Passports and Visas

Los Angeles is America’s second most populous city after New York.  Greater Los Angeles—which includes Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Ventura County, and Orange County—has a population of nearly 19 million people.  Known for its endless sprawl (and endless freeways), Greater Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan region in the United States by land area and includes over 200 cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Burbank, Long Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, Oxnard, and Huntington Beach.  There are nearly 20,000 Turkish people living in Greater Los Angeles (mostly in Orange County) and there are several chapters of the Turkish American Association operating across Southern California.  The University of California Los Angeles and a few private language schools in the area have Turkish language courses.  Turkish Airlines operates direct flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Istanbul (IST).

Philadelphia is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania and is one of the oldest cities in the United States.  Founded in 1682 by Englishman William Penn, a social reformer and champion of liberty, he named the city Philadelphia using the Greek term meaning “brotherly love”.  Philadelphia has the nickname “City of Brotherly Love” and is nowadays more casually known by locals and non-locals alike as “Philly”.  The Philadelphia metropolitan area has over 6 million people (America’s eighth-largest metropolis) and includes cities and towns in the states of New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, in addition to Pennsylvania.  There are several thousand Turkish people in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, many of them coming to study or open small businesses.  There are Turkish Student Associations at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, and Temple University.  The Penn Language Center at the University of Pennsylvania offers courses in the Turkish language.  

Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States and is an important global city that attracts visitors from all over the world.  The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area—which includes the District of Columbia and parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia—is America’s sixth-largest metropolis and has a population of 6.3 million people.  Cities within this area (apart from Washington, D.C.) include Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, and Reston—all in Virginia—along with the Maryland towns of Bethesda, College Park, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Silver Spring.  The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area rivals New York as the most important city for Turkish culture in America.  The city hosts the annual Turkish Festival at Freedom Plaza and has a Yunus Emre Institute office (this is an organization promoting Turkish language and culture around the globe).  The area is also home to the Diyanet Center of America, located in a large mosque constructed using classical Ottoman architecture.  

New York is America’s most prominent city and some proud New Yorkers may consider it the “Capital of the World”.  Certainly a case can be made for this title since the city is the headquarters of the United Nations; it is one of the most important economic regions in the world; it has the highest number of billionaires of any city in the world; it is the most linguistically diverse city in the world; its metropolitan region has the largest foreign-born population; it is one of the most preeminent cities in the world for arts and culture; and it has some of the best restaurants in the world, including many excellent Turkish restaurants.  New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area has the largest Turkish immigrant population in the country.  The city also has several nonprofit organizations providing educational programs and events that promote Turkish culture and heritage.  Turkish Airlines provides nonstop flights from New York (JFK) to Istanbul (IST). 

Portland is the most populous city in the state of Oregon and the second-most populous city in the Pacific Northwest after Seattle.  The Portland metropolitan area has a population of 2.5 million people and is the 25th most populous metropolis in the United States.  The city is located on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, which meet on the northern end of the Willamette Valley.  The valley stretches for 150 miles between forested mountains containing lush farmland and scenic views.  Over 250 agricultural items are produced here, including the hazelnut, which is the official state nut of Oregon and is also an important agricultural export for Turkey.  Portland does not have a huge Turkish immigrant population, but there are Turks that have found their way here as students, academics, engineers, and businesspeople.  Portland State University, located in downtown Portland, is home to the Center of Turkish Studies and offers a study abroad program in Turkey.  

Phoenix is the capital of Arizona and is the largest city in the Mountain Time Zone.  The Phoenix Metropolitan Area has a population of 4.8 million—the tenth largest metropolitan area in the United States—and is one of the fastest growing cities in America.  New residents and businesses come here for the low cost of living and year-round warm weather.  Phoenix gets more sunshine than any other major city on the planet.  The Phoenix Metropolitan Area, also known as the Valley, includes the cities of Casa Grande, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Maricopa, Mesa, Peoria, Scottsdale, Surprise, and Tempe.  The Turkish immigrant community in Phoenix is small but there are still a few local chapters of Turkish organizations operating in the city.  For Americans interested in learning more about Turkish culture and language, Arizona State University offers courses to both ASU students and non-ASU students alike through the Critical Language Institute (CLI).  

Boston is one of America’s oldest cities and has a rich history that attracts over 20 million tourists each year.  Known as the “intellectual capital of the United States”, Boston is a center of education that has more than 350,000 college students from around the world, including students from Turkey.  Greater Boston is the eleventh-most populous metropolitan area in the United States with a population of 4.9 million people, and includes towns such as Cambridge, Brookline, Quincy, Newton, Waltham, and Medford.  Boston has an active Turkish immigrant community that got its start in the late 19th century when Ottoman Turks began working at the leather factories in Peabody and Salem.  Today there are many successful Turkish people throughout Greater Boston.  Boston is home to several schools where Americans and children of Turkish immigrants can study the Turkish language.  Turkish Airlines provides direct flights from Boston (BOS) to Istanbul (IST).

Seattle is the largest city in America’s Pacific Northwest region and located in the state of Washington.  The Seattle metropolitan area has a population of 4 million people and is the fifteenth-largest metropolis in the United States.  Known as the “Emerald City”, Seattle is situated in a magnificent natural environment, surrounded by evergreen forests, mountains, and water.  Just 100 miles south of the Canadian border, Seattle is America's northernmost metropolis.  The Seattle metropolitan area includes the cities of Tacoma, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Renton, Kirkland, and Redmond.  There are several thousand Turkish people in the Seattle area and the city has Turkish cultural events led by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington.  Seattle also plays host to the annual TurkFest and Turkish Film Festival.  The University of Washington—located just north of downtown Seattle—has a Turkish and Ottoman Studies Program.

Denver, known as the “Mile High City” because of its elevation of 5,280 feet, is the capital of Colorado and is one of the fastest growing cities in America.  The Denver Metropolitan area is the 19th most populous metro area in the U.S. and has a population approaching 3 million people.  The region’s growing and diverse economy—along with its proximity to Rocky Mountain ski resorts—make Denver an attractive destination for people seeking a more active and balanced lifestyle.  The Denver Metropolitan area includes the towns of Arvada, Aurora, Castle Rock, Centennial, Lakewood, Littleton, Thornton, and Westminster.  There are only about 2,000 Turkish people in the entire state of Colorado but there are nonprofit organizations in Denver representing the interest of this community and celebrating Turkish culture.  There are even a few authentic Turkish restaurants and bakeries where the people of Denver can enjoy a plate of iskender kebap or Turkish tea and baklava.