This guide covers UK visa requirements for Turkish citizens (Türkiye) in 2026 — fees, grant and refusal rates, processing times, and how to apply through TLScontact. Turkey is a visa-national country, so its citizens need a visa for every UK trip; there is no ETA option. The 6-month visitor visa costs $186, paid in US Dollars, and Turkey is the UK's third-largest visitor market with a 90% grant rate.
UK Visas from Türkiye
UK Visa Requirements for Turkish Citizens 2026: Fees, Processing Time & Grant Rate
UK Visa Requirements for Turkish Citizens 2026
Yes. Turkey is on the UK's visa-national list, so its citizens must obtain a visa before travelling, for any purpose — there is no ETA option. The 6-month Standard Visitor visa costs $186. Turkish applicants enjoy a 90% visitor grant rate, well above the 79% global average, with study at 97% and family at 93%. Biometrics are given at TLScontact in Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir.
Turkey is one of the UK's most important visa markets — third by visitor volume after India and China, with around 275,000 applications across all routes in the year ending March 2026. Turkish applicants do best when documentation is thorough and consistent: financial evidence and ties to Turkey carry the most weight on the visitor route, while sponsored routes turn on the CAS or Certificate of Sponsorship.
The core requirements apply across all visa types:
- Valid Turkish passport: with at least 6 months beyond the intended stay.
- Completed online application: via gov.uk with the fee paid in US Dollars.
- Bank statements: the last 6 months, showing steady income rather than sudden deposits.
- Employment evidence: a letter confirming role, salary, and approved leave.
- Accommodation details: bookings or a UK host's invitation letter.
- Ties to Turkey: property, business, or family showing return intent.
- Travel history: any previous visas demonstrating compliance strengthen the case.
Our supporting documents checklist covers each route in detail. If an application is refused, our guides to common refusal reasons and reapplying successfully explain the next steps. Turkish nationals with Jordanian residency should note Jordan's UK ETA was revoked in 2024.
UK Standard Visitor Visa Fee & Other Visa Fees from Turkey 2026
UK visa fees from Turkey are charged in US Dollars and paid during the online application, under the 8 April 2026 schedule. Work, study, and family visas also carry the Immigration Health Surcharge, paid separately in pounds sterling at £1,035 per year, or £776 for students — Health and Care Workers are exempt. One table covers every route:
UK visa fees from Turkey in US dollars (8 April 2026 schedule)
| Visa Type | Fee (USD) | Grant Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6-month Visitor | $186 | 90% |
| 2-year Visitor | $696 | 90% |
| 5-year Visitor | $1,242 | 90% |
| 10-year Visitor | $1,552 | 90% |
| Student | $768 | 97% |
| Skilled Worker (≤3 years) | $1,127 | 91% |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | $2,226 | 91% |
| Health and Care Worker | $446 | 91% |
| Global Talent (with approval) | $282 | — |
| Spouse / Partner | $2,840 | 93% |
| Priority service | $688 | — |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; grant rates year ending March 2026.
UK Visa Grant & Refusal Rate for Turkey 2026
The Turkish visitor grant rate is 90% — which also means a roughly 10% refusal rate, around 26,000 applications turned down in the year ending March 2026. That is why documentation matters even in a high-trust market. Backed by a large UK-Turkish community and strong bilateral ties, the other routes perform even better: study 97%, family 93%, work 91%.
UK visa grant rates for Turkey (year ending March 2026)
| Visa Category | Applications | Grant Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor | 263,446 | 90% |
| Study | 6,445 | 97% |
| Work | 3,552 | 91% |
| Family | 1,550 | 93% |
Source: Home Office Immigration System Statistics, year ending March 2026.
The scale of the market deserves its own note:
Only India and China send more visitor applications to the UK than Turkey. The 90% grant rate reflects well-documented applications and established travel patterns. Turkish applicants sit alongside other strong-performing neighbours in the wider region, such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine. Our grant rate analysis sets these figures in context.
UK Tourist Visa from Turkey 2026
Turkish people can visit the UK with a Standard Visitor visa, which costs $186, caps each stay at 180 days, and covers tourism, family visits, business meetings, and short courses — there is no visa-free entry for Turkish passports. Frequent travellers may prefer a long-term visitor visa at $696, $1,242, or $1,552 for 2, 5, or 10 years, and those visiting relatives should review the documents a UK host provides.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Turkey via TLScontact
Turkish citizens apply online at gov.uk, pay in US Dollars, and give biometrics at a TLScontact centre in Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir. Turkish nationals cannot use the ID Check app and must attend in person — our application form guide walks through the online form.
- Complete the online application on gov.uk and select Turkey.
- Pay the visa fee in US Dollars during the application.
- Book your appointment at TLScontact Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir.
- Attend and give biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph.
- Submit supporting documents at the centre or online.
- Access your eVisa through your UKVI account once approved.
UK Visa Processing Time from Turkey
Standard processing is around 3 weeks from biometrics for visitor, student, and work visas, and up to 12 weeks for settlement and family cases. The priority visa service ($688) shortens non-settlement decisions to about 5 working days where offered. Our guide to processing times after biometrics explains the timelines once you have attended your TLScontact appointment.
