- 98% Approval
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For South African passport holders
JNB to Istanbul direct. No Schengen, no consulate.
Apply from Joburg, Cape Town, Durban, or anywhere in the world. 30 days per visit, multiple entries within 180 days, most applications approved within 24 business hours.
Direct eligibility. No supporting visa or residence permit required.- 4.8 / 5 from 14,000+ travelers, Travel Rox, Inc. since 2022
Why South Africans choose Turkey
Why 62,000+ South Africans flew to Turkey in 2024.
Direct flights, direct eligibility, and a Mediterranean that still feels good in Rand. Three reasons stand out.
JNB to Istanbul nonstop
10 hrs
Daily nonstops from Johannesburg on Turkish Airlines
Africa's biggest economy to the Mediterranean in one flight. Cape Town and Durban connect via Joburg with same-day onward boarding. No US or UK transit visa, no day-long layovers.
Wine country meets wine country
7,000
Years of Turkish viticulture, Anatolia is one of wine's oldest cradles
South African oenophiles find Çukurova and Cappadocia wine regions a revelation. Öküzgözü and Boğazkere grape varieties are unavailable anywhere in SA. Tastings rival Stellenbosch in price and quality.
Direct eligibility
-40%
4 to 5 star hotel rates vs equivalent Greek or French destinations
SA passports are on Turkey's direct eVisa list, no Schengen needed. ZAR holds value better in TRY than in EUR, putting Antalya and Bodrum near Mauritius price points.
How it works
Your Turkey eVisa, in 3 steps.
Upload your South African passport
One document. Photograph the photo page, our system reads it and fills the form. No Schengen visa, no supporting documents needed.
Submit and pay
Review, submit, pay in USD by any major card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. SA cards work within your SARB single discretionary allowance, your bank converts ZAR to USD.
eVisa in your inbox
Approval lands by email, usually within 24 business hours on Express. Save to your phone or print, you are cleared for departure.
14,000+
Visas Issued
24 Hours
Fastest Processing
Since 2022
Trusted Operator
5 minutes
Form Completion
What you will need
Just your passport. Nothing else.
South Africa is on Turkey's direct eVisa list. One document on the left, everything you can skip on the right.
South African passport
- 6 months of remaining validity and 2 blank pages. That is the entire requirement.
Leave the rest at home.
No Schengen, US, or UK visa
No photo upload
No flight bookings
No hotel confirmations
No bank statements
No SARS or SARB documents
No green ID or smart ID copies
For most cases, your passport is all we need. If Turkish immigration asks for anything further on the rare exception, our team will reach out and guide you through it.
Before you fly
Things every South African traveler should know about Turkey.
Children need unabridged certificates
South African law requires unabridged birth certificates for minors leaving the country, plus a parental consent letter if one parent travels alone. Turkish immigration follows SA's child travel rules at the border.
Voltage is compatible, plug is not
Turkey runs at 220V Type F. SA runs at 230V Type C/M/N. Your SA chargers and hairdryers work natively. Bring a Type F adapter only, no converter needed.
Carry USD, not ZAR
Rand cannot be exchanged in Turkey. Bring USD cash for bazaars, taxis, and tips. SA Visa and Mastercard work at ATMs, expect a 2 to 3 percent foreign transaction fee.
SA winter is Turkish summer
Turkey is 1 hour ahead of SAST in winter. SA June-August school holidays land in Turkish summer (35 to 40°C in Cappadocia). For cooler weather, plan SA spring (Sep-Oct) or autumn (Apr-May) trips.
Questions, answered
Turkey eVisa FAQ for South African travelers.
Yes, South African citizens need a visa, but they qualify for the online eVisa. No embassy visit or sticker visa is required for short visits.
No. South African passports are on Turkey's direct eVisa eligibility list. No supporting visa or residence permit is needed. The eVisa is the entire process.
Multiple entry with 30 days stay per visit. South African passport holders get a 180 days validity window from the date of issue, can enter Turkey multiple times within that window, and stay up to 30 days per visit. Total stay capped at 90 days in any rolling 180 days period from first entry.
The 30 days per visit limit is fixed. The eVisa is multi-entry, so you can exit and re-enter within the 180 days validity window for another 30 days stay, capped at 90 total days per rolling 180 days period. For a single longer trip, you must apply for a longer-term visa class at a Turkish consulate.
Three processing speeds are available. Express is the fastest. Most South African applications are approved within 24 business hours regardless of the speed selected.
From USD 120 all-inclusive. Standard USD 120, Priority USD 149, Express USD 179. All government fees, document review, support, and tracking included. Pricing is in USD only. South African cards are accepted, your bank converts ZAR to USD at the prevailing rate.
Turkish Airlines operates daily nonstops from Johannesburg (JNB) to Istanbul, around 10 hours. Cape Town and Durban connect via Joburg or via Emirates, Qatar, and Ethiopian Airlines through Dubai, Doha, or Addis Ababa.
Yes, every traveler including infants and minors needs an individual eVisa linked to their own South African passport. Each application is filed separately. Note: South African children traveling without both parents need an unabridged birth certificate plus parental consent letter at the Turkish border, in line with SA's child travel rules.
Apply with the passport you will actually travel on. The eVisa is linked to your passport number, so a different number on your travel passport will not match. Wait for the renewal to complete before applying.
South African residents have a R1 million single discretionary allowance per year, more than enough for any Turkey holiday. Your SA debit and credit cards work in Turkey within this allowance. Inform your bank of travel dates to avoid fraud blocks on Turkish transactions.
Almost every restaurant in Turkey is halal by default, easy for SA Muslim travelers. Cape Malay-style spiced dishes are not on standard Turkish menus, but Bo-Kaap travelers find the spice-bazaar tradition familiar. Bring rooibos tea if you cannot live without it, hard to find in Turkey.
Turkey uses Type F plugs at 220V. South Africa uses Type C, M, and N at 230V. Voltage is compatible, so all your SA electronics work natively. You only need a plug adapter (Type F), no voltage converter required.
Ready when you are
Start your Turkey eVisa from South Africa.
You are 5 minutes and one approval email away from boarding your flight to Istanbul.