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UK ETA: why Turkish nationals still need a visa
The Electronic Travel Authorisation is for people who can visit the UK without a visa. Turkish citizens are visa nationals, so an ETA is not open to them and a visitor visa application is still required.
Who the ETA is for
The Electronic Travel Authorisation replaced nothing for Turkish passport holders. It is a permission for nationals who were already able to come to the UK for a short visit without applying for a visa — a light-touch check applied to a group that had no application to make. Turkey is not in that group. Turkish citizens are visa nationals, which means a visitor visa is required before travel, and no ETA can be bought instead of one.
The confusion this causes
Families book flights on the strength of a relative's ETA and then discover that the relative in question holds a different passport. Two things settle it. First, the requirement follows the passport you travel on, not where you live: a Turkish citizen resident in Germany still needs a UK visitor visa. Second, dual nationals travel on the British passport and the question disappears.
What a visitor visa needs
The application is made online and biometrics are given at a visa application centre in Türkiye. Supporting documents carry the weight: employment or business evidence, bank statements, and, for a family visit, evidence of the relationship. Anything not in English needs a translation that can be verified independently — an accuracy statement, the date, the translator's full name and signature, and contact details. Our visitor visa page lists the documents Turkish applicants are usually asked for, and the visa application centres page covers appointments in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.
Frequently asked questions
I hold a Turkish passport and a British passport. Which do I use?
Travel to the UK on the British one; you have the right of abode and need neither a visa nor an ETA. Carry the Turkish passport for entry to Türkiye, where Turkish citizens are expected to use it.