurance policy. All you need to do is follow the link, provide the necessary data, and pay for the service. 

Are you planning a trip to Turkey but are not sure about the requirements for documents or the length of your stay? For example, violation of the visa-free regime rules or lack of proper health insurance can cause problems with local authorities.

💡 Visit Ukraine lawyers are ready to help you understand all the rules, prepare the necessary documents and avoid unpleasant situations while traveling. You can choose a consultation for 30 or 60 minutes, where you will receive clear advice from our specialists.

If you need help with more complex issues, we offer full legal support. Our team will help you at all stages: from consultation and preparation of documents to obtaining an entry permit. We work to make this process as simple and stress-free as possible so that you can focus on preparing for your trip!

Turkey is among the top 10 countries for the reception of Ukrainian refugees. And no wonder, because this country has always been close to our citizens, many Ukrainians have expat relatives, friends, acquaintances. Many Turks speak Russian, especially on the south coast, so it is easier for Ukrainians to communicate with Turks than with locals in other countries.

However, since Turkey is not a member of the EU and does not grant Ukrainians temporary protection status, it is difficult for refugees from our country to understand the statuses and rights that our citizens can obtain in Turkey for legal residence.

☎️ Migration Service Hotline: 157 from the Turkish number (there are Russian-speaking operators).

Thus, currently Ukrainians who left for Turkey in connection with the war can receive three types of status: tourist residence permit, humanitarian residence permit and international protection status.

What does each of these statuses mean?

1️⃣ Tourist residence permit (Kısa dönem ikamet izni)

This is the most common and understandable format of a long-term stay in Turkey. Let us remind that Ukrainians can stay in Turkey for up to 90 days under the visa-free regime. For those who plan to stay longer, the Turkish Migration Service issues tourist residence permits for up to 1 year, but for Ukrainians they have started issuing even for 2 years.

In addition to the residence permit for up to 2 years, the tourist certificate entitles to:

📌 insurance treatment at local hospitals (insurance purchased separately)

📌 opportunity to buy a car and get a local driver's license

📌 take out a loan and mortgage

📌 teach a child in a public school

📌 learn English and / or Turkish for free

📌 open a business

❌ Tourist certificate does not provide a permit for employment and work. Employment permit is issued separately, a specific employer will have to submit your documents to the Ministry of Labor

The following documents are submitted for registration of the tourist certificate:

📎 mandatory biometric passport (if you do not have one - you can issue a new or extend the old biometric at the Embassy / Consulate of Ukraine);

📎 child's birth certificate (if any), translated and apostilled

📎 housing lease, notarized. Anna advises to include in the lease agreement all family members who will live in the apartment - this will make it easier to obtain a certificate for them. If one of the spouses is not included in the lease agreement at the time of its conclusion, a marriage certificate translated into Turkish and apostille shall be submitted to the agreement.

If you plan to stay with relatives, friends - you can also certify your apartment with a surety document, where the owners of your residence will confirm your whereabouts.

📎 biometric photos

📎 insurance

📎 certificate of payment of tax for the permit

📎 can additionally request a certificate of registration of one of the utilities - gas, electricity, etc.

📎completed application form on the website of the Migration Service https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. After filling in, you will receive an appointment (rendezvous) at the Migration Service .

The tourist permit does not restrict you in moving around the country, you can leave Turkey and return without hindrance. However, if your application for a permit is still under consideration and you want to leave Turkey - inform the Migration Service (you can do so even at the airport) so that the service understands that you will return and the issuance of a certificate is relevant for you. Also keep in mind that issuing a tourist permit for one person will cost you from 1000 lira (approximately 2 thousand UAH)

✅ For whom a tourist residence permit is suitable?

- you plan to stay in Turkey for more than 90 days

- you want to travel freely around the country and abroad

- you have a stable income or savings, you do not want to apply for a separate work permit

🚫 Who is not suitable for a tourist residence permit?

