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Country guide · Türkiye (Turkey)

Türkiye travel apps and what you need before you go

Many passports, including US, UK, Canadian, Australian and EU, can visit Türkiye visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180, while some nationalities need an e-Visa from the official evisa.gov.tr site; your passport must stay valid at least 60 days beyond your stay. Once there, use BiTaksi or Uber for licensed taxis, an Istanbulkart with Moovit or Google Maps for Istanbul transport, TCDD's E-Bilet app for trains, obilet for long-distance buses and WhatsApp for messaging.

Checked against official sources on 22 October 202612 apps · 6 to set up at home
Hagia Sophia and its minarets in Istanbul under a blue sky
Photo: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 3.0

What you need to enter Türkiye (Turkey)

Entry rules depend on your passport, so check the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa page for your nationality before you book.

Visa exemption or e-Visa

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists ordinary passport holders from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Germany, France and other EU states as visa-exempt for tourism, generally for up to 90 days. Chinese ordinary passport holders became visa-exempt on 2 January 2026. Nationalities that still need a visa may be eligible for an e-Visa for tourism or business at evisa.gov.tr, the only official portal; Indian citizens, for example, can get a one-month e-Visa only if they hold a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit.

Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Visa information for foreigners · Republic of Türkiye e-Visa

90 days in any 180

Visa-free and visa stays together cannot exceed 90 days within any 180-day period, and holders of two passports cannot use each for a separate 90 days. Longer stays need a short-term residence permit from the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.

Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: General information about Turkish visas

Passport validity

Your passport must be valid for at least 60 days beyond the end of your permitted stay, so a 90-day visit needs about 150 days of validity on arrival. The ministry advises six months from arrival to be safe. Some nationalities may enter with a national ID card instead; check the ministry's list.

Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: General information about Turkish visas · Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Visa information for foreigners

Before you fly: 7 steps

  1. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list to see whether your passport is visa-exempt or needs an e-Visa.
  2. If you need one, apply on evisa.gov.tr only and save the PDF.
  3. Make sure your passport is valid at least 60 days past your planned stay, ideally six months.
  4. Install BiTaksi and sign in to Uber, and add a card.
  5. Install TCDD E-Bilet and book any high-speed trains, and use obilet for long-distance buses.
  6. Download Moovit, offline Google Maps and the Turkish pack in Google Translate.
  7. Buy a tourist eSIM; for stays over 120 days, read up on IMEI registration before using a Turkish SIM.

The apps that matter in Türkiye (Turkey)

Grouped by the job they do. Set up at home means install it and sign in before you fly, while you still have your home number and Wi-Fi.

Entry and official apps

e-Visa (evisa.gov.tr)

The government's official site for tourist and business e-Visas, only needed if your nationality is not visa-exempt.

Set up at home

Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list first, since many visitors do not need it. If you do, apply only on evisa.gov.tr and print or save the e-Visa PDF.

Official siteSource: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: General information about Turkish visas

Taxis and ride hailing

BiTaksi

Türkiye's original taxi-hailing app, booking licensed taxis and showing the driver and plate before pickup.

Set up at home

It operates in 17 cities and lets you pay in cash or by card. Booking through the app fixes the plate and route record, which helps avoid taxi disputes in Istanbul.

Official siteSource: BiTaksi: About us · My Turkey Adventure: Uber in Istanbul (Sep 2026)

Uber

Your home Uber account, which in Istanbul books licensed yellow and turquoise taxis rather than private cars.

UberX and Uber Black private cars do not run in Istanbul, so expect a regular taxi. The upside is no new sign-up and a fare record in the app.

Official siteSource: My Turkey Adventure: Uber in Istanbul (Sep 2026)

Metro, buses and city transport

Istanbulkart

Istanbul's transport card and its official app, covering metro, tram, bus, Marmaray, Metrobüs and city ferries.

Limited for visitors

Buy a card at a Biletmatik machine or kiosk, including at the airports; the blank card fee is not refundable. The app can show a QR code for travel, check your balance and top up a physical card by NFC. Anonymous tourist cards have a monthly top-up limit, and transfer discounts on personalised cards need a Turkish ID or residence permit.

Official siteSource: Istanbul Clues: Where to buy an Istanbulkart (Apr 2026) · Istanbul.com: Istanbul transportation apps (Sep 2025)

Moovit

Journey planner with live arrivals and service alerts across Istanbul's buses, metro, trams and ferries.

