Turkey, which serves as both a transit and destination country in global irregular migration movements, stands out as one of the most active members of the international community in combating irregular migration.
Due to a recent increase in irregular migrants using transit air routes via Turkey to travel from various countries in Central and Latin America to North America, inspections have been intensified within the framework of international aviation rules.
Turkish Airlines (THY) warned in March that “additional checks beyond general rules such as passport and visa requirements may be applied for passenger acceptance on flights” for passengers traveling to South American countries.
According to diplomatic sources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has completed the necessary preparations for the implementation of the electronic airport transit visa (e-HTV) application within this context.
Airport transit visas are considered within the scope of Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom, and Security in the European Union (EU) accession negotiations and also constitute one of the criteria in the Visa Liberalization Dialogue with the EU.
Starting from April 15, citizens of India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Chad, Somalia, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Yemen traveling in transit to Mexico, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela via Istanbul Airport will be required to obtain an electronic airport transit visa.
Available free of charge online The electronic transit visa can be obtained online free of charge through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “evisa.gov.tr” portal as of April 15, 2024.
Passengers are required to enter their personal information, address details of their stay, and ticket numbers correctly when applying for the electronic visa.
Passengers subject to the electronic transit visa are also expected to carry printouts of their transit visas with them.
Passengers subject to the electronic transit visa can proceed to the departure floor after passing through security control upon getting their visas checked at one of the visa points located on both sides of the international transit passenger arrival lounge at Istanbul Airport.
source: aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç