The new rules of entry into Turkey for Russians, published by the Turkish side in April 2014, almost became the reason for the breakdown of the May holiday for many of our fellow citizens. The fact is that the Turkish authorities passed a law according to which only those Russians can enter the country whose passport will be valid for another four months from the moment of entry. Previously, it was allowed to stay in Turkey if three months remained before the expiration of the validity of the passport . In practice, they completely turned a blind eye to these rules. Many Russians bought travel packages long before the announcement of the new law, and their vacation was in jeopardy. In this regard, the PCT made an official appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Culture of Turkey and the Ambassador of this state to the Russian Federation. The appeal was considered and postponed the entry into force of the new law at the end of 2014. So at present, the rules for entering Turkey remain the same. Read more about them in the article.
Do I need a visa?
To stay in the country for up to sixty days (inclusive), Russian citizens do not need to apply for a visa. This rule has been in force since May 2013. Crossing the border again, you can extend your stay in the Turkish state for another sixty days, because when you re-enter, a new tenure opens . The number of such border crossings is not limited, however, the rules for entering Turkey say that in total it is impossible to stay in the country for more than 90 days during a 180-day period. Only at this time a visa-free entry is valid , which means that upon arrival in Turkey at any border control point (at the airport or other place of border crossing), only entry / exit stamps are put in the passport.
Rules for the entry of minors into Turkey
In accordance with Russian law, when a child under the age of eighteen travels abroad accompanied by one of the parents, one must also have permission to travel from the second parent. If the child travels with an accompanying person, you must have permission from both parents. Where to get such a document? It is drawn up by a notary public, and the following information must be indicated in the permit: passport data of the authorizing person, data of the person accompanying the child, degree of relationship, as well as the name of the country and the length of stay in it. The rules for entering Turkey for children in organized groups are similar. If it is planned to stay for more than three months in the country, the consent to leave given by parents must be certified at the place of residence of the minor by the guardianship and trusteeship authorities in the prescribed manner.
Do children need a separate passport?
In order to avoid trouble at the border, be sure to study the rules of entry into Turkey with a child before going there. If your child is already fourteen years old, he must have his own passport. A child between the ages of six and fourteen may be included in the document of his legal representative if he does not have a separate passport. At the same time, a photo of the child certified by a special seal for foreign documents should be pasted there. Children under six years of age in the absence of personal passports also fit into the documents of legal representatives. In this case, gluing in the photo card is not required, and the recording made is certified with a seal for the foreign documents of the body that carried it out.
If you export to Turkey a child who is included in your passport, you are obliged to leave the country only with him. If during the passport control the child is not with you, you will not be allowed to cross the border. If children are left without parents on vacation in the Turkish state, they need to have a separate passport.
What to expect at the border control point?
There are no special rules for entering Turkey without a visa for Russian tourists. But in certain situations, for example, when people entering the police suspect police officers, it is possible that they will have to undergo additional control, during which Turkish officials will more closely examine the route, the purpose of visiting the country, the length of stay, as well as sources payment of current expenses in Turkey. To avoid trouble, it is recommended that you have a return ticket with you, confirmation of your reservation from the hotel, or the address coordinates of the inviting people (if your trip is private), medical insurance.
Violation of the regime
Persons who violate the rules of entry into Turkey are attracted by the authorities of this country to pay a fine or are limited in their right to enter the territory of the state for a certain time. So, for example, if you exceed the permitted period of stay in Turkey without a visa by 15 days, you will have to pay a fine of up to 250 Turkish liras, and if you refuse to pay a fine, you will be limited in the right to enter the country for up to 5 years.
Welcome to Turkey!
It should be noted that visa-free entry into the territory of the state in question is not available to citizens of all countries that previously were members of the USSR. In addition to the Russians, residents of Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Estonia can also come to Turkey without a visa. Upon arrival at the airport, Poles and Hungarians will have to apply for a visa stamp if they have a tourist voucher or get a visa before the trip. Similar rules applied earlier for citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, however, thanks to agreements concluded with the Turkish side, you can now safely travel around the country with only one passport. Turkey is a beautiful country with a long history and rich traditions, which is undoubtedly worth a visit. Have a nice rest!