Relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Russian Federation (RF) in early 2021 were marked by warming. Today, Turkey, as before, is the most popular tourist destination for Russians. According to statistics, approximately 40% of the turnover of Russian travel agencies is made up of vouchers to the resorts of this state. Consider what rules for entering Turkey for citizens of the Russian Federation are in effect in 2021.
Requirements for Russians planning to cross the Turkish border
Citizens of the Russian Federation who plan to travel to the territory of the Republic of Turkey on a short business trip, to visit relatives or for tourist purposes for up to 60 days do not need to obtain a visa. For comparison: citizens of Ukraine can stay in Istanbul and other Turkish cities without a visa for no more than 90 days, citizens of Belarus and Kazakhstan - no more than 30 days.
The traveler will only need a foreign passport, which must be valid for at least another 4 months from the date of crossing the Turkish border. If the duration of the planned private, business or tourist trip exceeds 60 days, a visa must be issued.
If we are talking about several short-term trips to Turkey, in this case, Russians can also take advantage of the visa-free regime. The main condition is that the total duration of a visa-free stay in Turkish territory should not exceed 90 days within 6 months.
The 6-month period is counted from the date of the first crossing of the Turkish border. If a traveler plans to stay in Turkey for longer than 90 days within six months, he will need a visa.
Without a visa, Russians can also transit through the Republic of Turkey. Such a traveler at the border will simply have a visa stamp and the date of transit indicated in the passport.
The rules for entering Turkey also regulate the list of documents that a Russian citizen must have with him when crossing the border. In addition to a foreign passport, the package of documents includes:
- confirmation of hotel reservation or travel voucher;
- return ticket;
- medical insurance;
- financial guarantee for the period of the trip (not less than $ 300 for the entire duration of the trip per person).
Neither a migration card nor a health declaration, which was required to be completed earlier, is not needed when traveling to Turkey in 2021.
Back in 2021, the Turkish government made a statement that Russian citizens would soon acquire the right to come to this country using their internal passports. But due to the aggravation of relations between states, these intentions were never realized. In 2021, entry to Turkey with Russian passports is not possible.
The visa regime for citizens of the Russian Federation planning to visit the Republic of Turkey is valid if the trip has the purpose of:
- training in local educational institutions, passing Turkish language courses;
- employment under the contract;
- purchase of real estate;
- official marriage with a Turkish citizen / citizen;
- running a private business;
- transportation of cargo.
To apply for a visa, you should contact the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Moscow or one of the Consulates General of this state operating in Russia (in St. Petersburg, Kazan or Novorossiysk).
Ban on visiting the Republic of Turkey for citizens of the Russian Federation
On November 28, 2021, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree according to which a moratorium on the sale of tourist vouchers to Turkey was introduced in the country. The presidential decree was followed by the complete cancellation of charter and regular flights to this state.
On June 30, 2021, the moratorium was lifted. Thus, there is no ban on Russians traveling to Turkey in 2021. Nevertheless, there are categories of citizens for whom this restriction is still relevant. These include employees:
- Ministry of Defense,
- Ministry of Internal Affairs,
- Armed Forces,
- law enforcement agencies specializing in the fight against drug trafficking,
- departments and organizations related to state secrets.
But there are circumstances in which restrictions for representatives of the above categories of citizens can be temporarily lifted as an exception. So, the admission to travel to Turkey for employees of all the listed structures can be issued if:
- you need to visit a relative who is seriously ill and is dying;
- a relative's death notice was received;
- it is necessary to undergo treatment that is not available on the territory of Russia.
When issuing an admission, you must first obtain a certificate with permission to travel abroad from your immediate superior. Then, in order for the ban on travel to Turkey in 2021 to be temporarily lifted, you need to provide the received certificate to the personnel department, where his passport is stored. Then you need to apply to the relevant minister.
Such a procedure for obtaining admission is provided for all employees of power structures, regardless of the positions they hold.
