How to apply for a Schengen visa from Turkey

Turkey does not have visa-free access to the Schengen area, meaning that if you are a Turkish citizen who is looking to visit multiple countries in Europe, you will likely need to apply for a Schengen visa. If you receive a Schengen visa from Turkey, you will be able to travel throughout the entire Schengen area, which includes 26 of the most vibrant and visited states in Europe, including France, Germany, and Italy. Read on for an overview of how to apply for a Schengen visa in Turkey, including Schengen visa requirements for Turkish citizens and Turkey residents, and for other essential Turkey and Schengen visa info. 

Turkey and EU Visa

• Despite years of complex political and economic negotiations, Turkey has yet to become an official member of the EU. Because of this, the relationship between Turkey and Schengen area countries remains unformalized: Turkey remains outside the Schengen area; its citizens lack visa-free access to the individual Schengen Member States.  
• As a result, Turkish citizens and nationals who seek to enter the Schengen area or any of its 26-Member States need a visa to do so. 
• Turkish citizens looking to travel to Europe have several options when it comes to visas. 
• Turks who want to enter a single country in Europe could potentially apply for a national visa to that specific country. For example, if you want to travel from Turkey to France, and not go anywhere else in Europe, you should probably apply for a French National visa. 
• However, if you want to visit several countries in Europe on one trip, you should apply for a Schengen visa. Unlike a national visa, which limits you to a single country, a Schengen visa will allow you entry to as many Schengen countries as you can visit during your visa validity period! 
• Therefore, while there is no Turkey and EU visa, a Schengen visa gives Turkish citizens access to the majority of EU states (with the exception of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania, which collectively remain outside the Schengen area).

How to apply for a Schengen visa from Turkey

• Step 1: Make an appointment at the embassy, consulate, or visa application center associated with the Schengen country you are applying through
  • Depending on the Schengen country you are applying to, you may need to make a Schengen visa appointment prior to handing in your application. 
  • The majority of Schengen countries require visa-seekers to hand in their application in person, and most require applicants to schedule an appointment beforehand. Alternatively, some will allow you to drop off your application during normal operating hours. To be safe, you should contact the embassy of the country you are applying through in order to find out if you need to make an appointment to submit your application. 
  • Your Schengen visa appointment is likely where you will hand in your Schengen visa application, pay your Schengen visa fee, have your biometric information collected, and submit to a short interview. 
  • Schedule a Schengen visa appointment by contacting the embassy/consulate of the Schengen country you are applying through. You can often schedule a Schengen visa appointment by accessing the official embassy website of the country you are applying through in Turkey. 
• Step 2: Access and fill out your Schengen visa application
  • The majority of countries accept the universal Schengen visa application, which is available for download online here.
  • Print out and fill out the above form. You will likely submit this form in person, with the rest of your application at your Schengen visa appointment in Turkey. 
  • Alternatively, some countries prefer that applicants fill out an online Schengen visa form via a country-specific online visa portal. For example, if you are applying for a Schengen visa from Denmark, you should apply via their online portal, here. 
• Step 3: Submit your Schengen visa application
  • Once you have filled out your Schengen visa application form, you will submit it along with the rest of your completed Schengen visa application (including your required documents, supplement materials, passport and visa fee) at your Schengen visa appointment in Turkey. 
  • You should ideally apply for a Schengen visa in Turkey no earlier than three months before your intended departure, and no later than 15 days beforehand (to allow for the visa to be processed in time). 
• Step 4: Await your decision
  • You should receive a decision on your Schengen visa within 15 days, although it can take longer (up to 30 days) depending on the nature of your application.
  • If you are approved for a Schengen visa, you are all set for your trip. 
  • If your Turkey and Schengen visa application is rejected, you have the right to an appeal. For information about appealing a rejected Schengen visa, click here.

Basic info about Schengen visa from Turkey: 

Where to a apply for a Schengen visa from Turkey

• If you are applying for a Schengen visa from Turkey, you should apply embassy, consulate, or visa-application associated with the Schengen country you are applying through. 
• While the majority of countries will allow you to apply for Schengen visas through their respective embassy in Ankara or their consulate in Istanbul, countries may also allow you to apply via consulates or visa application centers in other Turkish cities. 
• For example, if you are applying for a Schengen visa to the Netherlands, you have the option of applying through a visa application center affiliated with Holland in both the Turkish capital and Istanbul, but also in Izmir, Gaziantep, Antalya, Bodrum, Bursa or Edirne. 
• Another example: if you are applying for a Schengen visa from Denmark, you have the option of applying though a visa application center located in Ankara, Antalya, Istanbul or Izmir. However, whichever visa application center you apply through, your Schengen visa application will ultimately be processed by the Danish embassy in Ankara.  
• The Schengen country you are applying through will be your primary destination in the Schengen area. This is the country in the Schengen area that you intend to spend the most time in on your journey. 
• For example, if you are planning a trip to multiple countries in the Schengen area, and you plan to spend the majority of your time in France, you should apply for a France Schengen visa. If you are confused about which Schengen country is your primary destination (because you are spending the same amount of time in more than one Schengen country) you should apply to the Schengen country of your first entry. For example, if you will be spending an equal amount of time in Germany and France, but you will be first entering the Schengen area in Germany (for example, if you intend to fly directly from Istanbul into Berlin) you should apply for a Germany Schengen visa. 

Schengen Visa requirements for Turkish citizens and Turkey residents

• If you are applying for a Schengen visa from Turkey, you must supply the following basic required documents and materials, including:
  • Schengen visa fee (€80 EUR)
  • Passport
  • Photos (2, passport sized)
  • Proof of travel medical insurance
  • Proof of subsistence
  • Proof of accommodation
• In addition to the above required documents/materials, you must also submit a number of supplemental materials that will depend on the specific type of visa you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a Medical Schengen visa, you must supply a letter from your doctor and information about the procedure you will receive in the Schengen area.   
• Unless you are a child or have previously applied for a Schengen visa within the past 59 weeks, you will almost certainly be subject to the requirement to submit your biometric information alongside your Schengen application. 
• Biometric information includes your fingerprints and photo, and is collected in person at your Schengen visa appointment, wherever it is held. 

Schengen visas cost for Turkish citizens and Turkey residents

• The basic Schengen visas cost for Turkish citizens and Turkey residents is €80, which is the same price paid by all Schengen applicants, regardless of what country they are from. 
• Certain people, including children, people with diplomatic passports, many kinds of students, and other types of applicants may be subject to reduced Schengen visa fees, or even exempt from fees all together. For more information on Schengen visa fees, click here.

What type of Schengen visa from Turkey should I apply for?

• The type of Schengen visa from Turkey you should apply for depends on your reason for travel. 
• Schengen visas from Turkey are available for multiple different types of purposes, including medical, business, and tourism (click here for a complete list of all the Schengen visa types).
• Think about your reason for traveling to the Schengen area and select the Schengen visa type that best applies to you. For example, if you are traveling to the Schengen area to simply see the sights, you should apply for a Schengen tourist visa. However, if you are traveling specifically to conduct business in a Schengen Member State, you should apply for a Business Schengen visa. 

How long can I stay on my Schengen Visa from Turkey?

• If you receive a Schengen visa from Turkey, you will be able to stay in the Schengen area for 90 days within a 180-day period.