The Turkish government provides foreigners with various visa types based on their reason for travel and their country of origin. The e-visa is issued to people in transit to other countries, travelling for tourism or business. If you need to travel to Turkey, you can apply for an Turkey e visa online, depending on your country of origin. Most times, visa applications are accepted. However, based on a few reasons, your visa application may be denied. The relevant authorities do not usually provide grounds for visa denial. Visa rejection may ruin your travel or business plans.
This article explains the reasons for a Turkish visa rejection and the steps to take when this happens.
Why has my Turkish visa been rejected?
One may be denied a visa for a couple of reasons:
- You may have a visa that is currently active (not expired). In this case, there's no need to apply for a new one.
- Rejection may occur based on the speculation that you intend to overstay your visit in the country. The relevant authorities may have a reason to believe this based on your travel history, your country of origin or even your age. For example, someone who is really young and does not state clear intentions for visiting Turkey may appear as someone who can decide to take a risk and overstay their visit.
- Your name may be similar to one that is already on the entry ban list to Turkey. This error is not entirely your fault but may take quite some time to rectify.
- Your reason for travel may lack authorization by the e-visa. The e-visa allows one to travel for tourism, business and transit. If you're travelling for other reasons, you may need to apply for a visa at the physical Turkey embassy or consulate.
- You might be coming from a country whose citizens are not eligible for an e-visa from Turkey.
- Failure to provide accurate information on your application, for example, your reason for visiting the country, the conditions of your stay and how you will sustain yourself financially.
- If based on your history, you may not return to your country of origin or crossover to a third country, for example, if one has a criminal record.
- Provision of false information in your application or failure to present all the necessary documentation required for your application.
- Your passport may not be valid for up to 150 days after you enter Turkey.
What do I do if my Turkish e-visa application is rejected?
Upon visa rejection, the best course of action would be to contact the Turkish Embassy or Consulate in your country. It may take weeks or even months to book an appointment with them for a new visa application or renewal. It is therefore advisable to apply for a visa in advance before making travel plans.
Another alternative is to apply for another visa online after rectifying any errors that may have been present in the previous application. One may apply for a new visa 24 hours after a visa rejection. If all the information is correct and there is no other hindering reason from those stated above, you could receive your visa in the next three days after application.
If you experience rejection again, you should visit the embassy or consulate to identify the reason for rejection. Depending on the representative at the embassy, your issue may be solved promptly or take some time.
Ensure you carry all the necessary documentation to avoid unnecessary back and forth. People who are financially dependent on their partners should prove their marital status through a marriage certificate. Otherwise, you may need to provide proof of current employment. If you are lucky, you may receive your visa on the same day, provided that all the necessary documentation is present.