Practical advice. Before applying for a visa or buying tickets to another country, we recommend that you check for a ban on leaving the country. You can do this quickly, safely and online using the proven Nevylet.rf service.
Entry rules for children in Turkey
Required documents for a visa-free trip to Turkey with a child are:
- the child's foreign passport (must be valid for at least 4 months from the date of entry into the Republic of Turkey);
- a notarized permit for the export of a minor abroad from the mother / father, if the child is traveling with only one of the parents;
- notarized consent for the minor to travel abroad from parents / guardians, if the child is traveling alone (for example, with a trusted person).
If the child has not reached the age of 14 and does not have his own foreign passport, an entry about him is made in the passport of the parent / guardian with whom he will travel. Also, a photo of a child aged 6-13 is pasted into the passport of an adult.
If parents / guardians travel to Turkey with a minor in accordance with the visa regulations, the child will also need a visa. The procedure for its registration is similar to that which adults go through.
If a minor is entered in the passport of a parent / guardian, he must also be entered in the adult visa application form.
Is it possible to enter Turkey with a Schengen visa
Many travelers are interested in whether a Schengen visa gives the right to enter the Republic of Turkey. Today it is impossible to cross the Turkish border via the Schengen area. This is due to the fact that this state is not part of the European Union and does not belong to the Schengen area.
Thus, the answer to the question whether Turkey needs Schengen is negative. Citizens of the EU countries have the right to enter the territory of the Republic of Turkey on the basis of national ID-passports.
Which countries' visas can be used to enter Turkey
Turkey is not included in the list of countries in the world, the borders of which can be crossed with visas from third countries. Therefore, when planning a trip to its territory, it is necessary to open a Turkish visa (if you cannot travel under a visa-free regime).
Sanctions for violators of the rules of entry to Turkey
Failure to comply with the visa regime entails certain penalties. Their severity depends on the severity of the offense.
Exceeding the statutory period of stay in the country threatens a foreigner with the following sanctions:
- up to 15 days - a fine of 250 liras;
- more than 15 days - with a fine and a ban on entry for 30 days;
- more than 30 days - with a fine and a ban on entry for 90 days;
- more than 90 days - with a fine and a ban on entry for 180 days;
- more than 180 days - with a fine and a ban on entry for 12 months;
- more than 12 months - a fine and a ban on entry for 24 months;
- more than 24 months - a fine and a ban on entry for 5 years.
Even if a foreigner stayed in Turkey for 15 days longer than he had the right to do, but refused to pay a fine, he will be banned from entering the country for the next 5 years.
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What are the customs regulations in the Republic of Turkey
The question of what can be transported to Turkey is still one of the topical ones. Most tourists are primarily interested in what currency and in what quantity you can take with you when going to the territory of the Republic of Turkey.
This country is allowed to import both Turkish lira and foreign currency. There are no restrictions on the amount, but if it exceeds $ 5,000, it must be declared.
You can take with you not cash, but a bank card: during the withdrawal of money, currency conversion will be performed in accordance with the exchange rate of the client's bank. However, it is recommended that you carry enough cash with you in case there are any problems with the card.
The next frequently asked question is: "How much alcohol can you bring to Turkey?" According to the customs regulations in force in the state, in 2021 a traveler has the right to bring into the territory of this country no more than 2 liters of alcoholic beverages with a strength of up to 22% or no more than 1 liter of alcohol with a strength of more than 22%. You can take 3 or more types of alcohol with you.
It should also be remembered that only persons who have reached the age of majority are allowed to import alcohol into the Republic of Turkey.
Travelers can take some food with them. These include sweets, chocolate, coffee, tea. The weight of each of the products cannot exceed 1 kg, and their total weight must not exceed 2 kg.
It is allowed to import dried and fresh fruits and vegetables (up to 3 kg), other food products of plant origin (up to 1 kg) as a gift to a Turkish friend, relative. Their value must be included in the price of the gift itself.
