For this information in Turkish, please download the file at the bottom of this article.
If you are a Turkish citizen, you will need to apply for a visa in order to travel with DiscoverEU.
The type of visa will depend on your destinations: a Schengen visa is required for countries within the Schengen Area, while a national visa is necessary if you intend to visit Cyprus or Ireland, which are EU countries but not part of the Schengen Area.
Additionally, you will need to complete the Entry/Exit System (EES) registration before your trip. You can learn more about the EES process here.
Visa Application: General Process and Preparation Guide
Whether you are applying for a Schengen visa, a national visa for Ireland, or a national visa for Cyprus, the steps below will help you prepare your application efficiently.
Step 1: Plan Your Trip
Before starting your visa application:
- Define your travel dates and destinations.
- Prepare a detailed itinerary (cities, countries, duration of stay).
- Ensure your passport is valid (at least 3 months beyond your return date).
Step 2: Contact the Embassy or Consulate
Once your itinerary is ready:
- Reach out to the embassy or consulate of the country you will visit (or the one where you will stay the longest).
- Confirm the specific visa requirements and documents needed for your nationality.
- Book a visa application appointment.
Step 3: Gather Required Documents
While requirements may vary slightly, most visa applications require:
- Valid passport
- Completed visa application form
- Passport-sized photos
- Travel itinerary (train or flight bookings)
- Accommodation confirmation
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Travel insurance (provided by DiscoverEU)
- Invitation letter (provided by DiscoverEU)
- School certificate or proof of student status (if applicable)
- Previous visa decisions (if any)
DiscoverEU Support
The DiscoverEU programme will provide you with a travel insurance and an invitation letter, and will reimburse you the costs of your visa application.
Please make sure to request your invitation letter and travel insurance directly through your DiscoverEU profile and only after confirming a visa application appointment, using the same link as your booking form. These documents are essential for your visa application and may take up to 10 working days to be issued. Once you’ve submitted your visa application at the consulate or the visa application centre, keep the receipt — you will need it to complete the refund form, also available in your DiscoverEU profile.
DiscoverEU provides visa assistance for EU Member States and third countries associated with Erasmus+ only.
I am applying for visa to visit Ireland. What should I know?
- You will need to apply for a short-stay ‘C’ visa, which allows travel for up to 90 days.
- Holders of a UK general, short-stay C Visa can only travel to Ireland for a short period of time visa-free if they meet the visa waiver program conditions.
- Visa fees are paid in cash and are non-refundable, even if your application is refused.
- Visa processing can take around one month, so it’s recommended to apply at least two months in advance.
- The Irish Consulate may request additional documents or an interview.
- Submitting all documents does not guarantee approval.
- If you’ve had a previous visa refusal, you must include the refusal letter in your application.
- Hiding a past refusal may result in your application being rejected.
- Make sure your passport is valid and include photocopies of any previously used passports, if applicable.
I am applying for visa to visit Cyprus. What should I know?
- Visa applications for Cyprus must be submitted in person at the Embassy of Cyprus in Athens, as there is no Cypriot embassy or consulate in Türkiye. Applications by post are not accepted.
- If you do not hold a valid Schengen visa, you must first apply for a Greek visa before proceeding with your Cyprus visa application.
- All required documents must be up-to-date, including a valid passport, travel reservations, accommodation confirmation, and proof of sufficient funds.
I am applying for a Schengen visa. What should I know?
The Schengen Area includes 29 countries that have signed the Schengen agreement. Any member state of the Schengen Area can issue a Schengen visa.
The Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland*.
*Please note that DiscoverEU does not provide visa support for Switzerland, as it is not a participating country in the programme.
- Plan your itinerary, the countries to visit and length of stay
- Apply at the embassy or consulate of the country where you will spend the most time, or if equal time in multiple countries, apply at the embassy of the first country you enter.
- Choose the short-stay (Type C)
- Gather the required documents
Frequently asked questions:
How Much Costs a Visa application?
The fee for a Schengen visa is €90 per adult. However, certain applicants may qualify for reduced or waived fees based on factors such as age, nationality, or specific circumstances.
Additional service fees may apply if you apply through a visa application centre (e.g. VFS Global), and fees are non-refundable, even if the visa is refused.
What is the Flight Travel Plan for EU Visa Application?
A flight itinerary is a certified document from which the schedule of a relevant flight can be verified online.
Your train itinerary and bookings should also be accepted as a travel proof.
What is Accommodation Document for Visa Application?
You must present a certified document showing where you will be staying in the Schengen Area during your entire trip.
What is Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa?
Your Travel Health Insurance must be valid for your entire stay in the Schengen Area. DiscoverEU will provide you with the travel insurance.
For this information in Turkish, please download the file: