turkish visa

We will be cruising with Viking Oceans in 2016 - Venice to Istanbul. I am interested in anyone's experience obtaining visas for Turkey. What is the process ? thank you:)

Go to this website: evisa.gov.tr

It will cost you $20 and it's all done on-line and via e-mail. Pretty straightforward. It's way too early though. I think as I recall it's only valid for 90 days before you plan on entering.

Yes, that's correct, and if you attempt to order it prior when you put in your date of arrival, it will give you an error message. So, just put a date on your calendar 90 days prior to your departure, then go to the website provided, have a credit card and passport handy, and you'll be all set. You can do multiple visas at once if you have traveling companions, but be prepared with their passports as well.

Becki

They are canadian!!!!!!~

The advise is WRONG.

So I went to goggle. Entered Turkish visa for Canadians.

There are several ads and then the Turkish government website.

Put in the info, got an answer.

The link above is correct (and I wouldn't use any other), but you need to hit "Apply Now" at the top left corner and then put in your country, etc. to get started.

My husband is American, his visa cost $20. I'm Canadian, my visa cost $60. At first we were told by viking that their umbrella visa would cover us since we booked our air and excursions through Viking, but then a few weeks ago we received an email from our travel agent that Turkey had changed it's mind and now wanted individual visas. Kind of annoying, but at least Turkey doesn't want your actual passport mailed to them along with $400 per person, like Brazil did on our last cruise November 2014. In future, I will never cruise to a country that requires visas.

My husband is American, his visa cost $20. I'm Canadian, my visa cost $60. At first we were told by viking that their umbrella visa would cover us since we booked our air and excursions through Viking, but then a few weeks ago we received an email from our travel agent that Turkey had changed it's mind and now wanted individual visas. Kind of annoying, but at least Turkey doesn't want your actual passport mailed to them along with $400 per person, like Brazil did on our last cruise November 2014. In future, I will never cruise to a country that requires visas.

Well, the way I read the info on the Turkey evisa site, if you only go on shore excursions in Turkey but don't fly back or stay on land in Turkey, no individual visa is required. Of course, many of us are staying in, or flying into or out of, Turkey, so it looks like we need them. We'll see if anyone ever asks for it in Turkey....

I agree on the Brazil visa. I don't remember how much ours were, but I think $175 each. I went downtown (Wash. DC) to the Brazil consulate to hand over our passports and money. Ouch. Didn't like that. Think we also had to buy a cheaper but still annoying entry or exit fee in Argentina, too. Ended up being an expensive cruise....

But for the U.S., anyway, I was once told that visa prices are usually based on what the U.S. charges other countries to enter our country - in other words, reciprocity fees. If that's true, I guess I shouldn't complain so much.

Then there's Spain and Italy, which have started trying to have the cruise lines collect and give them VAT tax on drinks and other things purchased on the ship for cruises leaving from Spanish and Italian ports. On other cruise lines, people avoid the tax by purchasing a drink package pre-cruise. Unless the cruise visits a non-EU country, Spain and Italy can collect tax for the whole trip, from what I've heard. I'll be curious to see what Viking tells us when we leave from Venice, although I think our visit to Kotor gets us off the hook for all days but when we're in Venice.

Well, the way I read the info on the Turkey evisa site, if you only go on shore excursions in Turkey but don't fly back or stay on land in Turkey, no individual visa is required. Of course, many of us are staying in, or flying into or out of, Turkey, so it looks like we need them. We'll see if anyone ever asks for it in Turkey....

 

I agree on the Brazil visa. I don't remember how much ours were, but I think $175 each. I went downtown (Wash. DC) to the Brazil consulate to hand over our passports and money. Ouch. Didn't like that. Think we also had to buy a cheaper but still annoying entry or exit fee in Argentina, too. Ended up being an expensive cruise....

 

But for the U.S., anyway, I was once told that visa prices are usually based on what the U.S. charges other countries to enter our country - in other words, reciprocity fees. If that's true, I guess I shouldn't complain so much.

 

Then there's Spain and Italy, which have started trying to have the cruise lines collect and give them VAT tax on drinks and other things purchased on the ship for cruises leaving from Spanish and Italian ports. On other cruise lines, people avoid the tax by purchasing a drink package pre-cruise. Unless the cruise visits a non-EU country, Spain and Italy can collect tax for the whole trip, from what I've heard. I'll be curious to see what Viking tells us when we leave from Venice, although I think our visit to Kotor gets us off the hook for all days but when we're in Venice.

I think the actual visas for Brazil cost $175 each or so, you are right, but being unfamiliar with the process and living very far from any Brazilian Consulate, we let the cruise line (regent) handle it and that cost $399 pp.

Once the cruise commenced, a couple of days before we entered Brazilian waters, we received a note in the cabin that there would be a 25% tax (outrageous!) on any purchase made on board while in Brazilian waters...which was nearly half the cruise! Needless to say, the onboard shops, spa, etc didn't do much business during that segment.

We've sworn off booking any South America cruises ever since.

Didn't know about extra charges in Spain.and Italy. I would have thought all EU countries would have similar tax policies to other EU countries. Last time we cruised in Italy and Spain (2009) I don't remember additional costs. I remember Italy being very expensive, 9€ for a cup of coffee in Rome, for example. But I'm liking the currency exchange this year. Hope it lasts through this cruise and extended travels in Europe following.

The reason most of those countries charge those outrageous fees because that is what the USA does to their citizens that travel here......no Visa wavier agreement.