This article is for Filipinos or citizens of the Philippines holding a Philippine passport with a multiple-entry Schengen visa (type C) and wanting to apply for a Turkish E-visa.
I will share how I processed the Turkey E-visa for Filipinos and my experience during the border crossing during my previous visit to Istanbul, Turkey.
Last February 2024, I obtained a one-year multiple-entry Schengen visa (type C). The Schengen visa was valid for one year until March 2025. Around August 2024, I applied for the single-entry Turkey E-visa online, and here were the steps I’ve been through:
Step 1: Apply
Visit the official website of the Republic of Turkey’s Electronic Visa Application System. Click on ‘New Application.’ The visa type must be ‘Electronic Visa,’ choose the country, Philippines, and your travel document, which is an ordinary passport. Enter the security verification and click the ‘Save and Continue’ button.
The next part was to fill in the form. You will know which data to enter by following the on-screen instructions. You must enter your passport and Schengen visa information as your supporting documents. The form will ask you to enter the Schengen visa number which you will find on the upper-right corner of the Schengen visa sticker.
You must have a soft copy of your passport bio page, the supporting multiple entry Schengen visa, and medical insurance covering the entire stay in Turkey because they can ask you to upload these documents.
Step 2: Make Payment
After filling in the form, the Turkey visa processing department will email the email address you specified during the process. The email contains a link to a webpage to pay the visa fee, meaning you must have a credit or debit card to pay it. At the time, the visa fee for Filipinos was 20.55 USD.
Step 3: Download
Once you paid, you will see the button to download the Turkey E-visa. You must have an Adobe Acrobat Reader or any software that can open a PDF file. You will also have the option to download the receipt for your personal use.
An example of Turkish E-visa for Filipinos
Below, you will find an example of a Turkey or Turkish E-visa for Filipinos possessing a multiple-entry Schengen visa (type C). Please pay attention to the part where you must have a hotel booking, a return ticket, medical insurance, and proof of sufficient funds. You can either print these documents or save a soft copy on your smartphone.
In my application, I wanted to visit Istanbul, Turkey, in September 2024 and discover it for about a week. You can see that my Turkish single entry e-visa was valid for six months (from September 2024 to March 2025). However, something happened, and I postponed my trip until January 2025.
Wizz Airline Online Check in Experience
My Wizz Air flight originated from Budapest, Hungary, to Istanbul Airport. Of course, it was necessary to complete the airline online check in. That part needed to enter the Turkish e-visa number, and the airline website could determine whether it was a valid e-visa or not. The airline can instruct you to reappear at its physical check-in counter if they have doubts. I highly suggest that you print the evisa:
Border Crossing Experience at the Istanbul International Airport (IATA Code: IST)
I queued and presented my Philippines passport and the Turkey E-visa hard copy. It is essential to be able to show a return ticket in case the border police ask for it. The border police asked me how many days I would stay in Turkey and what my occupation was.
The tricky part of the border crossing was the departure from Istanbul, Turkey, back to Budapest, Hungary. The airport has a special team, Goshen or Gozen Security team, that checks every traveller’s passport. They checked and scanned all pages of my passport and asked me if I followed the 90/180-day Schengen visa rule. I was not sure why it was their concern. They also asked where I was going after Hungary, and I just told them I live in Ukraine. After the passport checking, the next step for me was to appear personally at the Wizz Air physical check-in because they did not allow me to print my flight boarding pass online. So, they printed it for me free of charge after completing the passport checking with the security staff.