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Turkeytraveladvice
Summary
Stillcurrentat:
15October2015
Updated:
12October2015
Latestupdate:SummaryupdateonexplosionsinAnkaraon10Octoberyoushouldremainespeciallyvigilant,avoidany
demonstrationsorlargegatheringsandfollowinstructionsgivenbylocalauthorities

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TheForeignandCommonwealthOffice(FCO)adviseagainstalltraveltowithin10kmoftheborderwithSyria.
TheFCOadviseagainstallbutessentialtravelto:
theremainingareasofSirnak,Mardin,Sanliurfa,Gaziantep,KilisandHatayprovinces
Siirt,Tunceli,DiyarbakirandHakkariprovinces.
Therewere2explosionsnearthemainAnkaratrainstationintheUlusareaonthemorningof10October.TheTurkishInterior
Ministryhasconfirmedthatmorethan80peoplehavebeenkilledandmorethan180injured.Youshouldavoidanydemonstrationsor
largegatheringsinTurkeyandremainespeciallyvigilant.Youshouldfollowanyinstructionsgivenbylocalauthorities.
Over2,500,000BritishnationalsvisitTurkeyeveryyear.Mostvisitsaretroublefree.

Visas
BritishnationalsneedavisatotraveltoTurkey,exceptforcruiseshippassengerswithBritishCitizenpassportswhoarriveatsea
portsfortouristvisitstotheportcityornearbycities,providedthatthevisitdoesntexceed72hours.
IfyourevisitingTurkeyasatouristoronbusiness,getaneVisaonlinebeforeyoutravel.OnlyusetheofficialRepublicofTurkeye
Visawebsite.Avoidunauthorisedwebsitesastheymaychargeanadditionalfee.Someunauthorisedwebsiteshaveissuedfakee
Visas.
IfyoudonthaveaneVisayoucanstillgetavisaonarrivalfor20incash,althoughthevisaonarrivalserviceisduetobephased
out.GettinganeVisafromtheofficialwebsitebeforeyoutravelwillavoidpossibleproblemsordelaysattheTurkishborder,orwhen
boardingyourflightintheUK.SeeEntryrequirements

Travelinsurance
Takeoutcomprehensivetravelandmedicalinsurancebeforeyoutravel.

FirstWorldWarcommemorations

IfyouretravellingtocommemoratetheFirstWorldWarcentenary,seethisinformationandadvicepagetohelpplanyourtripand
makesureitssafeandtroublefree.

Demonstrations
DemonstrationsregularlytakeplaceacrossTurkey,particularlyinIstanbulintheareaaroundTaksimSquareandinKadikoy(Asian
side),intheKizilaydistrictofcentralAnkaraandonthewaterfrontareaincentralIzmir.Demonstrationsoftencoincidewith
importantnationalanniversariesandtherearelikelytobeadditionalsecuritymeasuresinplaceinmajorcitiesonthesedates.
SinceJuly,demonstrationshaveoccurredincitiesacrossTurkey,includinglargedemonstrationsinAdanaandMersininSeptember,
associatedwithrenewedhostilitiesbetweentheKurdistanWorkersParty(PKK)andTurkishsecurityforcesinsoutheastTurkey.
Policehaveusedteargasandwatercannonextensivelytodisperseprotests.Youshouldavoidalldemonstrations.

Terrorism
Thereisahighthreatfromterrorism.On19Augusttherewasanincidentinvolvinggunfireandasoundgrenadeinanattackon
TurkishnationalpoliceguardsstationedoutsideDolmabahePalaceinIstanbul.On10August,2peopleopenedfireoutsidetheUS
ConsulateGeneralinIstanbul.On27JulytherewerereportsofpossiblethreatstopublictransportinIstanbul,inparticularthemetro
stationsatYenikapi,Taksim,OsmanbeyandHaciosmanandstopsontheMetrobusline.
Bevigilant,monitormediareportsandkeepuptodatewiththistraveladvice.
TheterroristgroupDHKPC(RevolutionaryPeoplesLiberationPartyFront)haslaunchedaseriesofattacksinIstanbulin2015
targetingtheTurkishpoliceandjudiciary.On5June,twopeoplewerekilledandmanyinjuredbyanexplosionatanHDPrallyin
Diyarbakir.On9June,4peoplewerekilledinanattackinDiyarbakir.Youshouldexercisecaution.
BordercrossingsintoSyriaandnearbylocationshavealsobeentargeted.On20July,asuicidebomberkilled33peopleandinjured
over100othersinSuruc,Sanlurfa.SeeTerrorismandtheFCOstraveladviceforSyria

