Turkey Visa From Saudi Arabia 2026: e-Visa for Iqama Holders, Visa-Free Rules by Nationality and Sticker Visas

Turkey Visa From Saudi Arabia - 2026 Quick Answer

For a trip from Saudi Arabia to Turkey, your passport decides the route, not your iqama. As of October 2026, no official Turkish source lists a Saudi or other GCC residence permit as grounds for an e-Visa.

By passport, per the visa page of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) as of 27 October 2026:

• Saudi citizens: visa-free tourism, up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Indonesian and Jordanian passports: visa-free, with their own limits.
• Indian, Pakistani, Filipino and several other passports: a single-entry e-Visa of about one month (30 days), only with a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit.
• Egyptian passports: an e-Visa with no extra condition under 15 or over 45, and stricter conditions from 15 to 45.
• Visa-required passports with no e-Visa route, and travellers without the required Western document: a sticker visa through VFS Global, the sole provider in Saudi Arabia since 12 January 2026.

Visarun helps match the route to your passport and checks the documents before you apply. The Turkish authorities make every decision.

Who Can Enter Turkey Without a Visa

According to the MFA, Saudi ordinary and official passport holders are exempt from a Turkish visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The ordinary-passport exemption comes from Presidential Decision No. 7976, published in the Turkish Official Gazette on 23 December 2023, which also covered the USA, Bahrain, the UAE, Canada and Oman.

The decree title refers to tourist travel, so read it as visa-free tourism, not visa-free work or study. The exemption also follows the passport. An Indian or Pakistani resident of Riyadh gains nothing from the iqama here.

Other visa-free passports common among Saudi residents:

• Indonesia: ordinary passports, up to 30 days per entry and no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Jordan: diplomatic, official and ordinary passports, for tourism and transit, up to 90 days within six months from the first entry.

The MFA adds that no visa or exemption allows more than 90 days within each 180 days, and this rule binds all foreigners.

Conditional e-Visa for Iqama and Western Visa Holders

This route is for iqama holders whose passport needs a visa but who also hold a Western visa or residence permit. The Western document is what qualifies them. The iqama plays no part.

Every conditional e-Visa entry on the MFA page names the same supporting documents: a valid visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the USA, the UK or Ireland. No Saudi or other GCC permit appears.

What each passport gets

• India: a single-entry e-Visa valid for one month, provided the applicant meets certain conditions.
• Pakistan: a one-month single-entry e-Visa.
• Philippines: a 30-day single-entry e-Visa.
• Egypt: an e-Visa without extra conditions under 15 or over 45. Ages 15 to 45 get a 30-day single-entry e-Visa only with the Western document and only when flying to Turkey with Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus, EgyptAir or Air Cairo.
• Bangladesh, Nepal and Yemen: a single-entry e-Visa valid for one month.
• Sri Lanka: an e-Visa with the Western document, length not stated by the MFA.

Egyptians aged 15 to 45 living in Saudi Arabia should note that Saudia, flynas and flyadeal are not on that airline list. A flight on a Saudi carrier does not meet the condition, even with a valid Schengen or US visa.

Rules for the supporting visa or permit

• A visa can be used or unused, as long as it is valid on the date of entry into Turkey.
• e-Visas issued by other countries are not accepted as the supporting document.
• The e-Visa website does not check the document. Airlines and Turkish immigration do.

The e-Visa is valid only for tourism or commerce. Work, study and other purposes need a visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate, which in Saudi Arabia means the sticker route below.

The Turkish Embassy in Riyadh calls the MFA e-Visa portal the only official government website for the Turkish e-Visa and asks applicants to disregard other sites. The fee appears on that portal after you choose your passport. Visarun does not issue e-Visas, but we can check whether your Western document meets the conditions first.

Sticker Visa at the Turkish Missions in Saudi Arabia

A sticker visa is the route for iqama holders who do not qualify for an e-Visa:

• Passports with no e-Visa route on the MFA page, such as Sudanese ordinary passports and Syrian ordinary and official passports.
• Conditional passports, including Egyptians aged 15 to 45, when the traveller has no valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit.
• Trips for work, study or other purposes outside tourism and business.

VFS Global is the only provider

According to a notice from the Turkish Consulate General in Jeddah dated 8 January 2026, VFS Global has been the sole authorised service provider for Turkish visas in Saudi Arabia since 12 January 2026. Appointments are booked on the VFS Global website, and the notice covers the whole Kingdom.

The Turkish Embassy in Riyadh states that third-country nationals living in Saudi Arabia with an iqama apply for a tourist visa through the authorised visa company, not at the Embassy itself. Today that company is VFS Global.

How the application moves

In the procedure the missions described in December 2019, under the previous provider, the visa company checks the documents and prepares the file, the mission decides, and the company returns the passport. VFS Global's own 2026 steps could not be confirmed for this guide, so treat this as the general model.

The notices address iqama holders only and say nothing about people on a Saudi visit visa. We recommend asking VFS Global before booking in that case, and confirming centre locations on its booking page.

