Turkey visa and transit log: what are the requirements for boating?

For a cruise in Turkey, U.S. citizens don't need a visa: a valid U.S. passport is all it takes. The transit log, the permit to sail in Turkish waters, is handled by the charter company or the crew when you charter a boat based in Turkey. On your end, it comes down to three things: valid passports, the crew list and, for a bareboat charter, a recognized sailing certification.

Do you need a visa or a passport to sail in Turkey?

No visa is required for a vacation, but you do need a passport. U.S. citizens can visit Turkey visa-free under the following conditions:

• Length of stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, in one or several trips (rules in effect as of October 2026).
• Document: U.S. passport.
• Validity: at least 150 days after your arrival date in Turkey; the U.S. Department of State recommends six months.
• Children: every child needs their own passport.

Travelers of other nationalities should check the requirements for their passport with the Turkish consulate or their own country's foreign ministry. Entry rules can change, so review the U.S. Department of State's Türkiye travel page a few weeks before you leave.

What is the transit log and who takes care of it?

The transit log (Yat Kayıt Belgesi in Turkish) is the document that authorizes a boat to sail in Turkish waters and enter Turkish ports. It records the boat, its skipper, the crew and its movements from one port to the next.

If you charter a boat in Turkey

• If you book a sailboat charter in Turkey or a gulet vacation, the charter company or the crew handles the boat's documents and harbor master declarations.
• Your only task: fill out the crew list in your customer account, with the first name, last name, date of birth, nationality and passport number of every passenger.
• The information you enter must exactly match the documents you show at check-in.

If you sail a foreign-flagged boat

If you arrive in Turkey aboard your own boat, the transit log is issued at your first port of entry. It is valid for one year for a single entry and must be reissued whenever the skipper or crew changes.

Can you sail from Turkey to the Greek islands on a charter?

No. The boats Filovent offers in Turkey are not authorized to sail to the Greek islands, not even the closest ones like Kos, Rhodes, Symi or Samos. Crossing between the two countries means clearing out of Turkey and into Greece, with immigration and customs on both sides, and complying with Greek charter regulations, which isn't feasible on a one-week charter.

Crossing without declaring it can lead to steep fines for the crew and the boat being impounded. If you'd like to explore the Dodecanese, the easiest option is to book a yacht charter departing from a Greek island.

Between the Gulf of Gökova and the Lycian coast, there are more coves and ancient sites than you can see in a week, so there's no need to leave Turkish waters.

What license do you need to sail in Turkey?

It depends on the type of charter. A boating license is only required for a bareboat charter:

• Bareboat charter: a recognized sailing certification (such as ASA 104 or US Sailing Bareboat Cruising) or an ICC (International Certificate of Competence). Charter companies also often ask for a VHF radio license, such as the FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit.
• Skippered charter: no license needed, since the professional skipper is responsible for navigation.
• Crewed gulet or caique: no license needed.

For a bareboat charter, the charter company will also review your sailing résumé to make sure your experience matches the type and size of the boat you've booked.

What are the rules on wastewater on board?

Turkey enforces strict regulations on discharges at sea, monitored by the coast guard:

• black water (toilets) and gray water (showers, sinks) must both be collected on board, since discharging them into the sea is prohibited;
• inspections vary from area to area and are particularly strict around Göcek, where a boat without a black-water holding tank can't anchor in the coves;
• boats empty their tanks at marina pump-out stations;
• each pump-out is logged in a digital system that replaced the former “Blue Card”;
• a boat that can't prove its pump-outs is subject to a fine.

The charter company takes care of registering the boat. For a bareboat charter, just plan a few marina stops into your Turkey sailing itinerary to empty the tanks during the week. On a crewed gulet, everything is taken care of for you.

Summary of formalities by type of charter

What other documents should you prepare before you leave?

• Insurance: U.S. health plans, including Medicare, often don't cover medical care abroad, so travel insurance that covers medical expenses and medical evacuation is strongly recommended.
• Booking voucher: to show the charter company at check-in.
• License and sailing résumé: for a bareboat charter, upload them to your customer account as soon as you book.

These are in addition to the documents to prepare before your boat trip, which apply to every destination. Caique, gulet or bareboat sailboat: your Filovent advisor will let you know which documents the charter company requires.

