Turkish Airlines expands e-visa program for Filipinos

Filipino passport holders with valid US and European visas can now easily travel to Turkey by applying for a visa online. This was announced by Turkish Airlines.

Filipino expatriates living in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, can also enter Turkey by applying for an electronic visa (e-visa). This information was published by businessmirror.com.

Referring to a presidential decree, the Turkish carrier said that citizens of the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia can enter Turkey without visas. Tourists from these four Gulf countries can stay in Turkey without a visa for a maximum of 90 days.

"Citizens of Algeria, Egypt, India, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, and Yemen who hold a valid visa or a valid residence permit from one of the Schengen countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, or Ireland can apply for an e-visa," Turkish Airlines reports.

Turkish Airlines has welcomed Erdogan's visa waiver rule and e-visa privileges to promote tourism and cultural exchanges between Turkey and the covered countries. Instead of applying at the Turkish Embassy in Manila, individual Philippine passport holders can apply for a tourist visa online at: www.evisa.gov.tr.

To be eligible for a tourist visa, a Filipino passport holder must also have a valid visa or residence permit from the United States, Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, or Ireland.

OFWs from GCC member states may also be eligible to apply for a Turkish e-Visa. According to the website, e-visa applicants should be ready with their credit or debit cards (Mastercard, Visa or UnionPay) as this is the only acceptable payment method.

E-visas for some Philippine passport holders are valid for single entry only, for a maximum of 30 days. However, these selected Philippine passport holders are not eligible to apply for a visa upon arrival at Turkish airports or ports.

According to Turkish Airlines, transit passengers who choose to travel anywhere in the world using Istanbul Airport as an intermediate stop can explore Istanbul "free of charge". If the stopover time is between six and 24 hours, passengers can go on a city tour. If the stopover time at Istanbul Airport is 20 hours or more, the transit passenger can explore Istanbul at their own pace with free accommodation at partner hotels.

"Turkish Airlines transit passengers are eligible to unlock two destinations with one ticket as the national carrier offers two stopover services, free hotel accommodation, and a free city tour to explore the city of Istanbul during transit," the statement said.