How to Apply for a Turkey Visa in Chicago

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.  

Turkey is a country in the Middle East with a population of 83 million people that is about 5 ½-times the size of Illinois by land area.  Istanbul is the country’s cultural and commercial capital, while Ankara is the political capital.  There are hundreds of American companies doing business in Turkey including Chicago-based firms like McDonald’s, Boeing, Abbott Laboratories, Baxter, Grant Thornton, Kearney, Leo Burnett, Cushman & Wakefield, Anixter, and so many others.  Turkey is the 19th largest economy in the world and has a robust industrial sector that manufactures automobiles, ships, electronics, textiles, construction materials, and military hardware.  Of course, Turkey is also well known for its huge tourism sector that attracts 50 million visitors each year thanks to its many historical sights and 5,000 miles of spectacular coastline along with beautiful seaside towns like Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kaş, Alanya, Kalkan, and Kemer.

Obtaining a Turkey Visa from Chicago 

Getting a Turkey visa for Chicago area residents is easy.  If you are a U.S. citizen traveling to Turkey for tourism or business purposes, and you already have a valid American passport, just use the Turkish government’s e-Visa website to apply for your visa: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/. 

The process of applying for the visa is simple and will take about five minutes to complete online—just have your passport in hand and fill out a few personal details.  The government will email you the visa as soon as you make payment.  You will print out this document and carry it with you on the day of your trip.  You will present this document along with your passport to the immigration official at the airport in Turkey.

This visa will be valid for 180 days and allows you to make multiple visits to Turkey within this period.  Your stay cannot exceed 90 days per visit.  The government fee for U.S. citizens is $50, plus a service fee of $1.50.  

The e-Visa is also available for many non-U.S. citizens; so if you live in the Chicago area but have a foreign passport, please check the Turkish government website to determine your eligibility for the e-Visa: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/apply/.  You can also review the requirements on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa

If you are a foreign passport holder that is not eligible for the e-Visa, or if you are a U.S. citizen that is not traveling to Turkey for tourism or business meetings—for example, you plan to study in Turkey or will be employed in Turkey—you will be required to obtain a Turkish sticker visa (a visa that gets placed in your passport) through the Turkish government office in the United States.  The Turkish government is represented in the United States by six consulates located in Chicago, Miami, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York City, along with one embassy located in Washington, D.C.  To get started with the process of obtaining a Turkish sticker visa, please check the embassy website for more details: https://www.konsolosluk.gov.tr/VisaInfo/Index.

Emergency Assistance for Turkish Citizens in Chicago

If you are a Turkish citizen in the Chicago area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the consulate in Chicago by calling + 1 786-655-0315.  There is also a call center in Turkey that can be reached at +90 312 292 29 29.  If you need to renew your Turkish passport or obtain an emergency passport, you must schedule an appointment online and appear in person at the consulate.  You can find more information on the Turkish Consulate General in Chicago website: https://www.konsolosluk.gov.tr/Procedure

Here is the physical address of the Turkish consulate in Chicago:

Turkish Consulate General in Chicago

455 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr.,
(NBC Tower), Suite:2900,
Chicago, IL 60611 - USA

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in the Chicago area and have difficulty applying for a visa for Turkey, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing Turkey visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Turkish government.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans.  

We provide the following Turkey visa and travel services for our customers:

  • Turkey Tourist Visa (e-Visa)
  • Turkey Business Visa (e-Visa)
  • Turkey Work Visa (For Employment in Turkey)
  • Turkey Student Visa (Education Visa)
  • Turkey Medical Treatment Visa
  • Turkey Residence Permit (Valid for one year)
  • Turkey Hotel Accommodations
  • Turkey Guided Tours
  • Marriage in Turkey