Earthquakes
ManypartsofTurkeyaresubjecttoearthquakes.Anearthquakeofmagnitude6.5occurredon24May2014intheSeaofMarmara.
SeeNaturaldisasters

Terrorism
Thereisahighthreatfromterrorism.Attackscouldbeindiscriminateandcouldaffectplacesvisitedbyforeigners.
ExtremistgroupsbasedinSyriaincludingANF(AlNusraFront)andISIL(IslamicStateofIraqandtheLevant)havethecapacityto
carryoutattacksinneighbouringcountries,includingTurkey.Mediareportssuggestthatterroristscouldtargetareasthroughout
Turkey,includingAnkara,IstanbulandareasclosetotheSyrianborder.
TurkeysharesalongborderwithSyria.Thousandsofforeignnationals,includingsomeBritishnationals,haveusedTurkeyasatransit
routeforjoiningterroristgroupsincludingANFandISILinSyria.
ISILhas,inthepast,targetedbordercrossingsandnearbylocationsontheSyriansideoftheborder.On20July,asuicidebomber
killed33peopleandinjuredover100othersinSuruc,SanlurfaprovinceneartheSyrianborder.Thisattackisbelievedtohavebeen
carriedoutbyindividualsassociatedwithISIL.
TheresadomesticterroristpresenceinthesoutheastofthecountryincludinginVan,Bitlis,Bingol,Elazig,Mus,Batman,Erzincan,
DiyarbakirandAgriprovinces.InDecember2012talksbeganbetweentheTurkishGovernmentandtheKurdishalignedPKK
(proscribedasaterroristgroupintheUK),duringwhichthePKKobservedaceasefire.However,followingtheSurucbombingon20
July,theceasefireendedwhenthePKKkilled2Turkishpoliceofficers.
15AugustistheanniversaryofthefirstPKKattackagainstTurkishgovernmentinstallations.Historically,thisanniversarydatehas
promptedanescalationofviolencebythePKKandothersplintergroups.SincetheendofJulytherehasbeenanintensiveperiodof
violentincidentsinTurkeyssoutheastandeasternprovinces.ThevastmajorityoftheseincidentshavebeenPKKattacksonTurkish
securityforces,theirpremisesandvehicles,inwhichmanymembersofthearmedforcesandpolicehavebeenkilledandinjured.
Therehavealsobeenattacksoninfrastructure(egoilpipelines,dams)andincidentsinwhichcivilianshavebeenaffected.The
governmenthasrespondedwitharrestsofPKKsuspectsinTurkeyandairstrikesonPKKpositionsinnorthernIraq.
Theantiwestern,proscribedterroristgroup,THKP/CAcilciler(TurkishPeoplesLiberationParty/Front)andthelinkedDHKP/C
(RevolutionaryPeoplesLiberationFront)remainactive.
Betweenapproximately30Marchand20April,thereareseveraldatessignificanttotheDHKP/C,startingwiththe30March
anniversaryoftheirfoundingwhichmayhavebeenlinkedtopreviousattacks.19Decemberisalsorecognisedasanimportantdate
aroundwhichtheDHKP/Cmaybeactive.
In2013,aDHKP/CsuicidebombertargetedtheUSEmbassyinAnkarakillinghimselfandaTurkishsecurityguard.On31March,2
DHKPCterroristsandahostagewerekilledfollowinganexchangeoffirewithpoliceatanIstanbulcourt.On1April,membersof
theterroristDHKPCorganisationopenedfireonapolicestationincentralIstanbul.Oneterroristwaskilled.On10August,2DHKP
CassailantsopenedfireoutsidetheUSConsulateGeneralinIstanbul.
Methodsofattackhaveincludedarmedassaults,suicidebombings,carbombingsandrocketattacksandimprovisedexplosivedevices
leftinrefusebins,crowdedareasandonpublictransport.
Bevigilant,monitormediareportsandkeepuptodatewiththetraveladvice.

