Turkey - how strict on passport validity

[absolutebuffoon]

We fly to turkey next Weds and have just realised that DC1s passport is 19 days short of the 150 day validity requirement. Absolute stupidity on our part for not checking sooner, but means we can’t get it sorted in time. Has anyone got any recent experience going to Turkey and how strict they are with this?! Don’t want to throw money away by not going but at the same point definitely do not want to rock up and get sent packing. Done loads of googling and so many mixed responses so thought I’d ask here to see if anyone had any input?

The passport office do a one day service I think for emergencies

Not for children.

Can I suggest that everyone reading this thread looks at their passports, notes the date of expiry, then adds a calendar entry 'renew passport' 9 months before that date? I did this a few days ago after reading thread after thread about expiring passports. I also noticed that our EHIC cards were expired, so renewed those.

Dh posted his application last Sunday, so realistically it might have got there Monday, possibly Tuesday. The new one came in the post today. Never known anything like it!

I find this rule, which seems to apply to most countries, to be quite unnecessary and wasteful as the validity of the passport is shortened by several months.

What is the point of needing a passport still valid for five or six months when you are only visiting for two-three weeks?

Any unexpected delays, for example because of accidents, would be very rare exceptions.

@absolutebuffoon what was the outcome?

Hi… just wanted to update those who were in a similar position…. We had no issues at the Airport in the UK or in Turkey - we got through ok and are now enjoying the Holiday!
Needless to say the first thing we will be doing on our return is renewing my Daughters passport!

In an adhd/dyslexic household I only just clocked my 9 years olds expiry lastnight ans we fly tomorrow. He has 147 days left. I have not slept and i definitely won't tonight. Who did you fly with?

We flew with Jet2…if we had realised sooner would definitely have renewed to save ourselves the stress…good luck x

This forum saved me from wasting a perfectly good vacation so wanted to provide my update for others. Flew Ajet from London to Antalya with US passport and only 73 days of validity left on my son’s passport. No issue getting on plane. As expected, passport control pulled us to side and gave us a paper that explained its 150 days and we had to buy a special visa for £130. Agent said if the passport had less than 60 days he wouldn’t have been allowed in at all. Whole process took about 15 extra mins. So glad I read others comments about this and decided to go ahead with the trip!

Hello, me and my friends have booked a holiday to istanbul for next Tuesday my friend who is Italian and has a Italian passport just told me his passport expires on March 10th (he wasnt aware it was an issue). We would be flying from Manchester would he be allowed entry with less then 60 days if he paid a fine and we would he able to show our hotel booking and flights back ? Thanks

@EagerBeaker you'd be better posting your own thread. People will reply to the OP and not see yours

Ok thanks

Easy jet did not allow us to board in Aug at Gatwick.

If BA/Turkish airlines you might have a chance as per previous replies some people have made it to turkey and you will have to pay a £100 fine there.

In theory you do need 180 days of validity to board.

Good luck

One of the previous comments said under 60'would not be allowed with a fine and would be turned back.

10th March is about six weeks away. Just renew the passport. Why are you thinking of anything else?

He can enter turkey on his Italian ID card — whether the airline would accept that is another question

www.mfa.gov.tr/countries-whose-citizens-are-allowed-to-enter-T%C3%BCrkiye-with-their-national-id_s.en.mfa

I'd like to share my experience because I remember the sheer panic of being in this exact situation in April this year and combing Google with very little information or comfort that it would all be ok. The day before we flew to Turkey, my husband completed the online check in only to discover that my daughters passport was 20 days off of the 150 days required. The Turkish embassy insisted on the phone that they would not let us across the border when we landed in Turkey and the passport office stated it would take a week to apply for an emergency passport for a child. We very nearly didn't travel to the airport but happily we did as the check in guy explained that, as we would still have plenty of days left by the time we flew home, we would simply pay a fine at the other end. In my relief, I didn't further ask him what the threshold was for Turkey refusing entry. However, I did pay the £160 Turkish Lira equivalent on the other side with a smile on my face and it only took 20 minutes to sort out so we did not miss our transfer either. I believe that the fine effectively paid for a short term visa but the language barrier made this largely unclear and I know from my combing online that you can't get a Turkish visa if travelling from the UK. Regardless, I just want to provide reassurance to anyone in a similar position that all hope is not lost.

I’m in a similar situation - flying in a few days time and child’s passport runs out in 120 days; not seen this at the time of booking tickets and hotels to Turkey - Istanbul (all non-refundable sadly); flying with budget airline Pegasus, any further tips or recent experience would be very reassuring. Thanks

Will really depend on the airline tbh, we traveled with easyJet and they didn't budge we couldn't board but BA or turkish airlines however will take you to Turkey and you deal at the immigration counter.

My advice would be to call the airlines and make sure they won't stop you at the boarding gate.