IST Istanbul · rules of Türkiye
Can I leave Istanbul Airport on my layover?
Choose your passport and enter your layover. You get the official entry rule for Türkiye and a time budget that counts the queue, the trip into Istanbul and the way back.
Choose your passport to see whether you can leave Istanbul Airport.
United States passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports exempt from visa.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — United States of America (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary passport holders are exempted from visa up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
Canada passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports exempt from visa.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — Canada (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary passport holders are exempted from visa up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
United Kingdom passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary British citizen passports exempt for tourism. BN(O), British Subject and British Protected Person passports must get a visa from a Turkish mission.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — United Kingdom (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary passport holders who travel for touristic purposes are exempt from visas for up to 90 days in any 180 day period.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
Australia passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports exempt for tourism and transit travel.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — Australia (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Holders of ordinary passports are exempt from visa requirements for touristic visits and transit travel for a period of 90 days within any 180-day period.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
New Zealand passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary and official passports exempt.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — New Zealand (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary and official passport holders are exempt from visa for their travels up to 90 days.
-
Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
EU / EEA / Switzerland passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Verified for Germany, France and Switzerland (each listed separately with the same wording). Turkey lists each EU/EEA country separately; not every one was checked.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — Germany / France / Switzerland (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary and official passport holders are exempted from visa for their travels up to 90 days.
-
Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
India passport
Only with an e-visa
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports need a visa. Conditional e-Visa only if holding a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit; otherwise a visa from a Turkish mission.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — India (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary, Special and Service passport holders are required to have visa to enter Türkiye. ... with a valid Schengen members or USA, UK, Ireland visa or residence permit
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
China (mainland) passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary PRC passports visa-exempt as of 2 January 2026.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — People's Republic of China (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary passport holder People's Republic of China nationals are exempt from visa up to 90 days in any 180 day period as of 2 January 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
Brazil passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Official and ordinary passports exempt.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — Brazil (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Official and ordinary passport holders are exempted from visa for their travels up to 90 days.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
Mexico passport
Only with an e-visa
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports need a visa: 30-day single-entry e-Visa online, or 90-day multiple-entry visa from a Turkish mission. Whether the e-Visa is conditional (e.g. on a US/Schengen visa) was not confirmed.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — Mexico (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
may get their 90-day multiple-entry visas from Turkish missions abroad ... obtain their 30-day single-entry e-visas via the website
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Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
South Africa passport
Only with an e-visa
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports need a visa; one-month single-entry e-Visa online or three-month multiple-entry visa from a mission.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
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Visa Information For Foreigners — South Africa (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary passport holders are required to have visa to enter Türkiye.
-
Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
Philippines passport
Only with an e-visa
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary passports need a visa. Conditional e-Visa only with a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
-
Visa Information For Foreigners — Philippines (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary passport holders are required to have visa.
-
Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
Japan passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary and official passports exempt.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
-
Visa Information For Foreigners — Japan (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary and official passport holders are exempt from visa for their travels up to 90 days.
-
Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
South Korea passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- Ordinary and official passports exempt.
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside No transit visa if you do not leave the transit lounge.
Official sources (2), checked 2026-11-01
-
Visa Information For Foreigners — Republic of Korea (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
Ordinary and official passport holders are exempted from visa for their travels up to 90 days.
-
Frequently Asked Questions (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs):
If you will not leave the transit lounge at the airport you are not required to have transit visa.
IST Your layover
Before you go
Going into Istanbul
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Leave your bags in Istanbul
Radical Storage
Book a luggage locker near the station or your sight, so you can walk the city light.
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Short tours in Istanbul
Klook
Skip-the-line tickets and short guided tours that fit a few hours.
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Fixed-price transfer from IST
Kiwitaxi
A driver waiting at arrivals, useful when trains are not running or you travel in a group.
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Mobile data for the layover
Saily
An eSIM you install before you fly, for maps and your airline app in town.
Staying at IST
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Lounge passes at IST
Klook
Pay-per-visit lounge access where your card or ticket does not get you in.
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Missed your connection?
AirHelp
Check whether a delay or a missed connection entitles you to compensation.
These are affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. They never change what the planner tells you.
Who can leave IST without a visa?