ThereisconsideredtobeaheightenedthreatofterroristattackgloballyagainstUKinterestsandBritishnationals,fromgroupsor
individualsmotivatedbytheconflictinIraqandSyria.Youshouldbevigilantatthistime.

Kidnapping
ThereisathreatofkidnappingneartheSyrianborderinTurkey.
TerroristgroupsoperatinginSyria,includingthoselikeISILwhoroutinelyusekidnappingasatactic,arepresentintheSyrianborder
areasandarecapableofconductingkidnappingsfromacrosstheborder.ISILandotherterroristgroupsviewthoseengagedin
humanitarianaidworkorjournalismaslegitimatetargets.Ifyourekidnapped,thereasonforyourpresenceisunlikelytoserveas
protectionorsecureyoursaferelease.
ThelongstandingpolicyoftheBritishgovernmentisnottomakesubstantiveconcessionstohostagetakers.TheBritishgovernment
considersthatpayingransomsandreleasingprisonersincreasestheriskoffurtherhostagetaking.

Safetyandsecurity
LocaltravelSyrianborder
TheFCOadviseagainstalltraveltowithin10kmoftheborderwithSyria.TheFCOadviseagainstallbutessentialtraveltothe
remainingareasofSirnak,Mardin,Sanlurfa,Gaziantep,KilisandHatayprovinces.On20July,asuicidebomberkilled33peopleand
injuredover100othersinSuruc,Sanlurfa.On11May2013,2carbombskilled53peopleandwoundedmorethan100inthetownof
Reyhanli,Hatayprovince.InOctober2012,5TurkishcitizenswerekilledwhenashellfellonthetownofAkakale.Syrianforces
continuetotargetareasclosetotheTurkishborderandthereremainsaheightenedriskofterrorismintheregion.
MortarroundsreportedlyfiredbyISILmilitantsinnorthernSyrialandedontheE90roadnearNusaybininMardinprovince,Turkey,
on15September2014.Therewerenocasualties.AsaresultofheavyfightingbetweenISILandKurdishforcesinnorthernSyria,
therehasbeenamassinfluxofrefugeesintoSanliurfaprovince(southernTurkey)since19September2014.

Localtraveleasternprovinces
TheFCOadviseagainstallbutessentialtraveltotheprovincesofDiyarbakirandTunceli.SinceJulytherehasbeenanintensive
periodofPKKattacksonTurkishsecurityforces,theirpremisesandvehicles.Insomeincidents,civilianshavebeenaffected.
AtemporaryTurkishmilitaryrestrictedzonehasbeenimposedfortheMountAraratarea.Nopermissionisbeinggivenforpartiesto
enterthearea,nortoclimbthemountain.Othertemporarymilitaryrestrictedzoneshavebeenestablishedineasternprovinces.Dont
attempttoenterthesezones.Theremaybesomedisruptiontotravelintheseareas.

Demonstrations
SinceSpring2013,therehavebeensporadicdemonstrationsincitiesacrossTurkey,someofwhichhavebecomeviolent.InIstanbul
previousdemonstrationshavecenteredontheareaaroundTaksimSquare,onIstiklalStreetandintheBesiktasandKadikoydistricts
andmorerecentlyinOkmeydani.InAnkara,theprotestshavemainlytakenplaceinthecentralKizilaydistrictaroundthePrime
Ministersoffice.InIzmirthefocushasbeeninthetowncentre,nearthewaterfront.
SinceJuly,demonstrationshaveoccurredincitiesacrossTurkey,includinglargedemonstrationsinAdanaandMersininSeptember,
associatedwithrenewedhostilitiesbetweenthePKKandTurkishsecurityforcesinsoutheastTurkey.Anumberoftheseprotests
haveturnedviolent.
Youshouldavoidalldemonstrationsandleavetheareaifonedevelops.Policehaveusedteargasandwatercannonextensivelyto
disperseprotests.Theeffectsofteargascanbefeltseveralhundredmetresbeyondtheimmediatesiteofdemonstrations.Local
transportroutesmaybedisrupted.

