TURKEY – Stricter Passport Validity Requirements from 1 January 2015
Effective 1 January 2015, a foreign national will only be able to enter Turkey if their passport is valid for at least 60 days beyond the expiry of their visa, visa exemption or work/residence permit.
The rule will also apply to those foreign nationals already in Turkey who are planning to exit and re-enter the country.
It remains to be seen exactly how the immigration authorities will interpret the rule once it comes into force on 1 January.
Background
The new rule is being implemented as part of Turkey’s “Law on Foreigners and International Protection” (Law No.6458), which began to come into effect earlier this year. See our earlier alert here for more information on all the changes.
Action Items
- Ensure that all foreign nationals travelling to Turkey, including those intending to exit and re-enter the country, have a passport valid for at least 60 days beyond the expiry date of their visa, visa extension or work/residence permit.
- Begin the passport renewal process, if necessary, as soon as possible.