Turkish Passport Control

justhi · Post by **justhi** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 5:57 pm

Hi,

I wanted to know is it safe/possible to visit turkey safely with Alien's Passport/Temporary Passport. Please share your personal experiences whether everything went well at Turkish passport control? and I also heard that Turkey is not very safe country, is it true? Did anyone face any problem there or at passport control? Or anyone who went there and came back safely with Alien's passport?

Any input will be highly appreciated.

Thanks,

BR

JH

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Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 6:36 pm

justhi wrote:Hi,

I wanted to know is it safe/possible to visit turkey safely with Alien's Passport/Temporary Passport. Please share your personal experiences whether everything went well at Turkish passport control? and I also heard that Turkey is not very safe country, is it true? Did anyone face any problem there or at passport control? Or anyone who went there and came back safely with Alien's passport?

Any input will be highly appreciated.

Thanks,

BR

JH

"Holders of travel documents, such as alien’s passport and refugee travel document, are required to have a consular visa to enter into Turkey. They are strongly recommended to apply to the nearest Turkish Embassy/Consulate for the visa at least 6 weeks in advance, since their application is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Interior of Turkey."
http://helsinki.emb.mfa.gov.tr/Consular ... .aspx?ID=6

justhi · Post by **justhi** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:13 pm

Yeah that's what I also got information that I must get visa but Turkish embassy says it is still upto passport control how they treat you, we can't say anything. Therefore I wanted to know if anyone been through such experience?

Hippo · Post by **Hippo** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:36 am

I don't know what's up with that embassy website but here is the truth: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information- ... ers.en.mfa

Finland: Official and Ordinary passport holders are exempted from visa for their travels up to 90 days within 180 days starting from the first entry date.

As you see, that's pretty low esteemed country and they will let anyone in from Europe with no questions asked in return of a tiny fee as long as you have a valid passport.

As for the question, "Did anyone face any problem there or at passport control?" I don't really understand what you mean. It's just the standard passport check. You wait in a line, they stamp your passport and go through.

Again on the question about safety, I don't know what to say exactly. It's a large place with safe and unsafe areas now and then, you can't generalize. In a strange country, one should always practice due diligence -- usual common sense.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:35 am

justhi wrote:but Turkish embassy says it is still upto passport control how they treat you, we can't say anything.

To me this translates as: "It depends if the officer has a bad day or if he dislikes your face."

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 10:02 am

Hippo wrote:I don't know what's up with that embassy website but here is the truth: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information- ... ers.en.mfa

Finland: Official and Ordinary passport holders are exempted from visa for their travels up to 90 days within 180 days starting from the first entry date.

There does not seem to be definition on the page itself, but I would not equate alien passport with an "ordinary passport".
Temporary passport I'd assume be OK, but then I don't quite understand the question as at least the same person should not have both.

justhi · Post by **justhi** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 10:56 am

yeah I asked about holders of Alien's passport/temporary passports, that is totally different then ordinary/normal national passport. I know they need visa but I want to know how they are treated at passport control? do they let them in or send them back or imprison me etc..I mean anything bad since they don't have their national passport?

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 11:55 am

I thought you got your answer already? Using different word it could also be expressed like this:
"Do you feel lucky?"

cors187 · Post by **cors187** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 11:59 am

How long is your temporary passport issued for?

justhi · Post by **justhi** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:02 pm

it's valid till the end of 2015.

cors187 · Post by **cors187** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:27 pm

So its not really that temporary.
If its a valid travel document issued by Finland and it has more than 6 months to the expiry date then its good
I would not care about turkey at all ,care more about what Finland classifies the document as, this is how the foreign countries will view the document.

justhi · Post by **justhi** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:57 pm

I hope its like that.

burak25 · Post by **burak25** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:54 pm

Depending on the location Turkey is relatively safe country (not like Finland so don't get drunk and act like most Finns. You will be fine). Touristic areas are really safe but be careful in crowded locations for pickpockets. Just don't drive a car, you will go crazy.

About passport normally it's not up to officer, we are not Germany where £$€¤%& police might not let you go even though exactly same visa-password-travel group etc people get in with other police booth without problem. If any government webpage is saying it's OK, then you should be OK. Take a print of that page with you and you will be fine. Mostly it might take couple of minutes of explanations.

Since you are not a wanted criminal and most probably going back to Finland or wherever, they have no problem with you coming in to the country.

Hippo · Post by **Hippo** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:32 pm

Yeah, I mean I know this forum has an atmosphere that encourages ripping on countries that are inferior to Finland, but come on. Nobody sends you to prison because the police checking the passports doesn't like your face.

justhi · Post by **justhi** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 10:23 pm

This information seems quite satisfactory.

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