- you plan to get a job

- you can't afford to pay for paperwork

- you do not have funds for health insurance and want to be treated at the expense of the state

- you do not have a biometric passport (but now the Consulate General in Istanbul has resumed the issuance of biometric passports, and the Turkish side has promised not to charge fines for delays in visa-free travel. That is, if your visa-free stay is coming to an end, you shouldn't worry and can wait until the passport is ready and apply for a tourist permit after that )

2️⃣ Humanitarian residence permit (insani oturma izni)

The humanitarian residence permit is in fact analogous to a tourist one, is issued for one year. However, it is issued when you want to receive a residence permit but, for some reason, you lack the full package of documents to obtain a tourist permit

.

For example:

- if a mother left with a child, and the consent of the father on taking the child abroad hasn't been issued. This consent is required to obtain a tourist permit, and, accordingly, if this document is not available - children are issued a humanitarian permit. Mother can get either a tourist or a humanitarian permit. For children, the cost of the permit is reduced by 50%.

- citizens who do not have valid foreign biometric passports and want to get an analogue of a tourist permit in terms of rights and conditions

- humanitarian permit also provides for the presence of residence. But whereas, for example, you won't be issued a tourist permit without a lease agreement or guarantee of another housing, you will be issued a humanitarian certificate. For example, you live in a hotel with which you cannot have any lease agreement - you cannot apply for a tourist card, but you can apply for a humanitarian one. 

The humanitarian certificate also requires a health insurance. You can also move freely within Turkey and travel abroad. And as in the case of tourist permit, the humanitarian permit does not provide for a right to work - for employment a separate work permit must be issued. For registration, you can apply directly to the office of the Migration Service without an electronic appointment.

3️⃣ International protection (refugee status) (Ulusrarasi koruma)

Currently, Turkey gives our citizens one of the subtypes of international protection - secondary protection. In fact, this is the so-called refugee status. This permit is issued for a renewable year and, most importantly, 6 months after applying for the status, you will be able to work without the need for additional work permits. Another nice bonus is that the registration of secondary protection is free.

To obtain secondary protection, you can come to the local branch of the migration service without prior registration - there is a separate Ulusrarasi koruma counter, there are also English-speaking or Russian-speaking staff.

You need to have:

📎 valid foreign passport or other identity document, together with a document on crossing the Turkish border (issued at the border to citizens without a biometric passport)

📎 two biometric photos from each family member.

📎 application. You need to write a handwritten statement with a detailed explanation of why you are applying for international protection status. This statement must contain the following information:

- who is the applicant (individual, family members, if the application is from a family).

- in what city did you live and why did you leave this city

- when did you leave Ukraine

- when and how you entered Turkey

The application must also clearly state that you are requesting international protection status. The application can be written in Turkish, English, Russian. The fastest result will give a statement in Turkish.

📎 confirmation of residence address. Such a supporting document may be:

- rental agreement.

- letter from the hotel if you stay at the hotel.

- If you live with someone, the owner of the apartment must personally confirm this fact and with his permission you will be registered in the system at this address. If the person you live with rents a home, they must bring a rental agreement and you will be registered in the system at this address with the permission of the current owner.

📍 If you have a disability, serious chronic illness or medical condition that requires immediate medical intervention / treatment, you are a victim of trafficking, be sure to mention this, as it is a reason to speed up the decision-making process.

After the interview, you will be issued an "Applicant's Certificate of International Protection Status", which will give you permission to stay and exercise your rights until the final status of secondary protection is granted. The final status will be granted approximately 6 months after the submission of the documents. More about the procedure for granting international protection is described in detail here.

What rights does this status provide?

