A hat-trick of announcements to keep you all on your toes for 2015.

1) PASSPORTS: As of January 1, 2015, passports should have at least 60 days validity from the date of expiry of a traveller’s visa, visa exemption period or residency permit to be able to enter Turkey.

2) VISAS: Make it a New Year’s resolution to buy your evisa before you fly and fromwww.evisa.gov.tr/en/. At the moment, there is no change to getting a visa when coming into the country’s airports. You will get it from one of the machines if you haven’t bought an evisa. BUT there could well be a change over when the machines are phased out and you arrive with no visa and no entry. 

3) RESIDENCE PERMITS: There is currently no change in the system for first-time residence applications. It was envisaged you would have to get a first-time residence from your country’s Turkish Consulate, but that is apparently not the case. The RP application process, including for first timers, will continue through the Polis in your area.