Embassies & Consulates in Istanbul, Turkey
Looking for a foreign embassy, consulate or visa office in Istanbul, Turkey? EmbassyIstanbul.com is a free guide with up-to-date contact details for diplomatic missions from more than 240 countries. Whether you are a Turkish citizen applying for a visa abroad, or a foreign traveller in need of consular assistance, start by choosing a country from the menu above or the alphabet list.
What is an Embassy, a Consulate and an Honorary Consulate?
An Embassy is the main representative office of one country inside another. In Turkey, embassies are located in the capital city, Ankara, and are headed by an Ambassador. Embassies handle political relations and high-level diplomatic affairs between the two countries.
A Consulate General or Consulate is a lower-level diplomatic office, often stationed in a major city outside the capital – for example in Istanbul, which is Turkey’s biggest commercial and tourist hub. A consulate is normally headed by a Consul-General and takes care of visa applications, passport services and assistance to citizens abroad.
An Honorary Consulate is an office run by a local businessperson who has agreed to perform limited consular duties in a city where the foreign country does not have a full mission.
What do Embassies and Consulates in Istanbul Do?
The consular offices in Istanbul typically provide the following services:
- Issuing visas to Turkish citizens travelling abroad
- Renewing passports of their own citizens living in Turkey
- Legalising and apostilling official documents
- Providing emergency assistance to travellers (lost passport, medical emergency, legal trouble)
- Registering births, marriages and deaths of their citizens in Turkey
- Supporting trade, cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries
How to Contact an Embassy in Istanbul
Click on the country you are interested in from the A–Z country list or the alphabet menu. Each country page shows the consulate address, telephone, working hours and basic visa information. Always call ahead to confirm office hours and required documents before you visit in person – many consulates only accept appointments.
Visas from Turkey
Visa rules between Turkey and other countries change regularly. Some countries allow Turkish citizens to enter visa-free, some issue e-visas online, others require a traditional sticker visa applied for at the consulate. Before you book your flight, confirm the current rules with the official embassy of your destination country and with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Popular Destinations from Istanbul
Some of the most searched embassies on this site include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, Canada, Australia and the Schengen-area countries. Use the Countries A–Z page to find the full list.