Turkish e-Visa is a recently introduced system that allows visitors from more than 100 countries to apply online for a short-term visa. South African nationals can apply for Turkey e Visa, which permits them to stay in the country for 30 days.

The visa is valid for 180 days, and the validity date is determined according to the applicant’s intended date or time frame of travel to Turkey. South African nationals can apply for multiple-entry e-Visa. However, keep in mind that each trip should not exceed a maximum period of 30 days. The e-visa application is generally processed within 1 business days.

Why apply for an E-Visa?

If your stay is going to be short, that is, no more than 30 days, and you are visiting Turkey for business, tourism, or leisurely purposes, then applying for an e-Visa is the best option. This facility is not available to all countries, and just a couple of nationalities can benefit from this fast-tracked visa process. You can conveniently apply for a Turkish e-Visa after completing an application form online, providing relevant support documents requirements for Turkey visa, and paying the visa processing fee. The entire application process is completed online from the comfort of your home without needing to visit an embassy or consulate.

Who Can Apply for Turkey E-Visa?

South African citizens must obtain a visa before departing to Turkey. Turkey offers a variety of online visas, including tourist, transit, and business visas. There’s a specific eligibility criterion that an applicant must fulfil to apply for the e-Visa.

This includes:

The applicant must visit Turkey for a short trip.

• The purpose of travel should be business, tourism, or transit to pass through Turkey for entering another destination.
• The candidate must have a valid South African passport with at least 6 months remaining in its expiry after the date of arrival in Turkey.
• This visa cannot be obtained for seeking paid employment or studying in Turkey. You need to obtain a suitable type of visa via your nearest Turkish embassy/consulate for these purposes.
• They must possess an active email address.
• South African citizens are ineligible to apply for or obtain a visa on arrival.

How to Fill Out an E-Visa Application Form?

You can quickly fill out the Turkey e-Visa application form all by yourself.

• When you click on the application form’s link on the website, The step is providing the date of travelling to Turkey. Enter the date when you want to enter Turkey and if there is no specific date in your mind, give a rough idea about the timeframe during which you might travel to Turkey.
• A dialogue box will appear inquiring about your country of residence and the type of travel document you will be using to apply for the visa. You can select between ordinary, special, diplomatic, alien, service or Nansen passports.
• You have to include personal details, including full name, parents name, date of birth, nationality, marital status, residence address, contact number, email address, occupation, and other relevant details.
  • Please refer to your passport’s biography page to fill out this page because the information you provide on the application form must match the data on your passport otherwise, the application will not be processed.
• Please enter travel-related details. This includes passport number, its issue and expiry date, country of issuance, the purpose of travel, previous travel history, etc.
• After providing all the details, you will be redirected to a payment processing page to pay Turkish visa fees. Please use a valid payment card, either debit or credit card such as MasterCard or Visa, to complete the transaction. Do not worry about the payment process, as it is performed via a secure online system. You can also use a PayPal account to make the payment. Your financial data will not be stored, and the process will remain confidential.

Note: If you want to extend your visa length, you will have to visit a local police station or an immigration office to request an extension.