Istanbul Airport (IST) has an international transit area: passengers who stay in the transit lounge need no transit visa, whatever their nationality (MFA FAQ). To leave the airport you need to be visa-exempt or hold a visa; many nationalities can get a single-entry e-Visa online at evisa.gov.tr (tourism or business only). Turkish Airlines runs a free city tour (Touristanbul) for 6-24h connections, but it still requires normal entry eligibility.
| Passport | Leave the airport |
|---|---|
| United States | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180 days |
| Canada | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180 days |
| United Kingdom | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180 days |
| Australia | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180 days |
| New Zealand | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| India | Only with an e-visa · 1 month (single entry) |
| China (mainland) | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180 days |
| Brazil | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| Mexico | Only with an e-visa · 30 days (single entry) |
| South Africa | Only with an e-visa · 1 month (single entry) |
| Philippines | Only with an e-visa · 30 days (single entry) |
| Japan | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
| South Korea | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days |
10 of the 14 passports we cover can leave the airport without applying for a visa first (some need an online authorisation). Other passports: check the official sources linked in the planner.
Transit rules in Türkiye
Touristanbul (Turkish Airlines free city tour) — airline info, not a government scheme
Who: Turkish Airlines passengers connecting in Istanbul
- layover between 6 and 24 hours, flight times compatible with tour times
- ticket number starting with 235, both flights under the same PNR
- at least 1 h 25 min between tour end and next flight
- cannot combine with the Stopover service in the same waiting period
- passenger must obtain any visa needed to enter Türkiye
Source: Turkish Airlines
Getting from IST into Istanbul
We measure to Sultanahmet (old town). Times are the operators' own figures; ≈ marks a timetable-based estimate where no official door-to-door time is published.
| Option | Time | Fare | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| M11 metro to Gayrettepe, M2 metro to Vezneciler, short walk to Sultanahmet source | ≈75 min | – | – |
| M11 metro (TCDD) to Gayrettepe, then M2 metro + T1 tram to Sultanahmet source | – | – | every 20 min (M11, per airport listing) |
| Havaist airport bus (Sultanahmet / Beyazıt and Taksim routes) source | – | – | – |
| Airport taxi (UKOME taximeter tariff; orange C, turquoise D +15%, black E +70%; tolls extra) source | – | – | 24h, 24h |
Good to know: Airport is about 35-40 km north-west of the old town. Official M11 travel time Gayrettepe-airport is 30 min (istairport.com transport page), but Sultanahmet needs two more changes (M2 at Gayrettepe, then tram), so the door-to-door time is not published. The M11 was closed for signalling works in June 2026 and extended to Halkalı on 20 June 2026; check for closures. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is a separate airport on the Asian side - a self-transfer between them takes hours.
If you stay in the airport
- Transit hotel
- YOTELAIR Istanbul Airport (Airside), in the international duty-free area; needs a boarding pass for an international flight; no luggage storage. YOTEL Landside also exists. source
- Left luggage
- Landside: left luggage offices on the arrivals floor next to the domestic passenger exit, opposite exit 13; lockers near Gates 1 and 6 on the departures level. 2026 tariff per 24 h: small TRY 210, medium TRY 270, large TRY 550, XL TRY 690, XXL TRY 860. source
- Free layover tour
- Touristanbul (Turkish Airlines): free guided city tour for international-to-international Turkish Airlines connections of 6-24 h; ticket number starting 235, both flights on one PNR; tours 08:00-11:30, 08:30-15:00, 16:00-21:30 (updated 1 May 2026); report to the desk 30 min before start (allow ~45 min from gate incl. passport control); at least 1 h 25 min between tour end and next flight. source
Questions
Do I need a visa for a layover in Istanbul?
If you stay airside, it depends on your passport: Istanbul Airport (IST) has an international transit area: passengers who stay in the transit lounge need no transit visa, whatever their nationality (MFA FAQ). To leave the airport you need to be visa-exempt or hold a visa; many nationalities can get a single-entry e-Visa online at evisa.gov.tr (tourism or business only). Turkish Airlines runs a free city tour (Touristanbul) for 6-24h connections, but it still requires normal entry eligibility. Choose your passport above for the exact rule and its official source.
How long does it take to get from IST to Istanbul?
The fastest public option, M11 metro to Gayrettepe, M2 metro to Vezneciler, short walk to Sultanahmet, takes about 75 minutes to Sultanahmet (old town) (timetable-based estimate). The planner adds 20% for waiting and delays.
How long a layover do I need to leave Istanbul Airport?
With our cautious defaults (45 minutes to get out, 120 minutes back before departure, the transfer both ways plus 20%), you need about 8 hours for 90 minutes in the city. Below that, stay in the airport.
Is there a free layover tour at IST?
Touristanbul (Turkish Airlines): free guided city tour for international-to-international Turkish Airlines connections of 6-24 h; ticket number starting 235, both flights on one PNR; tours 08:00-11:30, 08:30-15:00, 16:00-21:30 (updated 1 May 2026); report to the desk 30 min before start (allow ~45 min from gate incl. passport control); at least 1 h 25 min between tour end and next flight.
Rules checked against official sources on 2026-11-01; airport facts from Istanbul Airport. Found something out of date? Tell us.