Turkey lowers visa-free age threshold for Algerian travelers from 65 to 50

A presidential decree signed on June 19 means Algerian citizens under 15 or over 50 can now enter Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period

Turkey has expanded its visa exemption for Algerian nationals by lowering the qualifying age from 65 to 50. Algerian citizens holding ordinary passports who are under 15 or over 50 can now enter Turkey without a visa for tourist visits and transit, with stays permitted for up to 90 days within any 180-day window, according to a press release posted on the website of Turkey's Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete).

The change was made through Presidential Decree No. 11456, signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 19, 2026, and published the following day on June 20.

Not a blanket visa waiver

The expanded exemption does not mean all Algerian nationals can now travel to Turkey visa-free. Ordinary passport holders between the ages of 15 and 50 are still required to obtain a visa before entering the country.

That said, there is a partial workaround for some travelers in that age bracket. Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Algerians aged 15 to 18 and 35 to 50 may be eligible for a one-month, single-entry eVisa under certain conditions, specifically if they hold a valid Schengen, US, UK, or Irish visa or residence permit.

Algerian holders of official passports are unaffected by the age-based rules entirely. They continue to enjoy visa-free access to Turkey for stays of up to 90 days, regardless of how old they are.

Ties between Ankara and Algiers continue to deepen

The decree lands against a backdrop of growing bilateral engagement between Turkey and Algeria. Both governments have been stepping up diplomatic, trade, and investment cooperation in recent months, and easing travel requirements for a wider pool of Algerian citizens fits neatly into that broader push to strengthen the relationship.