Inquiry Regarding Turkey Visa Application (Pakistani Citizen Residing in Japan) for a conference

Hey Andy, I ran into this exact question when helping a friend apply for a Turkey e-Visa, so here’s what I found. If you’re using a Schengen visa to apply for Turkey’s e-Visa, the supporting visa itself just needs to be valid on the day you intend to stay in Turkey — it doesn’t have to be valid for six months beyond your stay. The passport, however, does need to have at least six months' validity from your date of entry into Turkey. So basically: check your passport expiration first, then make sure your Supporting visa is valid for the dates you plan to stay in the country. Safe travels! ✈️

Hi Toe, I understand your concern, as I faced a similar situation before and was also hoping to apply for a transit visa. However, please note that Chinese nationals are not eligible for a Turkish transit e-Visa. That said, if you are only transiting through Istanbul and not exiting the airport transit area, you do not need a transit visa. You can continue your journey without issue as long as you remain within the international transit zone. For extra peace of mind, I recommend confirming with your airline, since they will be the first point of check during boarding.

Hey Lance, I ran into a similar situation when helping a friend transit through Turkey, so here’s what I learned. Unlike the e-Visa for tourists, Turkey doesn’t offer an online option for a transit visa. If you need one, you’ll have to go through the Turkish Embassy or Consulate in your country, or check directly with your airline, since they sometimes handle or advise on short-stay transit approvals. Basically, there’s no simple online application for just a few hours — the embassy or your airline will guide you on what’s required, what documents to submit, and how to pay the fee. It’s a bit more effort than an e-Visa, but once you contact the embassy or airline, the steps are straightforward. Safe travels!

I was actually looking for the same information myself, as I also want to move to Turkey. When I searched online and contacted the support team through this website, they clarified that a residence permit cannot be applied for online. The application must be submitted directly through the nearest Turkish Embassy or Consulate. I hope this information helps and saves you some time.

My friend is also from Swaziland, and when applying for a Turkey eVisa, we learned that citizens of Swaziland are not eligible for an eVisa. Instead, they need to complete the visa process through the Turkish embassy or consulate. We went through the same process, so I’d suggest you do the same to save time.