Turkish passport

For the 2011 documentary film, see Turkish Passport (film).

Turkish passport
The front cover of a contemporary Turkish biometric passport
Type	Passport
Issued by	Turkey
First issued	June 1, 2010 (biometric passport)
Purpose	Identification
Eligibility	Turkish citizenship

Turkish Passports are issued in accordance with the Passport Act (No. 5682) from July 15, 1950 to Turkish citizens to travel outside of the country. The passports are issued by the Turkish Police and applications are filed at police stations which have a passport office. Passports issued since June 1, 2010 are biometric, and valid for up to ten years.

Types

• Regular passport (Turkish: Umuma mahsus pasaport), also referred to as Maroon Passport (Turkish: Bordo pasaport). It is issued to;
  • Turkish citizens who don't qualify for any of the following passport types.

A page from a Turkish biometric passport

• Special passport (Turkish: Hususi pasaport), also referred to as Green Passport (Turkish: Yeşil pasaport) allows the bearer to travel visa-free to some countries. As opposed to regular passport, it is exempt from the passport fee and is only subject to the booklet fee (62,5 TL, ~27 euros as of 2010). It is issued to;
  • Former members of the National Assembly
  • First, Second or Third grade public servants.
  • Retired First, Second or Third grade public servants.
  • Mayors
  • Spouse of the special passport holders
  • Unwed and unemployed children of the special passport holders who live with parents, until they turn 25.
• Service passport (Turkish: Hizmet pasaportu), also referred to as Gray Passport (Turkish: Gri pasaport). It is issued to;
  • People who do not qualify for the Special or diplomatic passport, however are assigned to travel abroad for official and/or government related purposes.
  • National athletes
  • Turkish citizens working for the International organizations, of which Turkey is a member
  • Employees of the Red Crescent
  • Employees of the Turkish Aeronautical Association
  • Spouse of the service passport holders
  • Unwed and unemployed children of the service passport holders who live with parents, until they turn 25.
• Diplomatic passport (Turkish: Diplomatik pasaport), also referred to as Black Passport (Turkish: Siyah pasaport). It is issued to;
  • Members of the National Assembly, and the non-PM ministers
  • Head judges of the judicial organs, and their deputies
  • Diplomats
  • Negotiators that are to deal with international issues
  • Spouse of the diplomatic passport holders. However, this passport can only be used when accompanying the primary passport holder.
  • Unwed and unemployed daughters, and sons younger than 18 years of age of the diplomatic passport holders who live with parents. However, this passport can only be used when accompanying the primary passport holder.

Biometric passports

Turkish Biometric passports (Turkish: Biyometrik pasaport), compatible with the new ICAO standards, have been available since June 1, 2010. Applications for the new passports can be submitted online through the government's website [1]. Passports are then sent via mail.

The biometric passports have different colour covers; regular passports in maroon and diplomatic passports in black, in compliance with ICAO standards.

Fees

Turkish passport had been one of the most expensive passport in the world for many years. As a result of increasing public demands, the cost of ordinary passports was almost halved in June 2010. Despite the massive reduction, the Turkish passport remained one of the most expensive passport in the world. The passport law was then amended to increase the maximum validity of a passport from 5 to 10 years. It currently costs 446,35 TL (~€195) for a 10-year passport, including the compulsory booklet fee. In addition to the expensive passport prices, Turkish state charges 15 TL (~6€) from Turkish passport owners (excluding ship and aircraft crew, those who live abroad, and those with dual citizenship) every single time they leave Turkey.

Countries and territories with visa-free or visa-on-arrival entries for holders of Turkish passports

  Republic of Turkey

  Visa free

  Visa free for Special(Green) passport holders

  Visa issued upon arrival

  Visa required

Visa requirements for Turkish citizens

Main article: Visa requirements for Turkish citizens

Holders of a Turkish passport may travel without a visa, or with a visa received upon arrival, to around 100 countries. As of September 29, 2011, EU Commissioner of Interior Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom, has indicated that visa requirement will eventually be discontinued. Visa liberalization will be ushered in several phases. Initial changes are expected in the autumn; these will include the reduction of visa paperwork, more multi-entry visas, and extended stay periods.

Gallery

Turkish passport images listed chronologically:

• 
  1927 - Republic of Turkey, Regular passport, cover
• 
  1937&1934 - Republic of Turkey, Diplomatic passports, covers
• 
  1943 - Republic of Turkey, Regular passport, cover
• 
  1954 - Republic of Turkey, Regular passport, cover
• 
  1960 - Republic of Turkey, Special passport, cover & first page
• 
  1965 - Republic of Turkey, Regular passport, cover
• 
  Republic of Turkey, Regular passport cover until May 31, 2010
• 
  Republic of Turkey, Special passport, cover until May 31, 2010
• 
  Turkish Biometric Passport cover since June 1, 2010
• 
  Turkish Biometric special passport cover issued in January 2012

See also

• Visa requirements for Turkish citizens
• Visa policy of Turkey
• Turkish nationality law