For a cruise in Turkey, U.S. citizens don't need a visa: a valid U.S. passport is all it takes. The transit log, the permit to sail in Turkish waters, is handled by the charter company or the crew when you charter a boat based in Turkey. On your end, it comes down to three things: valid passports, the crew list and, for a bareboat charter, a recognized sailing certification.

Do you need a visa or a passport to sail in Turkey?

No visa is required for a vacation, but you do need a passport. U.S. citizens can visit Turkey visa-free under the following conditions:

• Length of stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, in one or several trips (rules in effect as of October 2026).
• Document: U.S. passport.
• Validity: at least 150 days after your arrival date in Turkey; the U.S. Department of State recommends six months.
• Children: every child needs their own passport.

Travelers of other nationalities should check the requirements for their passport with the Turkish consulate or their own country's foreign ministry. Entry rules can change, so review the U.S. Department of State's Türkiye travel page a few weeks before you leave.

What is the transit log and who takes care of it?

The transit log (Yat Kayıt Belgesi in Turkish) is the document that authorizes a boat to sail in Turkish waters and enter Turkish ports. It records the boat, its skipper, the crew and its movements from one port to the next.

If you charter a boat in Turkey

• If you book a sailboat charter in Turkey or a gulet vacation, the charter company or the crew handles the boat's documents and harbor master declarations.
• Your only task: fill out the crew list in your customer account, with the first name, last name, date of birth, nationality and passport number of every passenger.
• The information you enter must exactly match the documents you show at check-in.

If you sail a foreign-flagged boat

If you arrive in Turkey aboard your own boat, the transit log is issued at your first port of entry. It is valid for one year for a single entry and must be reissued whenever the skipper or crew changes.

Can you sail from Turkey to the Greek islands on a charter?

No. The boats Filovent offers in Turkey are not authorized to sail to the Greek islands, not even the closest ones like Kos, Rhodes, Symi or Samos. Crossing between the two countries means clearing out of Turkey and into Greece, with immigration and customs on both sides, and complying with Greek charter regulations, which isn't feasible on a one-week charter.

Crossing without declaring it can lead to steep fines for the crew and the boat being impounded. If you'd like to explore the Dodecanese, the easiest option is to book a yacht charter departing from a Greek island.

Between the Gulf of Gökova and the Lycian coast, there are more coves and ancient sites than you can see in a week, so there's no need to leave Turkish waters.

What license do you need to sail in Turkey?

It depends on the type of charter. A boating license is only required for a bareboat charter:

• Bareboat charter: a recognized sailing certification (such as ASA 104 or US Sailing Bareboat Cruising) or an ICC (International Certificate of Competence). Charter companies also often ask for a VHF radio license, such as the FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit.
• Skippered charter: no license needed, since the professional skipper is responsible for navigation.
• Crewed gulet or caique: no license needed.

For a bareboat charter, the charter company will also review your sailing résumé to make sure your experience matches the type and size of the boat you've booked.

What are the rules on wastewater on board?

Turkey enforces strict regulations on discharges at sea, monitored by the coast guard:

• black water (toilets) and gray water (showers, sinks) must both be collected on board, since discharging them into the sea is prohibited;
• inspections vary from area to area and are particularly strict around Göcek, where a boat without a black-water holding tank can't anchor in the coves;
• boats empty their tanks at marina pump-out stations;
• each pump-out is logged in a digital system that replaced the former “Blue Card”;
• a boat that can't prove its pump-outs is subject to a fine.

The charter company takes care of registering the boat. For a bareboat charter, just plan a few marina stops into your Turkey sailing itinerary to empty the tanks during the week. On a crewed gulet, everything is taken care of for you.

Summary of formalities by type of charter

What other documents should you prepare before you leave?

• Insurance: U.S. health plans, including Medicare, often don't cover medical care abroad, so travel insurance that covers medical expenses and medical evacuation is strongly recommended.
• Booking voucher: to show the charter company at check-in.
• License and sailing résumé: for a bareboat charter, upload them to your customer account as soon as you book.

These are in addition to the documents to prepare before your boat trip, which apply to every destination. Caique, gulet or bareboat sailboat: your Filovent advisor will let you know which documents the charter company requires.