Turkey visa guideIndian passport holders need a visa for Turkey, and there are two routes. If you hold a valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the USA, the UK or Ireland, you can get a single-entry e-Visa for one month online at www.evisa.gov.tr in minutes. Everyone else applies for a sticker visa at a VFS Global Türkiye centre, including Chandigarh and Jalandhar, and the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi decides.
A 3-month single-entry sticker visa costs ₹18,120 in fees (checked 14 Oct 2026). Apply between 60 days and 15 working days before travel, with at least ₹2 lakh per person in your bank statements.
Do Indians need a visa for Turkey, and which one?
Yes. Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Indian ordinary passport holders as needing a visa, and there is no visa-free entry for a holiday. Which visa you get depends on one document you may already hold.
- The e-Visa, online. If you hold a valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the USA, the UK or Ireland, you can get a single-entry e-Visa valid for one month on the official portal, www.evisa.gov.tr. No biometrics and no visit to any centre.
- The sticker visa, through VFS Global. Everyone else applies at a Türkiye visa application centre run by VFS, which accepts files against the checklists of the Turkish Embassy and Consulates in India. For Punjab, the Embassy in New Delhi decides.
Turkey tourist visa for Indians at a glance
- e-VisaOnly with a valid Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit
- Single entry, one month
- Sticker visaFiled through VFS; Chandigarh and Jalandhar centres
- Single entry, 3 or 6 months
- Sticker visa feesVisa fee plus VFS application fee, checked 14 Oct 2026
- ₹18,120 for 3 months, ₹20,240 for 6 months
- When to applyThe embassy checklist's window
- 60 days to 15 working days before travel
- Longest stayBinding on all foreigners
- 90 days in any 180
- PassportVFS checklist for the sticker visa
- 6 months' validity, 2 blank pages
MFA of Türkiye, Turkish Embassy New Delhi, VFS Global Türkiye India; checked 14 Oct 2026
Both visas cover tourism and business visits only. The MFA says the e-Visa is valid only when the purpose is tourism or commerce, and work or study needs a visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate. The Turkish Embassy in New Delhi adds that an e-Visa is the equivalent of a sticker visa issued at a mission.
Where do applicants from Punjab apply?
For the e-Visa: on www.evisa.gov.tr and nowhere else. The Turkish Embassy in New Delhi warns that every other website claiming to provide the e-Visa is fake: such sites get the e-Visa from the official portal and charge more than twice the official fee. It also says no handling company in India is authorised to issue or arrange the e-Visa, so you apply yourself. If you already paid a private site, check the e-Visa's validity at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/status/.
One thing you may see: when we opened evisa.gov.tr from India on 14 October 2026, it forwarded to the website of DTV, a company set up under a foundation of Türkiye's Foreign Ministry, whose "E-Visa Online Application" button leads back to evisa.gov.tr. Pay only on the evisa.gov.tr pages.
For the sticker visa: at a VFS Global Türkiye visa application centre. The Embassy in New Delhi covers these centres:
- New Delhi
- Chandigarh
- Jalandhar
- Jaipur
- Kolkata
- Kathmandu (Nepal)
Chandigarh and Jalandhar both work Monday to Friday, with separate hours for travel agents and for applicants. You book an appointment online and pay part of the fee at booking. A representative or travel agent may submit the file for you, with an original authorisation letter from you and the agent. If your passport was issued outside the embassy's jurisdiction, add local address proof such as a registered or notarised rental agreement.
Biometrics apply to long stays, not holidays: VFS says that from 8 June 2026 applicants for work or long-term student visas must appear in person for biometric enrolment.
Which documents depend on your situation?
For the e-Visa, the portal asks for your identity, passport and travel details, and you carry the original supporting visa or residence permit. For the sticker visa, the New Delhi checklist changes with your situation:
Salaried
- What the checklist adds
- Original leave letter on the company letterhead (designation, period of work, salary, purpose, travel dates), last 3 months' salary slips, 6 months' salary account statement, Form 16
Business owner, partner or director
- What the checklist adds
- Notarised company registration showing your name and the company's, and notarised GST registration. No GST or Udyam certificate? Explain why
Retired
- What the checklist adds
- Retirement documents and income proof, with 3 months' personal bank statement and a balance of at least ₹2 lakh
Freelancer
- What the checklist adds
- Contracts, proof of regular income and 6 months' personal bank statement with at least ₹2 lakh
Not working
- What the checklist adds
- The source of income explained in the cover letter, with proof
Student
- What the checklist adds
- No-objection letter from the school or college, or proof of official holidays, with a copy of the student ID
Sponsored by family
- What the checklist adds
- Sponsor's original sponsorship letter, passport copy, employment letter or notarised company papers, and proof of relationship
Visiting someone in Türkiye
- What the checklist adds
- Invitation letter with your full name and passport number, plus the host's Turkish ID or passport and residence permit, address proof and phone number
Minor
- What the checklist adds
- Notarised consent from both parents in every case, even when both travel; a parent abroad sends an NOC attested by the Indian mission there
Newly married, spouse not in passport
- What the checklist adds
- Notarised marriage certificate. A notarised affidavit works only with the wedding card and photos if the marriage is under a month old
Unless the table says otherwise, you show personal bank statements for 6 months, stamped and signed by the bank on every page, with at least ₹2 lakh per person, and ITRs for the last 3 years. If you do not file ITRs, explain why in the cover letter.
How much is the Turkey visa fee for Indians?
A single-entry sticker visa costs a ₹5,400 visa fee plus a Türkiye visa application fee of ₹12,720 for 3 months or ₹14,840 for 6 months, so ₹18,120 or ₹20,240 in all (checked on 14 October 2026). ₹6,890 of that is charged online when you book the appointment; the rest is paid at the centre by cash, UPI or card. Nothing is refunded if the visa is refused. The e-Visa fee appears on the portal once you choose India and your passport type, and the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi says an e-Visa costs at least USD 85 less than a sticker visa. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.
How long does it take, and when should you apply?
The e-Visa takes about three minutes online, according to the MFA, once you have entered your details and paid.
For the sticker visa, the embassy checklist sets the window: no earlier than 60 days before travel, and in principle at least 15 working days before departure. The MFA recommends applying at least one month ahead to avoid problems from processing delays, and VFS notes that processing time is at the discretion of the embassy. So aim for 4 to 8 weeks before you fly, and later in that window if your bank statement must be fresh (it has to be updated to within the last 15 days).
Do not buy air tickets first. The checklist says it is highly recommended not to buy a flight ticket before the visa is granted, and a reservation is accepted.
Why do Turkey visas get refused for Indian applicants?
The embassy checklist is blunt: it can refuse an application without explanation, and there is no refund in any circumstances. These are the documented ways a file fails.
An incomplete or inconsistent file
The checklist says incomplete documents may cause the application to be rejected, and VFS says a document that is not as required means filling in a new application form. The travel dates in your cover letter must match every other document. Build the whole set before your appointment.
Money that does not meet the checklist
Each person needs a personal balance of at least ₹2 lakh, with statements for 6 months, stamped and signed on every page, updated to within the last 15 days and showing the closing balance. A balance certificate from the bank fills the gap if the closing balance is missing.
Documents that fail verification
The embassy verifies each document with the institution that issued it. Applicants found using forged or fake documents are given a restriction code by Türkiye's Directorate of Migration Management, which follows you into later applications.
An e-Visa without a valid supporting visa
The e-Visa website does not check your US, UK, Schengen or Irish visa. The airline and Turkish immigration do, and the embassy warns that an airline will not board you if the supporting document does not meet the criteria, for example if it expires before your entry date.
A passport that falls short
VFS asks for 6 months' validity on arrival and two full blank pages. Türkiye's law sets a lower floor, 60 days beyond your permitted stay; follow the stricter VFS rule. Carry old passports too, with a police FIR if one was lost.
If you were refused before, fix the reason first. For the strongest way to show your return to India, see our guide to proof of strong ties for a visitor visa.
Tips for a stronger file
- Fill in the form by hand. The checklist asks for blue or black ink in block letters, one photo fixed to the form, and the same signature on every document.
- Photos to Turkish size. Two biometric photos, 2.5 by 2.5 inches, white background, taken within 6 months, no spectacles.
- Type every letter. Letters must be typed, not handwritten, on letterhead with a seal and the signer's name, designation and contact details. Affidavits must be e-stamped and verifiable online.
- Show your identity documents. Aadhaar and PAN copies serve as proof of civil status, alongside copies of your passport's first, last and visa pages.
- Hotels booked by an agent. Ask the agent for a letter on letterhead with your name, the check-in and check-out dates, a seal and the signer's name.
- Buy insurance that covers the whole stay. The checklist and the MFA both require medical insurance valid for your stay in Türkiye.
- Travelling with someone who already has a visa? Add a copy of their sticker visa or e-Visa and their passport.
- Check the visa before you fly. The embassy asks holders to check the duration of stay and the period of validity printed on the visa.
Can I use my US, UK or Schengen visa for a Turkey e-Visa?
Yes, if it is valid on the day you enter Türkiye. The Turkish Embassy in New Delhi lists what counts: a visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the USA, the UK or Ireland, used or unused, as long as its validity covers your entry date. E-visas issued by other countries do not count. A supporting visa in an old passport is accepted if it is still valid; register the e-Visa on your current passport and carry the old one to show Turkish immigration. Carry every supporting document in original.
An expired Schengen visa, or a US visa that runs out before your flight lands, does not qualify, and the airline will not carry you on that e-Visa. Without a valid supporting document, take the sticker-visa route described above. For other ways to plan the trip, start at the Turkey country page.
How long can you stay in Turkey?
As long as your visa says, and never more than 90 days in any 180-day period, a rule the MFA calls binding for all foreigners. The e-Visa gives one entry. Official sources describe its length differently: Türkiye's MFA says the e-Visa for Indians is valid for one month, while India's Ministry of External Affairs list says it is valid for 180 days with a stay of no more than 30 days. Follow the stricter reading: plan a stay of 30 days at most, and go by the dates printed on your e-Visa. Turkish consulates issue visas with a stay of up to 90 days; staying longer needs a short-term residence permit from the Provincial Directorate of Migration Administration. Holding two passports does not double the allowance.
Official sources
- Visa information for foreigners, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- General information about Turkish visas, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- E-visa of the Republic of Türkiye, Turkish Embassy in New Delhi
- Visa types, fees and checklists, VFS Global Türkiye India
- Visa application centres, VFS Global Türkiye India
- Biometric enrollment, VFS Global Türkiye India
- Visa facility for Indian nationals, Ministry of External Affairs
