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Is it safe to travel to Turkey? Foreign Office’s new advice
Britons continue to remain stranded throughout the Middle East, with more than 100,000 having registered their presence with the Foreign Office amid evacuation planning.
Large areas of airspace over the region such as United Arab Emirates and Qatar remain closed because of the fighting, and tourism safe spots like Dubai have come under fire in missile attacks.
With this in mind, many Brits will be wanting to know the latest travel advice to Turkey which shares a border with Iran.
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The country is a popular holiday destination for UK travellers, with a significant proportion of tourists often heading to the likes of Cappadocia, Antalya and Marmaris, to name a few.
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The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its latest travel advice on March 1 for those heading to Turkey from the UK.
It warns that all British nationals intending to cross the land border from Iran into Turkey “must request facilitation from the British Embassy in Ankara by contacting the FCDO before travelling to the border”.
The new Turkey travel guidance from the Foreign Office in full is as follows: “The border remains open visa-free for people travelling on UK or Iranian passports (for stays of up to 90 days).
There has been intense escalation in the Middle East, with increasingly reckless strikes from the Iranian regime targeting Gulf allies and locations including bases, airports and hotels.
This directly impacts British nationals in the area.
We recognise this is an unsettling… pic.twitter.com/dm3zo9KbZJ
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) March 2, 2026
“If you are a British national intending to cross the land border from Iran into Turkey, you must request facilitation from the British Embassy in Ankara by contacting the FCDO before travelling to the border.
“You must state which border point you intend to use and provide personal details (name, date of birth, details of travel document used to enter Turkey).
“Also indicate whether you are contacting from Iran or from the UK on behalf of a relative.”
The UK government continues: “The Turkish authorities advise that the Iranians have closed the crossing point at Esendere-Serow on the Iranian side to daily traders entering and exiting over the course of a day.
“The usual entry requirements will apply, including that British nationals can enter without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
“If you intend to leave Iran overland, you do so at your own risk.
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“In Iran, holding a British passport or having perceived connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you.”
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office is also urging against “all travel” to some parts of the Turkey due to the fighting in Syria.
The FCDO asks people to not travel within 10km of the border with Syria “due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism”.
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It adds: “Fighting in Syria continues in areas close to the Turkish border and there is a heightened risk of terrorism in the region.
“Due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, roads in Hatay Province leading towards the border may be closed at short notice.”
Find out more information about travelling to Turkey on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.