Turkey: ID Card, Passport or Visa?

Which ID documents do you need to travel to Turkey?

Are you planning a trip to Turkey and wondering which documents you'll need? Great news: since March 2020, Belgian nationals can simply travel to Turkey with a valid passport or ID card!

The visa requirement for tourist stays is therefore no longer in force, at least under certain conditions.
Discover our complete Redion guide below, to find out exactly what paperwork you need to arrange for a successful trip to Turkey.

Belgian passport or ID card: the choice is yours

Here's the thing: it's perfectly possible to travel to Turkey with a Belgian ID card (eID), for stays of less than 90 days within any 180-day period. In this context, you have two options under official Turkish regulations.
So you can present, whichever you prefer:

• a valid Belgian national ID card (eID or physical card);
• a valid Belgian passport.

Watch out for the validity periods of your documents!
If you're travelling with a Belgian ID card or passport, this document must be valid for at least 150 days after your date of arrival in Turkey. This rule applies to both the passport and the ID card.

Travelling with young children: if you're travelling with children under 12, they need to have a "kids-ID". Read more about it here.

Visas: no longer required since 2020

Since 2 March 2020, Belgian citizens (like nationals of other European countries) no longer necessarily need a visa for Turkey, according to official information from the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs.

Here are the conditions you need to meet to qualify for this exemption:

• Maximum length of stay: 90 days within any 180-day period;
• Purpose of travel: tourism or business, excluding long stays or studies;
• Country of origin: European.

If you don't meet the conditions listed above, you'll need a visa to travel to Turkey. This may be the case for a non-tourist stay, such as for studies, work, or taking part in archaeological excavations.
Here's where to apply: Apply for a visa

How do you renew your document urgently?

If your document expires less than 150 days after your planned arrival, you have several options:

Applying for a Belgian ID card

• Standard procedure: waiting time varies by municipality (check with your local administration for details);
• Urgent procedure: document available the next working day if the application is submitted before 3pm;
• Super-urgent procedure: available within 4.5 hours on the same day, with mandatory collection at the counter at rue des Colonies 11, 1000 Brussels.

Applying for a Belgian passport, and 2025 rates

Important: As you'll notice, urgent procedures are significantly more expensive than standard ones. All rates are listed on the Federal Public Service's website.

Redion's tips for a stress-free trip to Turkey

It would be a shame for your trip to fall through due to poor planning. Here's a checklist to run through before any expedition to Turkey:

• Document validity. Check that your ID card/passport remains valid for 150 days after your arrival in Turkey. Remember the kids ID if your children are under 12;
• Digital backup. Photograph your documents and save them on your smartphone, to help you out in the event of loss or a problem;
• Paper copy. Also bring a printed copy of your ID documents, kept separately from the originals, in your luggage;
• Exact match. Check that the names on your tickets match exactly those on your official documents;
• Register with Travellers Online. Sign up on the Travellers Online website run by the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs. This lets the Belgian authorities contact you if needed, in the event of a crisis, conflict or natural disaster.
• Emergency numbers. Keep the Doc Stop number handy (+32 2 518 2123) in case your documents are lost or stolen, along with the number of the nearest Belgian embassies in Turkey.

Paperwork before a trip to Turkey: frequently asked questions