Travelling to or from the UK from Turkey for Christmas

Our Essential Guide to Flying

(Updated December 7, 2021)

Are you considering travelling to or from the UK from Turkey for Christmas?

Because of the COVID19 pandemic, getting on a plane anywhere around the globe is fraught with complications. It’s not impossible. It’s just the number of hoops we have to jump through has increased.

However, even that has been enough to deter some from even trying. With different interpretations of the regulations applied by some of the airlines – and social media muddying the waters further – giving up and waiting for things to return to normal may seem simpler.

With that in mind, we thought we could help a little by offering the information you need all in one place.

What Do I Need To Fly from Turkey to the UK?

• Proof of a negative PCR or Lateral Flow Test taken within the previous 48 hours

From December 7, entry to England requires every passenger to produce proof of a negative COVID19 test within the preceding 48 hours. Both a PCR test or a lateral flow test are acceptable. Both are widely available in Turkey.

• A valid passport.

This is no different to the usual rule. However, in the maelstrom of preparation these days, it’s easy to forget. It would be a shame if you ticked all the others boxes but overlooked this one.

We’ve listed it first as obtaining a new passport from the UK is probably the most long-winded of the necessary processes. Even if you’re not travelling until the new year, it might be an idea to check when your passport expires right now.

If you’re a British citizen fying to the UK, you can use your passport even on the day of expiry. If you’re a foreign national, it will need to have at least six months left to run.

• A document to prove you have been double vaccinated against COVID 19 at least 14 days prior to your trip.

If you’re resident in Turkey, you can download your vaccination certificate from the ENabiz website, which you can access directly from the Hiyat Ev Sigar (HES) app on your cell phone. However, if you haven’t already, you might need to tap into your personal E Devlet account first, which will mean obtaining a password from the PTT.

It’s not difficult to do. Just call in to your nearest PTT, join the queue and ask for an E Devlet password at the counter. It will cost a couple of lira to register but then you can access the E Devlet website and view personal information about you retained by the Ministry of Health. This will include any past hospital visits but it should also list your vaccination details.

Some have had issues with the HES app not registering their vaccinations. This can be because your account remains linked to an HES code generated prior to your jabs.

If you encounter the problem, delete your HES account, delete any prior HES code, delete the app from your phone and then re-acquire it from the app store.

You will need to go through the (brief) registration process again – but remember to sign up using your residency card details and not your passport number. However, once you’ve done that, your vaccination records should be there.

You can then go to the E Nabiz website or app direct from the HES site and follow the simple steps to download a PDF of your vaccination certificate. If you’re using it for travel, make sure you choose the option to include your passport number on your form.

Things to remember:

*If you’re a UK resident and you’re returning home from Turkey, then your NHS form proving vaccination is sufficient.

**Unvaccinated passengers can travel to the UK. However, you must first take a COVID19 test to establish if you are carrying the disease three days before your due departure date. If it proves positive, YOU MUST NOT TRAVEL.

You must also book Day 2 and Day 8 PCR tests with an approved UK supplier and also quarantine for ten days after your arrival. You may need to provide proof that you have booked the PCR tests at the airport in Turkey and/or on arrival in the UK.

***If you have recently recovered from COVID19, then you will also need to take a test three days prior to leaving Turkey to prove you’re no longer infectious. Should the test prove positive then you MUST NOT TRAVEL. You should also follow local guidance regarding isolation until your test results show clear.

****Rules for Nothern Ireland, Scotland and Wales vary slightly to those for England. For detailed instructions for each visit the UK government website at www.gov.uk

• A document from an approved UK supplier to prove you have arranged a PCR test to be taken within two days of your arrival in the UK.

This rule applies to ALL fully-vaccinated passengers returning to the UK from Turkey – even UK nationals resident in the country.

Bear in mind that the PCR tests also need to be acquired from an approved supplier in advance. You cannot ask a family member to purchase one over the counter in a pharmacy on your behalf. This ensures passengers on your flight all follow the same procedures. Each purchase can also be traced to an individual.

The list of approved suppliers can be found on the UK government website here.

If you follow the simple on-screen instructions, the company you choose to supply your test will send you a unique reference code to validate your purchase. You can then print this off to produce on request at the airport in Turkey or an arrival in the UK.

* Unvaccinated passengers need to follow the same procedures but must also purchase Day 8 PCR tests, taken during the required ten days of quarantine subsequent to their arrival in the UK.

• A Passenger Locator Form which allows the UK authorities to contact you should anyone on your flight test positive for COVID19.

As the name suggests, a Passenger Locator Form allows the UK authorities to trace you should anyone on your flight test positive for COVID19 subsequent to their arrival in the UK.

If you are double vaccinated, the implications are not as severe as they used to be. If a subsequent test indicates you are not carrying COVID19, the official advice is simply to follow precautions such as observing social distancing, meeting friends and family outside if possible, wearing a face mask and washing your hands regularly.

However, those who are unvaccinated need to follow self-isolation regulations. You will also need to acquire and take additional approved PCR tests – unless you have also tested positive for COVID19 within the last 90 days.

Passenger Locator Forms are a pre-requisite of travel. The check-in desk at your point of departure will ask for them and it is possible you will need to show one on arrival in the UK. Deliberately supplying false information or avoiding contact with the authorities should they need to reach you can result in a hefty fine.

Your boarding pass

Most airlines will allow you to check in at the airport on the day of your flight but, if you’d like to get through the process a little quicker, it does help to have all the relevant documents in one folder.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Please note, from November 30, the regulations regarding COVID19 tests changed for ALL passengers arriving in the UK:

What do I need to fly to Turkey from the UK?

• A valid passport which does not expire for at least six months after your trip.

As above but worth repeating … You won’t need a visitors’ visa on arrival in Turkey anymore but foreign nationals living in the country should also remember to present their residency cards. When returning to Turkey, you will also need to ensure you have at least six months left to run on your passport.

• A document to prove you have been double vaccinated against COVID 19 at least 14 days prior to your trip.

If you’re on a return trip, the same document you used to leave Turkey with will suffice. If you’re a UK resident on your outbound journey, your NHS certificate is fine. However, NHS appointment cards are not.

If you have recently recovered from COVID19 or if you have not been vaccinated, then you must have proof of a negative PCR test taken three days prior to your flight or a negative lateral flow test taken two days before.

Unlike the UK, no further tests are required after your arrival in Turkey.

• A copy of an Entrance Form which allows the Turkish authorities to contact you should the need arise.

By filling in the Turkish entry form online no earlier than three days before your arrival in Turkey, you can create a document which includes a QR code. This provides personal data but the form also includes an individual HES code, similar to the UK’s Track and Trace system.

Showing your personal HES code will allow you to use public transport and enter locations such as cinemas and shopping malls in Turkey.

It’s important to stress information in this blog was updated on December 1, 2021, but regulations relating to COVID19 are subject to sudden and frequent amendments.

We would therefore advise anyone travelling to visit the UK government’s travel advice pages for updates prior to departure. 

In the meantime, if you have any other questions about living in Turkey or moving there, please feel free to drop us a line of give us a call.

We’re also here if you’d like a heads-up on the pros and cons of investing in property in Turkey.

It’s not just about the buying and selling of homes. We can also help with the logistics, paperwork and advice before, during and after your move so feel free to get in touch.

Alternatively, you can browse our blog for previous posts you may find useful. If you’d like to check out our full portfolio, you can find details of properties currently on our books right here. You can also keep up to date with our Facebook page here.