FCDO Travel Advice for Turkiye

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advise against all travel to:

• areas within 10km of the border with Syria

The FCDO advise against all but essential travel to:

• Sirnak
• the province of Hakkari

Many parts of Turkey are subject to earthquakes. You should familiarise yourself with safety procedures in the event of an earthquake and follow the advice of the local authorities. See Natural disasters

If you’re travelling to Turkey for tourist or business purposes, British Passport holders are able to travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. See Visas

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey. Terrorist groups, including PKK, Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) and far left organisations, continue to plan and carry out attacks. Further attacks could be indiscriminate. Most attacks have taken place in the south-east of the country, and in Ankara and Istanbul. There is a potential that citizens from western countries may be targets or caught up in attacks, particularly in the major cities. Follow the advice of the local security authorities and monitor media reports. See Terrorism

British nationals made over 3.8 million visits to Turkey in 2022. Most visits are trouble free. Be alert to your surroundings and remain vigilant in crowded places popular with foreign nationals, including during festival periods.

You should carry your passport and a printed copy of your visa (if applicable) or residence permit at all times. In some busy areas, especially Istanbul, the Turkish authorities stop members of the public to conduct ID checks. See Local laws and customs

There have been reports of an increase in holidaymakers being encouraged to submit a claim for personal injury if they have experienced gastric illness during their stay. You can find more information about the action you can take if you have suffered a personal injury on the Citizens Advice website. You should only consider pursuing a complaint or claim if you have genuinely suffered from injury or illness. If you make a false or fraudulent claim, you may face legal proceedings in the UK or Turkey.

You can contact the emergency services by calling:

• 112 for all emergency services
• 155 (police)
• 112 (ambulance)
• 110 (fire)