Crime
Generallycrimelevelsarelow,butstreetrobberyandpickpocketingarecommoninthemajortouristareasofIstanbul.Youshould
maintainatleastthesamelevelofpersonalsecurityawarenessasintheUK.Alcoholanddrugscanmakeyoulessalert,lessincontrol
andlessawareofyourenvironment.Ifyouaregoingtodrink,knowyourlimit.Drinksservedinbarsoverseasareoftenstrongerthan
thoseintheUK.Buyyourowndrinksandkeepsightofthematalltimessotheyarenotspiked.Bewaryofstrangersapproachingyou
offeringfoodanddrink(whichmaybedrugged),tochangemoneyortotakeyoutoarestaurantornightclub.
Passportshavebeenstolenfromrentedvillas,evenwhentheyhavebeenkeptinthevillasafe.ThisisaparticularprobleminDidim,
Kas,KalkanandtheFethiye/Hisaronu/Ovacikarea.
In2014,14casesofsexualassault,includingrape,werereportedtoBritishconsularstaffinTurkey.Mostofthesecasesoccurred
duringthesummerholidayperiodincoastaltouristareas.Mostwerecommittedlateatnightbysomeonethevictimmetduringthe
evening.Therehavealsobeensexualattacksonminorsvisitingtoiletfacilitiesalone.Youshouldbeextravigilantinthesesituations.
Neveracceptliftsfromstrangers.Findaregisteredyellowtaxiandmakeanoteoftheregistrationnumberbeforegettingin.
Veryrarelycounterfeitalcoholhasbeenresponsibleforthedeathofsometourists.Ifyouhaveanyconcerns,seekadvicefromyour
touroperatorortheTurkishauthorities.

Roadtravel
TakecarewhentravellingbyroadthroughoutTurkey,particularlyatnight.Approachroadblocksslowlyandfollowtheinstructionsof
securitypersonnel.Roadsbetweenthemajorcitiesaregenerallyinexcellentcondition,butcanbepoorinremote,ruralareas.

Accidentsarecommonandmainlyduetopoororrecklessdriving.AccordingtotheTurkishpolice,therewere1,207,354roadtraffic
accidentsin2013whichresultedin3,685deathsand274,829injuries.
IfyoudriveinTurkey,youmusthaveeitheranInternationalDrivingPermitoranotarisedcopy(inTurkish)ofyourUKdriving
licence.Provisionaldrivinglicencesarenotrecognised.
YouwillneedanAcategorystandardmotorcyclelicencetohireamotorcycleover50ccinTurkey.AnA1categorylight
motorcycledrivinglicenceisonlysuitableformotorcyclesbelow50cc.Bylawyoumustwearahelmet.Failuretodosocouldresult
inaheavyfine.
Dontdrinkanddrive.Thepolicewillbreathalysedrunkdrivers,fineyouonthespotandimmediatelyconfiscateyourlicencefor6
months.

Extremesports
Ifyouparticipateinextremesports(includingparagliding,parasailing,whitewaterrafting,offroaddrivingandhotairballooning),
satisfyyourselfthatadequatesafetyprecautionsareinplace.Onlyusereputableoperatorsandinsistontrainingbeforeuse.Makesure
yourtravelinsurancecoversyouforalltheactivitiesyouwanttoundertake.Britishnationalshavebeeninjuredandinsomecases
killedparticipatinginextremesports.

Straydogs
Mosttownsandcitieshavestraydogs.Localauthoritiestakeactiontocontrolandmanagenumbersbutpackscongregateinparksand
wastelandsandcanbeaggressive.Takecare,remaincalm,andavoidapproachingstraydogs.Ifyourebitten,seekmedicaladviceas
rabiesandotheranimalbornediseasesarepresentinTurkey.

