Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published an official list of eight countries whose citizens are permitted to enter the country using passports that have expired, under certain conditions. The policy allows nationals from Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Bulgaria to cross Turkish borders with expired travel documents, provided they meet specific validity requirements.
Countries and Expiry Windows
German citizens can use a passport that expired within the past year. For nationals of Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Portugal, the allowable expiry period extends to five years. Bulgarian citizens are required to hold a valid ordinary passport, with expired passports falling under a separate national ID arrangement.
Entry with National ID Cards
Turkey also maintains a separate list of countries whose citizens can enter using a national identity card instead of a passport. Germany is included, with the same one-year expiry window applying to both passports and national IDs held by German travelers. For other countries not covered by visa exemption agreements, Turkey requires a visa obtained through consular offices or via its official e-Visa platform. Applicants who do not qualify for the online system are advised to use the Pre-Application System for Turkish Sticker Visa to schedule an appointment at the nearest accredited Turkish consulate, and to begin the process at least one month before travel.
Key Rules for All Visitors
Regardless of whether a traveler enters visa-free or with a visa, a 90-day stay limit applies within any 180-day period for all foreign nationals. Dual passport holders cannot alternate between passports to extend their stay; the 90-day cap applies collectively across both documents. All visitors must carry valid medical insurance for the duration of their stay. Visa approval does not guarantee entry, and visa fees are non-refundable even if an application is rejected.
Legit.ng previously reported that Turkey released its list of eligible countries for eVisa, and the required documents for eVisa applications, which can be completed entirely online using Mastercard, Visa, or UnionPay.
