The FCDO advise against all travel to:

• areas within 10km of the border with Syria

The FCDO advise against all but essential travel to:

• Sirnak
• the province of Hakkari

For more information on these areas, see Local travel and Terrorism

On 13 November there was an explosion in Istiklal Avenue shopping street in central Istanbul.

The British Embassy is in contact with local authorities and continues to seek further information. Travel within the city may be affected as the authorities continue their investigations.

You should remain vigilant, and follow the advice of the local security authorities and/or your tour operator.

If you, or friend or relative, are impacted by this incident and need to speak to a consular officer, you can call the British Embassy in Ankara +90 312 455 33 44 or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London on 020 7008 5000 (24 hours).

It is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. See the FCDO’s guidance on foreign travel insurance.

If you are due to travel to/from the United Kingdom you should contact your travel operator. Further updates will be published when they are available. Check our advice on things to consider, and be prepared to stay overseas longer than planned. See International travel

British nationals made over 3.330 million visits to Turkey in 2022. Most visits are trouble free. Be alert to your surroundings and remain vigilant in crowded places popular with foreign nationals, including during festival periods.

If you’re travelling to Turkey for tourist or business purposes, you are able to travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. See Visas

Many parts of Turkey are subject to earthquakes. You should familiarise yourself with safety procedures in the event of an earthquake and follow the advice of the local authorities. See Natural disasters

The effect of the attempted coup in July 2016 is still deeply felt in Turkey although the situation is now considerably calmer. A state of emergency imposed after the coup attempt has been lifted, although some restrictions remain in place. See Political situation

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey. Terrorist groups, including PKK, Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) and far left organisations, continue to plan and carry out attacks. Further attacks could be indiscriminate. Most attacks have taken place in the south-east of the country, and in Ankara and Istanbul. While there is a potential that citizens from western countries may be targets or caught up in attacks, particularly in the major cities, attacks are most likely to target the Turkish state, civilians and demonstrations. You should be vigilant, follow the advice of local security authorities, monitor media reports and keep up to date with this travel advice. See Terrorism

It is illegal to be a member or supporter of a terrorist organisation in Turkey, including expressions of support on social media. Some organisations in the region though not proscribed in the UK, such as the YPG and the Gülen Movement are illegal in Turkey.

You should carry your passport and a printed copy of your visa (if applicable) or residence permit at all times. In some busy areas, especially Istanbul, the Turkish authorities are stopping members of the public to conduct ID checks. See Local laws and customs

There have been reports of an increase in holidaymakers being encouraged to submit a claim for personal injury if they have experienced gastric illness during their stay. You can find more information about the action you can take if you have suffered a personal injury on the Citizens Advice website. You should only consider pursuing a complaint or claim if you have genuinely suffered from injury or illness. If you make a false or fraudulent claim, you may face legal proceedings in the UK or Turkey.

You can contact the emergency services by calling 112. Alternatively, you can call emergency services directly by calling 155 (police), 112 (ambulance) and 110 (fire).

If you’re abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission. Consular support is severely limited in parts of Turkey where the FCDO advise against travel, and limited in the areas where the FCDO advise against all but essential travel.