By the way: the value of gifts imported into the Republic of Turkey by an adult can be a maximum of € 430, and for minors - € 150.
Customs regulations regulate the question of how many cigarettes can be imported into Turkey in 2021. You can take on a trip:
- cigarettes - 200 pieces (or 400 if they were bought in a duty-free shop);
- cigars - 50 pieces (or 100 if purchased from a duty-free shop);
- loose, pipe, chewing tobacco - 200 g (or 500 g if purchased in a duty-free shop);
- hookah tobacco - 200 g;
- snuff - 50 g.
You should carefully consider the import of medicines into the territory of the Republic of Turkey. It is strictly forbidden to bring into the country drugs that have a narcotic effect (morphine, amisil, atropine, digoxin and the like). There are also restrictions regarding legal medicines: you are allowed to take them with you only to the extent that will be enough for the duration of your stay in Turkey.
If a person goes to study, work and needs to constantly take certain medications in order to smuggle them across the border, he will need a prescription from a doctor and an extract from his personal medical record.
The rules for the import of animals into the Republic of Turkey are also strictly regulated. You can take 10 aquarium fish, 1 bird, dog or cat with you on the plane. A pet crossing the border with its owner must have an international veterinary passport, where vaccination and disease-free marks will be made.
You need to issue a veterinary passport at least 15 days before arrival in Turkey. The document must be certified by an employee of the Turkish consulate.
What is allowed to import / export duty-free
Turkish customs regulations provide for duty-free entry into the country:
- one name for each of the household items (they must be taken back when returning home);
- 1 TV;
- 1 projector;
- 1 camcorder and 5 blank cassettes for it;
- 5 laser discs;
- 1 video recorder;
- 1 laptop;
- 1 radio receiver;
- 1 CD player;
- 1 binoculars;
- 1 camera;
- 3 musical instruments (1 name of each type);
- strollers, bicycles, children's toys.
Customs in Turkey allows you to export duty-free:
- 400 cigarettes;
- 50 cigars;
- 200 g of tobacco;
- 1 kg of coffee, tea, sweets (but the total weight of these goods should not exceed 2 kg);
- 12 bottles of local alcohol of 0.5 liters or 1 liter per passport if purchased at duty-free points of sale (you should take into account the norms for the import of alcoholic beverages into the territory of your state);
- souvenirs and gifts with a total value of no more than $ 200;
- 600 ml of perfumery and cosmetics.
If the traveler plans to export more of the above items, he will have to pay a state fee before departure. Weight restrictions do not apply only to goods purchased in duty-free shops.
Can't be exported from Turkey:
- archaeological finds;
- antiques (products over 50 years old);
- narcotic substances;
- chemical and poisonous substances;
- weapons (firearms, piercing-cutting and others);
- ammunition;
- pornographic materials;
- pirated products;
- counterfeit money;
- medicines containing narcotic substances.
There are restrictions on the export of local currency from Turkey. Its amount should not exceed the amount equivalent to $ 1000.
Instead of an afterword
Despite the aggravation of relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation over the past few years, the Turkish authorities, as of 2021, are proposing fairly democratic entry rules. Short-term trips up to 60 days in a row or up to 90 days in a half-year can be carried out without applying for a visa. In this case, you only need a foreign passport.
Customs provides an opportunity for duty-free import and export of a fairly wide range of goods. The Turkish authorities are generally loyal to foreigners, the main thing is not to violate the rules of the visa regime so as not to fall under sanctions.
And, finally, the most interesting thing is the restriction of travel abroad for debtors. It is the easiest way to “forget” about the debtor's status when going on another foreign vacation. The reason may be overdue loans, unpaid utility bills, alimony or fines from the traffic police. Any of these debts may threaten to restrict travel abroad in 2021, we recommend that you find out information about the availability of debt using a proven service.
