Foreign Office's important passport warning for Turkey holidaymakers

Emily Chaplin & Emily Chaplin

23 June 2024 at 4:54 am·2-min read

photo shows hand holding passport — -Credit: (Image: Getty Images)

The British Foreign Office has issued a crucial reminder to UK tourists planning a trip to Turkey, highlighting the necessity of carrying a passport at all times. Travellers are legally required to have their passport on them during their stay, as Turkish authorities frequently conduct ID checks.

Especially in bustling areas and tourist hotspots like Istanbul, it's common for police to stop individuals to verify their identity. The Foreign Office strongly advises holidaymakers to 'always carry' their passport or residence permit when out exploring to avoid any complications with local law enforcement.

The official guidance from the Foreign Office states: "It is illegal not to carry some form of photographic ID in Turkey. Always carry your passport or residence permit."

"In some busy areas, especially Istanbul, the authorities may stop people for ID checks. There are also several police checkpoints on main roads across Turkey. Cooperate with officials conducting checks."

Additionally, UK citizens should ensure their passports meet Turkey's entry requirements before travelling. Passports need to be valid for a minimum of 150 days upon arrival in Turkey and must have at least one full blank page for the necessary entry and exit stamps, reports Birmingham Live.

The Foreign Office has issued advice for those planning to drive or hire a moped or motorcycle in Turkey. Travellers must carry a green card and either a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) or a valid UK driving licence notarised in Turkish.

It's important to note that IDPs cannot be purchased outside the UK, so it's advised to secure one before travelling.

Motorcycle and moped riders are required by law to wear a helmet, with hefty fines for those who fail to comply. The local police are known for their strict enforcement of drink-driving laws, with offenders potentially facing a six-month confiscation of their licence.

The Telegraph
Woman charged after video allegedly showed prison officer having sex with inmate
A woman has been charged after a video emerged that allegedly showed a prison officer having sex with an inmate in a jail cell.
The Guardian
London Pride: Sadiq Khan leads 32,000 marchers through capital
Annual LBGTQ+ celebration takes place with march between Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square
Manchester Evening News
Spanish police WON'T say if club altercation over 'wealthy man's missing designer watch' is linked to Jay Slater's disappearance in Tenerife
It comes as the search for Jay Slater around the Masca areas is called off
The Independent
A pair of siblings were stabbed and the sister’s dying words were that the killer was a man from Detroit. Thirty-four years later, he’s been arrested.
Pamela Sumpter, was raped and stabbed, and her brother John Sumpter was stabbed to death, at their Georgia home on July 15, 1990
The Independent
British hiker, 70, found dead in Spain as ‘massive’ search operation for Jay Slater begins
It comes as the hunt for missing teenager Jay Slater continues in Tenerife
Manchester Evening News
Footage shows out-of-control XL Bully being chased by armed cops before being shot dead following horror attack on woman
GMP said the dog had to be destroyed 'as the last possible option'
The Telegraph
Nottingham killer among violent prisoners allowed to claim benefits
The Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane is among dozens of convicted violent criminals in a secure hospital allowed to claim state benefits under a policy that Labour on Monday pledged to review.
CNN
A year ago, she drank battery acid to escape life under the Taliban. Today, she has a message for other Afghan girls
Arzo survived a suicide attempt but now faces a new threat that could send her family – and millions like them – back to Afghanistan and a life that has become so intolerable for women and girls that some would rather die.
Manchester Evening News
Tracy was abducted, doused in petrol and burnt alive. Her killers are still out there
Tracy Mertens, of Rochdale, was 30 when she was abducted, doused in petrol, set on fire and left to die in a churchyard
Isle of Wight County Press
Boy, 17, arrested after incident at Island holiday park
Police attended reports of a public order incident.
RFI
Seven dead after storms lash France, Switzerland
Ferocious storms and torrential rains that lashed France, Switzerland and Italy this weekend have left at least seven people dead, local authorities said on Sunday. Three people in their 70s and 80s died in France's northeastern Aube region on Saturday when a tree crushed the car they were travelling in during fierce winds, the local authority told AFP.A fourth passenger was in critical care, it added.In neighbouring Switzerland, four people have died and a third is missing after torrential rain
News Shopper
Faces of south Londoners jailed in June including Bexley barber and Bromley teacher
These are the names and faces of south Londoners who are behind bars including a paedophile Bromley art teacher and a Bexley barber.
Manchester Evening News
There's a parallel investigation ongoing into Jay Slater's disappearance in Tenerife... but Spanish police refuse to talk about it
The Civil Guard has said from the beginning of the search that it is keeping all options open
The Telegraph
Jay Slater’s father criticises lack of British volunteers taking part in search
Jay Slater’s father has criticised the lack of British volunteers who took part in a major search operation for his missing son.
PA Media: Entertainment
Katie Piper attacker to face Parole Board in bid for release
Daniel Lynch was jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years for arranging an acid attack on the former model.
CNN Business
One of the world’s richest men wants to transform India’s biggest slum
When Masoom Ali Shaikh arrived in Mumbai in 1974 as a young man from northern India, the patch of land where he set up shop was “just a creek with no proper road and garbage all around,” he said.
The Argus
Pair attack man with bottle in 'appalling and unprovoked' robbery
A man was left shaken and injured after being attacked with a bottle and threatened with a knife while he was robbed in the street by two men.
Evening Standard
US police shoot dead 13-year-old boy carrying a replica gun after New York state robbery
The boy and his friend had been stopped after a reported armed robbery
The Independent
Bodycam footage released after 13-year-old boy shot and killed by police in New York
Body camera footage released by the department shows officers tackling the boy to the ground before firing a gun
Manchester Evening News
In a 'run-down town that feels forgotten', some say they're rooting for Reform
“I don’t want the two main parties to get in. I know they probably will anyway, but I’m voting Reform.”

Latest stories