Immigration

Türkiye | Visa exemption for citizens of the People’s Republic of China

Summary

Recent regulatory developments published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Türkiye introduce a visa exemption for citizens of the People’s Republic of China. The new framework enables short-term entry for limited business and visitor activities, while maintaining strict controls on employment-related activities. Employers should assess the impact on business travel, compliance monitoring, and workforce planning involving travel to Türkiye.

The detail

Ordinary passport holders

Citizens of the People’s Republic of China holding ordinary passports are exempt from visa requirements for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, effective 2 January 2026. During this period, travelers may enter Türkiye for the following non-productive, business and visitor-type activities:

• Business meetings
• Conferences and seminars
• Meetings
• Trade fairs and exhibitions
• Official visits
• Cultural, artistic, and sporting events
• Tourism-related activities

 Official passport holders

Citizens of the People’s Republic of China holding official passports are exempt from visa requirements for stays of up to 30 days.

What this means

The visa exemption facilitates short-term business travel only and does not permit employment or productive work in Türkiye.

Employers must ensure that:

• Travel activities are strictly limited to permissible, non-productive business purposes
• No technical services, operational duties, or revenue-generating activities are performed
• The 90-day/180-day stay limit is actively monitored and not exceeded
• Assignments involving work activities or extended stays are supported by appropriate work visas and work permits

How we can help

At Vialto Partners, we support employers in Türkiye with practical and proactive immigration compliance solutions, including:

• Assessing business travel versus work authorization requirements
• Interpreting visa-exemption rules and identifying immigration risk
• Tracking 90-day/180-day stay limits across global traveler populations
• Evaluating tax, payroll, and social security implications
• Updating global mobility and business travel policies
• Implementing pre-travel compliance and risk screening processes

For tailored advice on managing employer obligations and compliance risks arising from this change, please contact your Vialto Partners advisor.

Contact us

For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:

Cumhur Dülger
Partner

Çağatay Cuştan
Senior Manager

Mesut Çelik
Senior Consultant

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