US B-1/B-2 Visa for Turkish Passport Holders: 2026 Guide

The Short Answer

The dataset entry leaves no ambiguity: no visa-free days and a B-1/B-2 visa required. Because Turkey sits outside the Visa Waiver Program there is no electronic substitute — the process is DS-160, fee, biometrics, interview, decision. Interviews are held at two posts only, Ankara and Istanbul, and appointment availability rather than assessment is the binding constraint. Once granted, a B-1/B-2 visa is typically issued as a multiple-entry visa valid up to ten years, which is why a strong first application has lasting value.

Who Must Apply and Where

Every Turkish national visiting the United States for tourism, business, conferences, medical treatment or transit applies for a B-1/B-2 visa beforehand. The steps are fixed:

1. Complete DS-160 online and print the confirmation page with its barcode.
2. Pay the fee of $185 through the consulate's payment channel and keep the receipt.
3. Book an interview at the US Embassy in Ankara or the Consulate General in Istanbul (Istinye).
4. Attend with biometrics, bringing your passport, DS-160 confirmation, fee receipt and documents.
5. Receive a decision — approved visas are affixed and passports returned by courier.

You may interview at either post; choose the one with the earlier slot rather than the nearest, since travel to the appointment is cheaper than a long delay.

Required Documents

Interviews are short, so the file you carry should make the officer's job easy:

A coherent file is what the officer refers to when the questions get specific.

Fees and Costs

The B-1/B-2 machine-readable visa fee is paid before the interview and is not refunded if the application is refused. Rates are mid-market reference values for early October 2026 (1 USD = 49.00 TRY).

A Federal Register notice published on 9 June 2026 created a $750 expedited appointment pilot running from 1 July to 31 December 2026, which may shorten waits at participating posts.

Processing Time

Interview wait times come from the State Department's Global Visa Wait Times service, last updated 17 September 2026. For Turkish posts the current figures are:

A decision normally follows within a few business days of the interview. The timeline is dominated by the appointment queue rather than the assessment, so start three to four months before you intend to fly.

Approval Odds and Refusal Context

The US Department of State publishes adjusted refusal rates for B visas by nationality. For Türkiye the adjusted FY2024 refusal rate was 19.78% — roughly four in five applicants approved and about one in five refused. It is a national figure, not a promise about an individual case.

Refusals are almost always issued under Section 214(b): the officer is not satisfied the applicant will depart at the end of the visit. Prior overstays and inconsistent answers weigh heavily, and a 214(b) refusal is not a permanent bar.

Application Tips

• Answer exactly what is asked — short, truthful answers that match DS-160 beat long rehearsed speeches.
• Make the ties visible: employment letter, property, family and a business or study commitment in Turkey.
• Declare prior refusals; concealing a previous US refusal or overstay is far more damaging than explaining it.
• Book only through the official consulate system and, if refused, reapply later with materially stronger evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions