Arrivals hall with customs and exit signs and passengers pulling luggage at an Istanbul airport

Is There an Arrival Card or Entry Form for Turkey? What We Could Verify

We found no official requirement for an arrival card or online entry form for ordinary tourists arriving in Türkiye. Several travel sites say one exists, and some sell help filling it in, so this page sets out what we could and could not verify. Last checked: 4 November 2026. If an official page proves us wrong, please tell us through the contact page and we will correct this.

What we checked

We read the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) visa and customs pages, the Ministry of Trade’s passenger pages and the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) entry requirements for Türkiye. None of them describes an arrival card, a “digital arrival card” or an online entry form for tourists. The FCDO lists the entry requirements that apply to British visitors: a valid passport, visa rules, children’s papers and customs rules. It lists no entry form.

We also followed a trade-press link that claimed an “Entry into Türkiye Form” became mandatory in 2026. The page returned “not found”, so we could not verify the claim and did not rely on it.

The old health form is gone

During the pandemic, travellers had to fill in a Ministry of Health form online before flying. A Turkish embassy notice in Kuala Lumpur, dated 11 March 2022, says the requirement to fill in that online form “has been abolished”. Some guides still repeat the old 72-hour rule. If a website asks you to pay for that form today, treat it with suspicion and read our e-Visa guide about look-alike sites.

Forms and declarations that do exist

WhatWho needs itSource
Visa or e-VisaVisitors whose passport requires oneMinistry of Foreign Affairs
Customs lane choice (green or red)Everyone entering. Using a lane counts as your customs declarationMinistry of Foreign Affairs
Verbal declaration for valuablesTravellers carrying valuable items such as a laptop may be asked for one, to confirm the item leaves with themMinistry of Foreign Affairs
Cash declarationLeaving with more than 25,000 Turkish lira, or foreign currency worth more than €10,000Ministry of Trade, circular 2024/01

Green lane or red lane

The MFA says that on entry you must walk through either the green or the red customs lane, and doing so counts as your customs declaration. Use the green lane if you carry nothing dutiable and everything is within the allowances. Use the red lane if you carry dutiable goods or are not sure. Customs officers can ask you to make a declaration at any time. Items that are prohibited, need authorisation or exceed your allowance can lead to fines or imprisonment.

Cash

The Ministry of Trade circular says cash above 25,000 lira, or foreign currency worth more than €10,000, must be declared to customs when leaving. Undeclared amounts above those limits can be held and reported to the public prosecutor. The circular also allows you to declare cash when you enter. We did not find a separate entry threshold in the parts we read, so if you arrive with a large sum, declare it at the red lane and keep the paper. The FCDO adds that banks and exchange offices may refuse 50 and 100 US dollar bills because of counterfeits.

What to do before you fly

  • Check your passport on the MFA visa page and read our entry requirements guide.
  • Ask your airline whether it needs anything extra at check-in. Airlines apply their own checks.
  • Use only official government addresses (ending .gov.tr) for forms. The e-Visa site is evisa.gov.tr.
  • Do not pay a third party for an “arrival card”. We found no official card to pay for.

Frequently asked questions

Do I fill in a paper card on the plane?

We found no official source that requires one. Airlines do sometimes hand out their own forms, so follow the crew’s instructions.

Do I need a QR code or health pass?

The MFA and FCDO pages we read mention none. The pandemic-era entry rules came with the Ministry of Health form that the embassy notice says was abolished.

Where do I check for changes?

Start with the MFA consular pages and the travel advice from your own government. Rules can change quickly.

Official sources

About the author
Vatansever
Vatansever edits Best of Istanbul, with help from family members who know the city well. See our Editorial Policy for how guides are researched, written and checked.