Good for working out bus and ferry combinations that Google Maps sometimes handles poorly, and friendly for first-time visitors.

Official siteSource: Istanbul.com: Istanbul transportation apps (Sep 2025)

Trains and long-distance travel

TCDD E-Bilet

The official app of TCDD Taşımacılık, Türkiye's state rail operator, for high-speed and main-line train tickets.

Set up at home

Available in English. Tickets arrive by SMS and email, and you show photo ID on board. High-speed trains such as Ankara to Istanbul or Konya can sell out, so book as soon as sales open.

Official siteSource: App Store: E-Bilet by TCDD Taşımacılık · Rail Turkey: Tickets and reservation

obilet

A booking app for intercity buses, trains and flights, useful for Türkiye's large long-distance bus network.

Use it to compare bus companies, times and seats in English, then check the operator's change and refund rules before paying.

Official siteSource: App Store: obilet by Obilet Bilisim Sistemleri

Maps

Google Maps

Walking and transit directions plus reviews for restaurants, cafes and sights.

Set up at home

Download offline maps before you go, especially for Cappadocia and the coast where signal can drop.

Official siteSource: Google Maps

Messaging and calls

WhatsApp

The everyday messaging app in Türkiye for hotels, tour operators, drivers and restaurants.

Set up at home

Keep your home number on WhatsApp even if you add a Turkish SIM, so your account and chats stay the same.

Official siteSource: WhatsApp

Food and delivery

Yemeksepeti

Türkiye's long-running food and grocery delivery app.

Limited for visitors

Handy for late dinners at your hotel or apartment. Sign-up may need a phone number that can receive SMS in Türkiye, so set it up once your eSIM or local SIM is active.

Official siteSource: Yemeksepeti

Getir or Trendyol Go

Fast grocery and food delivery apps, both now owned by Uber in Türkiye.

Limited for visitors

Getir left all other countries in 2024 but still runs in Türkiye, and Uber bought its Turkish business in 2026 after taking a controlling stake in Trendyol Go in 2025. Uber plans to combine them, so app names and features may change.

Official siteSource: Tech.eu: Uber acquires Getir's Turkish delivery business (Feb 2026) · Wikipedia: Getir

Translation

Google Translate

Camera, text and voice translation for menus, signs and taxi conversations.

Set up at home

Download the Turkish offline pack before you fly.

Official siteSource: Google Translate

Money: Turkish lira (TRY, TL)

Cards are accepted in many shops, hotels and restaurants, but cash in lira is still common for small cafes, markets and some taxis. Prices and exchange rates move quickly, so check the rate during your trip and pay in lira rather than accepting a currency conversion on card machines. Use the Istanbulkart for city transport instead of paying cash.

Practical things to know

Plugs
Types C and F (European two round pins); 220 V, 50 Hz.
Emergency number
112 for ambulance, police, fire, coast guard and gendarmerie.
Mobile data and the 120-day phone rule
A phone brought from abroad can be used on a Turkish SIM for up to 120 days without registration; after that it is blocked unless you register its IMEI and pay a high one-off fee, which in practice suits residents rather than tourists. Short trips are fine with a tourist eSIM or a Turkish SIM.
Taxis
Book through BiTaksi or Uber in Istanbul so the plate and fare are recorded, and confirm the meter is on if you hail on the street.

Questions travelers ask

Do Americans need a visa for Türkiye?

No. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists US ordinary passport holders as visa-exempt for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Always check the official list before travel.

Do UK citizens need an e-Visa for Türkiye?

No. UK ordinary passport holders are visa-exempt for tourism for up to 90 days in any 180 days. Holders of BN(O), British Subject and British Protected Person passports must apply for a visa at a Turkish mission.

How long must my passport be valid for Türkiye?

At least 60 days beyond the end of your permitted stay, so about 150 days for a 90-day visit. The ministry advises six months from arrival.

Does Uber work in Istanbul?

Yes, but only for licensed yellow and turquoise taxis. Private UberX and Uber Black cars do not operate there. BiTaksi is the main local alternative.

Will my phone be blocked in Türkiye?

A foreign phone can be used with a Turkish SIM for up to 120 days without registration. After that it is blocked unless its IMEI is registered and the fee paid.

Is Getir still available in Türkiye?

Yes. Getir pulled out of other countries in 2024 but still operates in Türkiye, and Uber bought its Turkish delivery business in 2026.

Sources

Checked on 22 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the official links before you travel.

Found a mistake? Report a correction and we’ll check it against the source.

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