MORE than 6.3 million foreigners obtained a Turkish visa in 2015 using the country’s Electronic Visa System, it has been reported.

According to Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, 7,232,322 people applied for a visa through the e-Visa system in 2015, while some 87 percent of all applications (6,343,581) were accepted.

The e-Visa figures showed a 17.4 percent increase in 2015 compared with the previous year.

On average 17,379 e-Visas were granted daily in 2015, with the highest number seen on July 13, 2015, when 46,747 visas were given out.

Image credit: AA

Citizens of the U.K., Iraq, Netherlands, Poland and Belgium were granted the most visas in 2015. It was also reported that $140.66 million in visa fees was collected.

Individuals are able to apply for e-Visas on “www.evisa.gov.tr” in about three minutes on average. The e-Visa helps eliminate queues at border gates and airports.

The electronic visa system (e-Visa) eliminates queues in border gates and airports.

The e-Visa application was put into service in April 2013.

The countries to which most of the visas were given out to in 2015 were the U.K., Iraq, Netherlands, Poland and Belgium. In addition it is reported that $140.66 million in visa fees was collected.

Evisas from the official website cost just $20. Beware of websites that offer evisa services but at greater costs.

All airports continue to offer visa on arrival desks in 2016 and some airports – Istanbul Ataturk and Izmir – also have self service e-visa kiosks too.