Türkiye, or the Republic of Turkey, is a country that is primarily situated in Anatolia in Western Asia and has a tiny presence in the Balkans in Southeast Europe.
Turkey’s tourism industry is mostly focused on the country’s numerous historical sites and the beach resorts that line its Aegean and Mediterranean Sea coasts. In addition, Turkey has gained popularity as a spa, wellness, and cultural getaway. Turkey was the sixth-most popular tourist destination in the world in 2019 when it received almost 51 million foreign visitors.
Since my nationality requires that I receive one in order to enter the country, I opted to apply for a Turkish tourist visa last November 2021. The approval I received in just two days was a lucky break! It is essential to plan and prepare your application in advance because during busy times, such as the Eid holidays, the approval may take longer than 30 days.
Related Blogpost: Best Places to Visit in Turkey
Before I go on to explain my experience with processing a tourist visa for Turkey in Qatar, I would advise you to see if you are exempt from needing a visa by clicking here.
There are two ways on how to apply for a Turkish Tourist Visa in Qatar. You can do it online by visiting their website at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/apply/ to get E-VISA or by submitting your documents through an authorized agency to apply for visa sticker.
- E-VISA
In order to obtain an e-visa, you must meet the following requirements:
1. Your passport covers the period that you will be staying in Turkey.
2. You can prove that you hold a return ticket, hotel reservation and at least $50 per each day of your stay.
3. You are travelling for the purposes of tourism or business. You have a valid Supporting Document (Valid visa OR valid residence permit from one of the Schengen Countries, USA, UK or Ireland). E-visas are not accepted as supporting documents.
The e-visa fee is USD 20 for a single entry. - VISA STICKER
If you do not meet any of the above requirements and proceed with your application, your e-visa will be invalid. However, you still have the option to apply manually by submitting your application through an authorized visa agency in Qatar.
Visa application must be submitted 30 days before the travel date.
The following are the 2 agencies that you can choose to submit your visa application:
- Mosaic Visa Qatar
- Location: 3rd Floor (301), Jaidah Square, Al Matar Street, Doha Qatar
- Office Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Pick-up Hours: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Service charge: QAR 183
- Website: https://mosaicvisa.com/index-qatar.html
- Kingston Visa Centre (No longer operational)
* Location: Jabor Square, 2nd Floor Al Markhiya Street Next to Tawar Mall Opposite of Dahl Al Hamam ParkOffice Hours: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PMContact No.: +974 4488 2290
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Mosaic Visa Center, Kingston Visa Center and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hence if you have any questions and inquiries, kindly contact them directly for clarifications.
Related Blogpost: Travel Insurance to cover your trip
You need to visit any of the above-mentioned agencies and submit the following requirements:
1.) Original Passport, valid for at least six months
2.) Non-refundable visa processing fee in CASH (220 QR for single and 730 QR for multiple entry visas excluding agency fees)
3.) One photo of the applicant (White background) (50x60mm) shot in the last 6 months
4.) Documents supporting the purpose and the conditions of the planned visit:
✔ Travel itinerary/round trip ticket reservations showing return to Doha
✔ Hotel reservation covering the duration of stay in Turkey with payment guarantee
✔ Letter of invitation (not needed if Hotel reservation available)
Tip: I booked my hotel reservations through Booking.com as it has an option to cancel without any fee in case my application did not go through.
You may also contact Primo Travel & Tours for Visa Assistance. They are very accommodating and approval rate is high!
5.) For non-Qataris, a valid residence permit with one copy
6.) For non-Qataris, a sponsor’s (company) letter mentioning salary, position and duration of employment
7.) If the person applies for a business visa, an invitation letter from the counterpart company in Turkey is also required
8.) Bank statement of the salary account for the last 3 months, stamped by the bank (there should be available funds of not less than QAR 10,000.00).
9.) Travel or Health insurance to be valid during visiting to Turkey.
Additional Documentations
– If the applicant previously resided in Turkey, a relevant residence document or work permit
– If the applicant previously resided in a country other than Turkey, relevant residence document.
– If any, previously received Turkey visa.
– If any, current or previously received Schengen / USA / UK visa,
– Applicants with dual citizenship are required to submit documents related to 2nd citizenship.
– If you have someone who will company your travel, a copy of his/her valid visa, and flight reservation must be submitted.
Note: All documents that are presented must be up to date and fully complete as per the list. The Turkish Embassy of Qatar reserves the right to request additional documentation where needed. Completing all the required documentation does not guarantee approval for a visa and a refund is not possible under any circumstances. If applicants are applying as a family or group all the above-mentioned documentation needs to be submitted individually.
For general information about Turkish visa, kindly visit the Turkish Embassy website at https://www.mfa.gov.tr/default.en.mfa .
