New Visa for 2012

[Silverfox BC]

Dont hold your breath, Silverbeard e mailed them over a week ago and still no reply

[janeypoos]

Just a quick update.

I've not received a response to my email as yet, no surprise there then.

I booked a flight for August/September that still leaves another 20 or so days left on my visa so hopefully I should be ok.

I'll keep you posted if/when I receive a reply from the Consulate.

[silverbeard21]

Dont anybody hold your breath. I have been waiting for some sort of a response from the Turkish Consulate for nearly 2 weeks now. And guess what, diddly squat, nothing, nixie, zero,s-d all!! Not so much as a clear off and don't interrupt my nap again. What a charming way to conduct business.
Having said all that, It's just what I expected - nothing changes.

So I guess it's just a case of suck it and see. We will all have to deal with what ever happens, when it happens, if anything happens.

David

[janeypoos]

I'm still awaiting a response from the Consulate Peli

I'm lucky in that the two trips I've got planned are within the 180 days so the change won't affect me now.

I have to admit to a moment of absolute dread and panic after I'd booked my August/September flights and I thought I'd got the visa expiry date wrong but fortunately I'm still a few days clear.

I agree with you, the only way I can see of getting a back-to-back is to nip out of Turkey for a day and return on a new visa the following day as we've had to do in the past.

It's not really very practical or economical for that matter and it's really going to disrupt peoples holiday arrangements.

The only other option is to apply for a blue book, maybe that's what they want more visitors to do??

[janeypoos]

Finger's crossed

Have you got anything booked yet? Will it affect your plans at all for this year?

[LaneyICR]

I know everybody is very confused about the new visa rules that have come into effect here in turkey. The following link explains a bit clearer how it will work for those of you that come to visit us more than once a year. http://www.akbukturkey.com/tourist_visas.html
I hope this offers a few more explanations for people and makes it easier to understand how it works and will effect those of you coming at the beginning of the season and the end of the season. Unforunately if you do happen to be in turkey on the 180th day of your visa you would have to leave turkey on the 180th day and could not return until the following day to get new visa, so it could mean a night over in Rhodes. There is no way of knowing what the fine would be if you were to over stay your visa, even the British consulate couldn't answer this one. This is decided at the point of exit.

[janeypoos]

Thanks for that LaneyICR.

I don't know what the fine would be now for an overstay but I can tell you what it was 11 years ago unfortunately!

Back in the day of the '3 month' visa it was never stated if 3 months meant 3 calendar months or 90 days.

I thought it was 3 calendar months and arranged a ferry trip over to Cyprus (we were living in Kizkalesi, near Mersin) for myself and my son on the last day before our visa's expired.

When it came to going through passport control at the port the lovely 'gentlemen' pointed out that in fact we were 1 day over and I had to pay an on the spot fine of £420 in cash for the two of us.

I didn't have that cash on me and tried to reason with them and my husband was pleading our case but it was no good. We either had to pay the fine instantly or for every day I overstayed until I could pay it the fine would double and if I took too long we would be arrested!

Luckily we had a friend who came to 'bail us out' as it were so we paid up, begrudgingly.

I would advise everyone to make sure that their dates are correct, counting the day of entry as Day 1 not the next day as I had as I can only imagine the fine is much higher now.

I certainly have always made sure never to make that mistake again, lol!

[cancan]

wondering has anyone had their visa stamp stamped with black ink saying "90 gun ikamet" on it before? I got this stamp in Istanbul last October. I have never had this before or have I ever seen this before so I am wondering could this have been a trial for the new regulations? If regulations come into place February 2012 does this mean any visa issued before hand is free from the new regulations? Reason I ask if my last visa is within these rules I will have to change holiday plans yet again! Planned date to leave will be day 183 of the visa I couldn't bare being banned start of season lol !

[janeypoos]

wondering has anyone had their visa stamp stamped with black ink saying "90 gun ikamet" on it before? I got this stamp in Istanbul last October. I have never had this before or have I ever seen this before so I am wondering could this have been a trial for the new regulations? If regulations come into place February 2012 does this mean any visa issued before hand is free from the new regulations? Reason I ask if my last visa is within these rules I will have to change holiday plans yet again! Planned date to leave will be day 183 of the visa I couldn't bare being banned start of season lol !

cancan I have just checked my passport as I travelled via Istanbul during November 2011 on the same visa I purchased in August 2011.

None of my stamps say "90 gun ikamet", it's just the usual 90 day multiple entry. I have no idea why your's had that stamp but I can only think that maybe the passport control officer used the wrong stamp as my visa is one of the 90/180 visa's which were not being enforced at the time and I assume yours was too?