Documents, Fees and Processing Time

Documents for a sticker visa

The last tourist-visa checklist published by the Turkish missions in Saudi Arabia dates from December 2019, before VFS Global. It asked iqama holders for:

• Original passport and one photocopy
• Colour photocopy of the iqama
• Photocopy of the Saudi exit and re-entry visa
• Two 5x5 cm biometric photos on a white background
• Travel insurance
• Salary certificate certified by the Chamber of Commerce
• Original bank statements for the last 3 months, stamped by the bank
• Colour photocopy of the bank card
• Flight and hotel reservations

VFS Global may ask for more in 2026, so we recommend confirming the list when you book. Separately, the MFA requires every Turkish visa applicant to hold medical insurance valid for the whole stay.

A tip from an older list: in 2016 the Jeddah Consulate asked that the iqama and the exit and re-entry visa cover the entire validity of the Turkish visa requested. It still makes sense to check that both outlast the trip.

Fees

As of October 2026, neither the Embassy in Riyadh nor the Consulate General in Jeddah has published a current sticker-visa fee for Saudi Arabia. The consular fee and the VFS Global service charge are shown when you book. The MFA states that visa fees are not refunded if an application is rejected.

Processing time

The MFA recommends applying at least one month before the trip to avoid processing delays. No processing time for the VFS Global era has been published.

The Jeddah Consulate said in 2016 that applications take at least two working days, or at least three weeks if the file is referred to the authorities in Turkey, which depends on nationality, status in Saudi Arabia and visa type.

Entry Checks at Istanbul and Other Airports

Travellers on the conditional e-Visa are expected to show:

• The original Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit, valid on the date of entry
• A return ticket and a hotel reservation
• Proof of at least USD 50 for each day of the stay

These criteria come from Turkish consular guidance published in January 2025, which also limits the route to arrivals by air, not land border checkpoints. Airlines will not board a passenger whose supporting document fails the criteria.

The same note, written for travellers based in the US, says officers recognise only valid sticker visas or Green Cards. It still lists UK, Schengen and Irish documents as eligible, so the point is format. We recommend carrying the physical visa sticker or residence card.

Passport validity

Turkish law requires a passport valid for at least 60 days beyond the permitted stay, so 150 days on entry for a 90-day stay and 90 days for a 30-day stay. The MFA advises at least 6 months from arrival, and airlines may apply that stricter figure, so we recommend the 6-month margin.

No visa guarantees entry

The MFA states that a visa gives no absolute right of entry to Turkey. The border officer makes the final call.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 12 January 2026: VFS Global became the sole authorised provider for Turkish visas in Saudi Arabia.
• Before that, from 1 January 2020, non-Saudi applicants went through Gateway Management, which is no longer the provider.
• 6 May 2026: according to a Turkish news report from September 2026, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement allowing visa-free stays of up to 90 days in any 180 for diplomatic and special passports only. It changes nothing for ordinary passports or iqama holders.
• For context: the exemption for Saudi ordinary passports dates from December 2023 and is still listed by the MFA.

We found no 2025-2026 change to the conditional e-Visa rules for Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian or Filipino passports on the MFA page as of 27 October 2026. We recommend rechecking both the MFA page and VFS Global close to travel.

FAQ

Can I get a Turkish e-Visa with my Saudi iqama?

Not on the iqama alone. Official Turkish lists name only visas or residence permits of Schengen countries, the USA, the UK and Ireland. Without one, iqama holders whose passport requires it apply for a sticker visa through VFS Global.

Do Saudi citizens need a visa for Turkey?

Not for tourism. Saudi ordinary passports allow up to 90 days in any 180-day period, under Presidential Decision No. 7976 of December 2023.

My US visa has already been used. Does it still count?

Yes, if it is still valid on the day you enter Turkey. According to the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi, used and unused visas are both accepted. Keep the original with you for immigration.

Can an electronic visa from another country serve as the supporting document?

No. The Turkish Embassy in New Delhi states that e-Visas of other countries are not accepted.

I am Egyptian and live in Jeddah. Can I fly Saudia or flynas on the e-Visa?

Not if you are between 15 and 45. For that age group the e-Visa works only on Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus, EgyptAir or Air Cairo. The alternatives are one of those airlines or a sticker visa.

How long does a Turkish sticker visa take from Saudi Arabia?

No official time has been published for the VFS Global era. The MFA recommends applying at least a month ahead.

How much does a Turkish visa cost for iqama holders?

No current official sticker-visa fee for Saudi Arabia has been published as of October 2026. Fees appear when you book with VFS Global or apply on the official e-Visa portal, and they are not refunded on refusal.

How long should my passport be valid for Turkey?

By law, at least 60 days beyond your permitted stay. The MFA advises 6 months from arrival, which is the safer margin.

Can Visarun guarantee my Turkish visa?

No agency can. Visarun helps you choose the route, prepares and checks the documents and flags gaps. The Turkish authorities decide on every visa and on entry.