📌 legal stay for 1 year

📌 the right to work 6 months after receiving the applicant's certificate

📌 free state health insurance

📌 education in public schools

📌 housing assistance if you have nowhere to live

📌 opening bank accounts

❌ However, keep in mind that this status will restrict you from moving around and leaving the country. You will be required to stay within the province in which you have applied for international protection. Departure from the province is possible with the permission of the migration service. Leaving Turkey before final status is given (the first 6 months after submitting the documents) will invalidate international protection to you. The status also provides for periodic monitoring by the migration service - once every two weeks you will have to show up there.

✅ For whom international protection status is suitable?

- you plan to wait for end of the war in Turkey and do not plan to leave it in the next 6 months

- you are in a difficult situation, and you need housing

- it is important for you to use free medicine

- you want to work (in 6 months)

🚫 For whom international protection status is not suitable?

- you plan to travel to other countries and / or receive protection there

- you want to travel often in Turkey

- you are married to a Turkish citizen

155 - police

110 - fire service

112 - ambulance

1. 🚌 By direct bus to Turkey

1. Odesa - Istanbul: the most popular direct bus route from Ukraine to Turkey. Departures are made several times a week. The travel time depends on the conditions at the border and can range from 20 to 24 hours. The route passes through Moldova or Romania, depending on the carrier.
2. Kyiv - Istanbul: the trip takes about 27-30 hours. Buses are equipped with all the necessary amenities, including air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and power outlets.

💡 Where to buy  bus/train tickets  from Ukraine to Turkey?

2. 🚆 Train routes with transfers

3. 🚘 By car to Turkey

• Odesa - Varna - Istanbul: one of the most popular routes through Bulgaria. The journey from Odesa to Istanbul is about 1000 km, which can be covered in 16-20 hours. The road passes through beautiful landscapes and provides an opportunity to visit Varna.
• Kyiv - Bucharest - Istanbul: A longer route through Romania. The total distance is about 1500 km.

4. ✈️ Traveling by plane through neighboring countries

• Odesa/Kyiv - Chisinau - Istanbul: You can get to Chisinau by bus or train, and from there take a plane to Istanbul. This is one of the most convenient options.
• Kyiv - Warsaw - Istanbul: Another convenient option with a stopover in Poland. From there, there are direct flights to Istanbul and Antalya.

✅ Tips for travelers to Turkey

1. Make sure your biometric passport is valid. 
2. Before traveling, it is recommended to take out health insurance that covers possible risks during your stay abroad.
3. It is best to bring euros or dollars to exchange for Turkish lira at local exchange offices. It is also convenient to use bank cards.

Transit is possible if there is an appropriate transport connection.

Duty-free import permit

Restrictions on tobacco products

Restricted to travelers aged 18 and over. All of the following:

600 cigarettes

100 cigarillos

50 cigars

250 grams of shredded tobacco (from 200 cigarette sheets);

250 grams of pipe tobacco.

Import of alcohol

Restricted for travelers over the age of 18. Both of the following types of alcohol:

• 1 liter over 22% alcohol;
• 2 liters up to 22% alcohol by volume.

Cash limit

• There are no restrictions on importing currency into Turkey.

Other goods

Personal items such as clothing, personal electronics, musical instruments, sports equipment and toys.

• 5 bottles of up to 120 ml each of perfume, cologne, essence or lotion.
• 1 kg of tea, instant coffee, coffee, chocolate, sugar.
• Personal jewelry not intended for resale, up to the value of USD 15,000.
• Gifts of a non-commercial nature worth up to 430 euros for travelers aged 15 years and older.
• Gifts of a non-commercial nature with a value of up to 150 euros for travelers under the age of 15.

Prohibited items

• All drugs and their derivatives.
• Organic fertilizers used for agricultural purposes.
• Police speed control devices.
• Home-made alcoholic beverages.

Restricted items

• 2 pets or 10 aquarium fish can be imported per traveler. Pets must be accompanied by a certificate of vaccination, an official veterinary certificate, and a veterinary passport or identity card. Pets are subject to examination by a veterinarian upon arrival.
• Products of animal and plant origin may be subject to veterinary control at the border and may require a certificate of conformity.