Locallawsandcustoms
Smokingisprohibitedonpublictransportandinallindoorworkplacesandpublicplaces.Smokingisrestrictedinsomeoutdoorareas
wherecultural,artistic,sportsorentertainmentactivitiesareheld.
Turkeyhasstrictlawsagainsttheuse,possessionortraffickingofillegaldrugs.Ifyouareconvictedofanyoftheseoffences,youcan
expecttoreceiveaheavyfineoraprisonsentenceof4to24years.Thepossession,saleandexportofantiquitiesisagainstthelaw.
Dressmodestlyifyourevisitingamosqueorareligiousshrine.
ItisillegalnottocarrysomeformofphotographicIDinTurkey.Carryaphotocopyofyourpassportwithyouatalltimes.
Donttakephotographsnearmilitaryorofficialinstallations.Askforpermissionbeforephotographingpeople.
HomosexualityislegalinTurkey.However,manypartsofTurkeyaresociallyconservativeandpublicdisplaysofaffectionmaylead
tounwelcomeattention.
ItisanoffencetoinsulttheTurkishnationorthenationalflag,ortodefaceortearupcurrency.

Entryrequirements
Visas
BritishnationalsneedavisatoenterTurkey,exceptforcruiseshippassengerswithBritishCitizenpassportswhoarriveatseaports
fortouristvisitstotheportcityornearbycities,providedthatthevisitdoesntexceed72hours.
YoucangetaneVisaonlinebeforeyoutravelthroughtheofficialRepublicofTurkeyeVisawebsite.Anevisacosts$20andyou
canpayusingacreditordebitcard.Youcanapplyupto3monthsinadvanceofyourtraveldate.Turkishvisitvisasissuedonarrival
arevalidformultiplestaysuptoamaximumof90daysina180dayperiod.
IfyouhaveanyqueriesregardingeVisascalltheVisaContactCentre(detailsprovidedbytheTurkishMinistryofForeignAffairs).
SomeunauthorisedwebsitesmaychargeforinformationabouteVisas,andforsubmittingapplications.Thesewebsitesarenot
endorsedbyorassociatedwiththeTurkishgovernment.Bewaryofsuchsitesandbusinesses,particularlythosethatseekadditional
feesforotherservices.SomeunauthorisedwebsiteshavealsoissuedfakeeVisas.
IncaseofproblemswiththecomputersystemsattheTurkishportofentry,printoffandcarryapapercopyofyoureVisa,ormake
sureyouhaveanelectroniccopyonasmartphoneorotherdevicetoshowtotheimmigrationofficer.
UntilfurthernoticeBritishcitizenscangetamultipleentryvisitorvisa,validfor90days,onarrivalatanyportofentryonpaymentof
20incash(ScottishandNorthernIrishcurrencyisnotaccepted).However,thevisaonarrivalserviceislikelytobephasedoutat
somepointinthenearfuture.ToavoidpossibleproblemsordelaysattheTurkishborder,orwhenboardingyourflightintheUK,get
aneVisafromtheofficialwebsitebeforeyoutravel.
AtIstanbulAtaturkairport(andpossiblyatotherairports)therewillbeselfserviceeVisakiosksandWiFiareaswherevisitorscan
applyforaneVisaonarrivalusingtheirownsmartdevices.
YoucanalsoapplyforavisabeforeyoutravelfromtheTurkishConsulateGeneralinLondon.Ifyoureplanningtostudyorworkin

