Passports and Visas

Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada and located in the Mojave Desert, sandwiched between California and Arizona.  The Las Vegas metropolitan area, known as the Las Vegas Valley, includes Clark County and the cities of North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City, as well as several other unincorporated communities and neighborhoods.  The Las Vegas Valley has a population of 2.3 million people and has been America’s fastest growing city the past decade.  Although Las Vegas ranks only as the 28th-most populous city in the United States, there could be as many as 300,000 tourists visiting the city on any given day.  The Turkish immigrant community in Las Vegas is small but there are still a few Turkish restaurants around the city.  Las Vegas is a popular city for conventions and trade shows, making this is a great city for Turkish companies to introduce their products and services to the U.S. market and establish new business relationships.  

The city of Dallas and the surrounding metropolitan area is the most populous metropolis in the southern United States and fourth-most populous in the country.  The Dallas metropolitan area—known as the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, or DFW by local residents—has a population of 7.6 million people and includes the cities of Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Irving, Garland, Richardson, Frisco, Mesquite, Denton, Grand Prairie, and McKinney.  The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, located in North Texas, is one of the fastest growing regions in the country thanks to the low cost of living, low taxes, abundance of resources, and ease of doing business.  There are a few thousand Turkish people living in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, many of them educated professionals working in real estate, academics, engineering, corporate management, and medicine.  The metroplex has several Turkish restaurants and nonprofit organizations promoting Turkish culture and heritage.  

The city of Orlando, located in the Central Florida region of the United States and known as “the City Beautiful”, is ranked as America’s 23rd most-populous city.  The Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2.6 million people and is home to several theme parks including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios.  Orlando’s theme parks, natural attractions, and year-round warm weather make it one of the most-visited cities in the world.  The Orlando metropolitan area includes various cities and towns like Kissimmee, Sanford, St. Cloud, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Apopka, and other municipalities. While the Turkish immigrant community in Orlando is not huge, the overall population of Turks in Florida is growing thanks to the direct flight from Istanbul to Miami on Turkish Airlines.  Orlando is home to an Istanbul Cultural Center and there are several Turkish restaurants in the area.

Chicago is America’s third-most-populous city and its metropolitan area, known as Chicagoland, has a population approaching 10 million people.  Chicago is a vibrant international city with a robust economy that is the corporate headquarters for 57 Fortune 1000 companies.  While manufacturing and food processing provide a strong foundation for its economy, the city is also an important financial center and is home to the Chicago Stock Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The Chicago metropolitan area covers 14 counties across three states—Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—and includes cities like Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, Waukegan, Cicero, Skokie, Gary (Indiana), and Kenosha (Wisconsin).  Chicago is home to around 10,000 Turkish people and there are Turkish cultural organizations that teach Turkish language courses and host annual events.  Turkish Airlines has nonstop flights from Chicago to Istanbul.  

Greater Houston is the fifth most-populous metropolitan area in the United States with a population of over 7 million residents.  Houston is one of America’s most ethnically diverse cities.  With over 145 different languages being spoken in this global city, it is no surprise Houston has plenty of great restaurants offering delicious cuisine from all over the world, including several Turkish restaurants.  This is a fast-growing and youthful city that attracts entrepreneurs, corporate businesspeople, international investors, and students.  Houston is the home to the country’s oil and gas industry and is also home to 350 aerospace and aviation companies.  Greater Houston encompasses nine counties and includes the cities of Sugar Land, Baytown, Conroe, Pasadena, Pearland, The Woodlands, and Galveston.  There are nearly 10,000 Turkish people living in Houston and the city hosts an annual Turkish festival.  Turkish Airlines has nonstop flights to Istanbul from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.    

Charlotte is the 23rd-most populous city in the United States and is the most populous city in the state of North Carolina.  Known as the Queen City, this metropolis of 2.6 million people has been one of the country’s fastest-growing cities the past two decades.  Charlotte’s youthful population, low cost of living, and geographical location in America’s Sun Belt, have made it an attractive destination for business investment, including international investment from Turkey.  The Charlotte metropolitan area is a sixteen-county region that stretches into the state of South Carolina and includes the towns of Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Indian Trail, Mooresville, Monroe, Salisbury, Matthews, Cornelius, Mint Hill, Statesville, Shelby, Rock Hill (SC), and Fort Mill (SC).  Charlotte is home to a small, yet active Turkish community that has an annual event celebrating Turkish culture and heritage, and UNC Charlotte has a Turkish Student Association.  

San Francisco, known as the “City by the Bay”, is one of America’s most famous and beautiful cities.  Located in Northern California, San Francisco is just one of the many cities that together make up the San Francisco Bay Area, or Bay Area for short.  The 14-county combined statistical area (that comprises the Bay Area) has nearly 10 million people, making it the fifth-most populous region in the United States.  The Bay Area includes cities such as Oakland, Berkeley, Concord, Pleasanton, Fremont, San Jose, San Mateo, Palo Alto, Sausalito, San Rafael, and Novato.  There are about 15,000 Turkish people living in the Bay Area and there are several Turkish cultural organizations that teach language courses, folk dancing, and cooking.  Turkish Airlines has nonstop flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Istanbul (IST), helping to strengthen commercial and cultural ties between these two beautiful cities.  

The Greater Miami Area is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States and has a population of 6.2 million people.  The metropolitan area is composed of Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County.  Its main cities include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Hialeah, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, and Boca Raton.  This is a diverse community where 40% of the population was born in another country.   There are about 10,000 Turkish people throughout Miami and the population is growing as more Turks look to the South Florida region to invest in U.S. real estate.   Miami is home to a Turkish consulate and the Florida Turkish Center Foundation, where Americans and other Miami residents can study the Turkish language and participate in cultural activities.  Turkish Airlines has nonstop flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Istanbul Airport (IST).    

Atlanta has a population of over 6 million people, making it the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States.  Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, which is the 8th most populous of the 50 states.  The city and surrounding area—known as the Atlanta metropolitan area—is also the commercial capital of the Southeast United States and has the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country.  The metropolitan area includes the municipalities of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Marietta, Smyrna, Brookhaven, Tucker, Duluth, Chamblee, Peachtree Corners, Decatur, and many others.  There are about 7,000 Turkish people throughout Atlanta and the area is home to the American-Turkish Friendship Council and Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast United States.  Georgia State University offers Turkish language courses and Turkish Airlines has nonstop flights from Atlanta to Istanbul.  

The city of Tampa, located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, is one of the three principal cities (the other two being St. Petersburg and Clearwater) that make up the Tampa Bay Area.  The Tampa Bay Area is the 18th-largest metropolis in the United States and has a population of 3.1 million people.  The metro area includes the counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Citrus, and Manatee, along with the towns of Brandon, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Largo, Tarpon Springs, and Bradenton.  Although not officially part of the Tampa Bay Area, nearby Sarasota is a popular destination for international visitors, including those from Turkey.  While the Turkish immigrant community in Tampa is not huge, the overall population of Turks in Florida is growing thanks to the direct flight from Istanbul to Miami on Turkish Airlines.  Turkish immigrants come to Tampa to open small businesses and study at universities like University of South Florida, which has a Turkish Student Association.