UK Spouse & Partner Visa from Turkey 2026
A common question is whether a Turkish boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse can come to the UK. For a visit, the Standard Visitor visa ($186) is correct and benefits from the 90% grant rate — an invitation letter and evidence of the relationship both help. To settle, the UK Spouse visa ($2,840) lets a Turkish national join a British or settled partner under Appendix FM, leading to settlement after five years.
The UK sponsor must earn at least £29,000 a year and the couple must prove a genuine relationship. The initial visa runs 33 months; the Turkish family grant rate is 93%.
UK Work Visa & the ECAA Route for Turkish Citizens 2026
Most Turkish workers now use the Skilled Worker visa — $1,127 for up to three years, or $2,226 for longer — which needs a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed employer and a salary of at least £41,700 or the going rate in the Home Office eligible occupations list. The Turkish work grant rate is 91%, and healthcare professionals use the Health and Care Worker route at $446, exempt from the health surcharge.
The ECAA (Ankara Agreement) Route
Turkish nationals already in the UK on a legacy Turkish Businessperson or Worker visa can still extend under the ECAA route, set out in the Home Office Turkish ECAA business guidance, which leads to settlement. The route closed to new applicants at the end of 2020.
UK Business Visa for Turkish Citizens
There is no separate "business visa" for new applicants: business activities — meetings, negotiations, conferences, site visits — fall within the Standard Visitor visa at $186, while actual employment needs a sponsored route such as Skilled Worker. The ECAA businessperson route serves only its existing legacy holders.
UK Student Visa from Turkey 2026
The UK is a popular destination for Turkish students, with a 97% grant rate. The UK Student visa costs $768 plus the health surcharge at £776 per year, and needs a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), the English language requirement, and maintenance funds of £1,529 per month for London or £1,171 elsewhere. Graduates can then use the Graduate Route for two years of post-study work.
Sources: fees from the Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as charged in US Dollars at visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk; grant rates and application volumes from the Home Office Immigration System Statistics, year ending March 2026. Figures verified July 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas for Turkish Citizens
Yes. Turkey is on the UK's visa-national list, so Turkish passport holders must obtain a visa before travelling, whatever the purpose — there is no ETA option. The most common choice for short visits is the Standard Visitor visa, costing $186 for six months. Turkish applicants enjoy a 90% grant rate, well above the 79% global average, and Turkey is the UK's third-largest visitor market after India and China.
For the visitor visa: a valid Turkish passport, the online application with the $186 fee, six months of bank statements, employment evidence with approved leave, accommodation details, and ties to Turkey — property, business, or family — showing you will return. Stays over six months add route-specific sponsorship documents such as a CAS or Certificate of Sponsorship. All applicants attend a TLScontact centre in Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir for biometrics.
UK visa fees from Turkey in 2026 are: 6-month Visitor $186, 2-year Visitor $696, Student $768, Skilled Worker $1,127 for up to 3 years, and Spouse $2,840. Fees are paid in US Dollars during the online application, with biometrics at TLScontact. Work, study, and family visas also require the Immigration Health Surcharge, paid separately in pounds at £1,035 per year, or £776 for students.
Around 10%. In the year ending March 2026, 263,446 Turkish visitor applications were decided and 237,421 granted — a 90% grant rate, leaving roughly 26,000 refusals. Most refusals turn on weak financial evidence or unclear ties to Turkey rather than the purpose of the visit. Study (97%), family (93%), and work (91%) all refuse at even lower rates. A refusal can be addressed by fixing the evidence and reapplying.
Standard processing from Turkey is around 3 weeks for visitor, student, and work visas, and up to 12 weeks for settlement and family visas. The priority service returns a decision in about 5 working days for non-settlement visas where offered, and super priority the next working day. These timelines run from your biometrics appointment at TLScontact in Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir, not from the online submission.
Yes. For a visit, a Turkish partner applies for the Standard Visitor visa ($186), which has a 90% grant rate — include an invitation letter, proof of your UK status and accommodation, and evidence of the relationship. To settle together, the route is the Spouse visa ($2,840) if you are married, or the fiancé(e) route to marry in the UK and then switch. The UK sponsor must earn at least £29,000. Only the spouse route allows work.
The ECAA route, based on the Ankara Agreement, once let Turkish nationals come to the UK as businesspersons or workers. It closed to new applicants on 31 December 2020, but those already on the route can still extend their stay and progress to settlement. New Turkish workers now use the Skilled Worker visa instead, which costs $1,127 for up to three years and needs a sponsoring UK employer paying at least £41,700.
6 aylık ziyaretçi vizesi $186; uzun süreli vizeler 2 yıl için $696, 5 yıl için $1,242, 10 yıl için $1,552. Öğrenci vizesi $768, Skilled Worker çalışma vizesi $1,127 (3 yıla kadar), eş vizesi $2,840. Ücretler online başvuru sırasında ABD Doları olarak ödenir; biyometri İstanbul, Ankara veya İzmir'deki TLScontact merkezlerinde verilir. Çalışma, öğrenci ve aile vizelerinde ayrıca yıllık £1,035 (öğrenciler için £776) sağlık katkı payı (IHS) alınır.
No. There is no visa-free entry or ETA option for Turkish passport holders — every trip, however short, needs a visa obtained before travelling. The 6-month Standard Visitor visa ($186) covers tourism, family visits, business meetings, and short courses, with each stay capped at 180 days. Turkish dual nationals holding a passport from a visa-exempt country can travel on that other passport instead.