When does your current visa expire? If you are travelling to Turkiye after the expiration date then you will simply have to buy a new visa on entry as per usual.

The new visa rules came in to effect 01-02-2012 so just get a new visa when you arrive in Turkiye next time and start the 90/180 from that date.

[cancan]

thanks Janey, yes I am confused as to why I got this stamp I have never seen it before, my friend who was travelling with me never got it either. It was the 90/180 stamp I also got this the previous July with this extra ink stamp on top of it. It says 90day stay so it is nothing to be concerned about. My plan was to get another visa as this would work better with summer plans anyway. I doubt it will be much of a problem, I travelled a couple of times on the same visa before, the aiport staff got a bit confused counting up my dates stamped my passport and let me through. ha ha a queue of 200 people per plane god help us all if they do start counting up!!

[janeypoos]

Hahaha, you're right there cancan!

When I came back in November I only had 1 day left on my visa so I was expecting issues at Adana and Istanbul, especially because of my previous experience of 'overstaying', I felt sure they'd try and sting me again by saying the dates were wrong but strangely enough not once during the 4 times I had to present my passport to an officer did they even try to work the dates out which was a major surprise (and relief!).

I wonder if the expiry date comes up when they scan your passport maybe?

I'm going back to Kizkalesi via Istanbul at the end of March so I'll be getting a new visa then, I'll remember to have a good look at the stamp they use then.

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

I was in Ankara 2 weeks ago and flew into Antalya
i had that black stamp on my visa this time with 90 gun on it
the new regulations dont seem to be in force just now but not completely sure
xxx

[ALAN]

The new 180 day visa appears to have been designed to prevent the back to back visas issued via day trips out of Turkey.
What is the impact to the average tourist ? If you go to Turkey at Christmas and get a visa for 180 Days which will expire in june can you get a new visa if you want to visit again say in July ? .
As i see it the max 90 day stay within 180 day visa is targeted to those who stay the full 90 days and therefore would now have to leave Turkey. The average holiday maker would only have perhaps 2 weeks and /or 1 week visits so would not be anywhere near to the 90 day max.

Al

[Roy]

As we are hoping to live in Icmeler for about 6 months continuously this year can anyone tell us what is required for a residency permit, is it just an address & bank account? - or is there more to it? also how easy is it to aquire & how long does it take to get residency?
Thanks for any info.

[Sami]

LaneyICR

That spreadsheet on the link is brilliant and really helpful. Thank you

[LaneyICR]

Roy, in order to apply for your residency permit you will need approx 6 passport sized photos of yourself, a photocopy of your passport on the photo page and a phtocopy of the visa entry stamp page. You will also need to provide a copy of you rental agreement confirming where you live and provide a copy of a bank statement showing funds of approximately 3,000 lira (you can show the equivalent in an english bank account). You are also required to provide a handwritten letter in turkish stating howlong you want your resodency for and for what reason you want the residency. They provided a template for you to copy at the port where you apply (I always gets a turkish friend to write mine for me). If you have all these documents available then you just have to take them to the passport police in Marmaris marina where your documents will be checked and they will fill out a form for you and ask a couple questions (Take a turkish speaker with you if you don't speak turkish) You will then be given a print out of the form stating how much you will be required to pay for your residency. You then have to take this form to what we call the tax office to pay the fee and you will mbe given a receipt which you then return to the marina. Dependent on time of year your residency is usually completed within a week, but at the beginning of the season it can take longer due to all the reps applying for their work visas. Also be aware that if you apply close to a turkish holiday it can take longer as the offices close.
I hope this hasn't confused you or scared you off from applying as it's really quite easy, but I would advice taking a turkish speaker with you or somebody who has gone through the prosess before.

[LaneyICR]

Alan, if you were to come to turkey in December and thus your 180day visa would expire in June, it is possible on the 181st to return to turkey and get a new visa so yes you would be able to return to turkey in July. The new visa is designed to stop those residing in turkey from just paying for tourist visas instead of paying for residency. Similar to America and other countries where we are required to have visas you are only allowed to be in these countries for a percentage of the year. The old visa acquired when entering turkey was allowing people to stay longer and continuously, whereas this new visa is limiting the continuous period that can be spent in turkey and thus abiding by the same rules as other visa countries.

[ALAN]

LaneyICR

Thanks very much for your response which has clarified the workings of the new visa . I can now look forward to my Holidays with no worries about visas

Al

[Roy]

That's great Laney thanks very much, not as bad as I feared; do have Turkish contacts who I'm sure would help. Just need to get lease sorted now.
Appreciated
Roy.