YoucanalsoapplyforavisabeforeyoutravelfromtheTurkishConsulateGeneralinLondon.Ifyoureplanningtostudyorworkin
Turkey,orareunsureaboutthetypeofvisayourequire,youshouldapplyforavisabeforetravel.
IfyoudonthaveaBritishCitizenpassport,butholdadifferenttypeofBritishnationality(egBN(O),BritishOverseasCitizen,
BritishProtectedPersonorBritishSubject),checkvisarequirementswiththeTurkishConsulateGeneralbeforeyoutravel.These
typesofpassportareclassedasUKSpecialPassportsintheTurkisheVisasystem.YoullneedtoapplyforavisafromtheTurkish
ConsulateGeneralbeforeyoutravel.
Makesureyourpassporthasablankpageforthevisastamp.Ifitdoesnt,theTurkishauthoritieswillissueanEntryExitformand
putyourentryexitstamponthere.YoushouldcarrythisformwithyouinTurkeyandpresentittotheborderofficerswhenyouleave.
IfyouplantoremaininTurkeyforaperiodofmorethan90days,youshouldeitherapplyforalongerstayvisabeforeyoutravel,or
getaresidencepermitfromthelocalauthoritiesinTurkeybeforeyour90daystayhaselapsed.IfyouintendtoworkinTurkey,ensure
youhavethecorrectpermits.MoreinformationisavailablefromtheTurkishMinistryoftheInterior.Ifyoudontabidebytheterms
ofyourvisaorpermit,youmaybefined,deportedandbannedfromreenteringthecountry.
IfyoureenteringTurkeyviaalandbordercrossing,makesureyourpassporthasadatedentrystampbeforeyouleavetheborder
crossingarea.

Passportvalidity
Makesureyourpassportsatisfiesallofthefollowingcriteria:
validforaminimumof6monthsfromthedateofentryintoTurkey
validforatleast3monthsfromthedateyouleaveTurkey
validforatleast60daysbeyondtheexpirydateofyourvisa,evisaorresidencepermit(visasandevisasareoftenissued
with6monthsvaliditysoyourpassportmayneedtohave8monthsvalidityatthetimeyourvisaisissued).
TheTurkishauthoritieshaveconfirmedtheywillacceptBritishpassportsextendedby12monthsbyBritishEmbassiesandConsulates
underadditionalmeasuresputinplaceinmid2014.

Travellingwithchildren
IfyouareleavingTurkeywithachildwhoisadualBritishTurkishnational,youmaybeaskedtoshowtheTurkishimmigration
authoritiesevidencethattheTurkishparenthasgivenpermissionforthechildtotravel.

UKEmergencyTravelDocuments
UKEmergencyTravelDocuments(ETD)areacceptedforentry,airsidetransitandexitfromTurkeywithinthedatesprintedonthe
document.ETDsshouldbevalidforaminimumperiodof6monthsfromthedateofentryintoTurkey.

Health
Visityourhealthprofessionalatleast4to6weeksbeforeyourtriptocheckwhetheryouneedanyvaccinationsorotherpreventive
measures.CountryspecificinformationandadviceispublishedbytheNationalTravelHealthNetworkandCentreonthe
TravelHealthProwebsiteandbyNHS(Scotland)onthefitfortravelwebsite.Usefulinformationandadviceabouthealthcareabroadis
alsoavailableontheNHSChoiceswebsite.
TheEuropeanHealthInsuranceCard(EHIC),isnotvalidinTurkey.Makesureyouhaveadequatetravelhealthinsuranceand
accessiblefundstocoverthecostofanymedicaltreatmentabroadandrepatriation.
Ifyouneedemergencymedicalassistanceduringyourtrip,dial112andaskforanambulance.Youshouldcontactyour
insurance/medicalassistancecompanypromptlyifyouarereferredtoamedicalfacilityfortreatment.

Naturaldisasters
ManypartsofTurkeyaresubjecttoearthquakesandtremors.
Youshouldfamiliariseyourselfwithsafetyproceduresintheeventofanearthquakeandfollowanyadvicegivenbythelocal
authorities.
TheUSFederalEmergencyManagementAgencyhasinformationaboutwhattodobefore,duringandafteranearthquake.

Money
ThecurrencyinTurkeyistheTurkishLira.ATMsarewidelyavailableinmajorcitiesandtouristareas.Youcangetlocalcurrency
frombanksandexchangebureaux,knownasDOVIZinTurkish.

ContactFCOTravelAdviceTeam
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70081500(24hours).
Ifyoureabroadandneedemergencyhelp,pleasecontactthenearestBritishembassy,consulateorhighcommission.
Ifyouhaveaquestionaboutthistraveladvice,youcanemailusatTravelAdvicePublicEnquiries@fco.gov.uk
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