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I am a French citizen and I want to go Turkey. As I see in their Ministry of Foreign Affairs page, I can go to Turkey with my national ID. My passport is expired 3 years ago. And again, as I see in their Ministry of Foreign Affairs page, I can go to Turkey with an expired passport (5 years most) Looks like it's ok but when I am boarding the plane, will staff ask my passport? Or when I am going to gates, will the passport police ask my passport in the passport check point?

Relaxed
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Ünal Batuhan Uysal
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Yes, ground handling staff will want to check your documents (because airlines can be held responsible if they bring someone without proper documentation) and you will have to go through an official passport control (Schengen exit check from the French police). But as a French citizen you can indeed enter Turkey with a national ID card and you won't even have to pay for the Turkish eVisa which many other European citizens have to get.

In practice, since the rules can be very complicated, airlines use a database called Timatic to figure out visa requirements and, as of today, it does include all the information you found on the official Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website so I would not expect any trouble with the airport staff.

As for the police, there is no reason they should prevent you to leave but I don't really know. Leaving the Schengen area with a valid national ID card is definitely allowed and unproblematic. I don't think they should really be concerned about Turkey's rules but I suppose you might encounter a police officer who is surprised about it and requires an explanation. Nowadays, I mostly use the automated passport gates at major airports and nobody even asks for my destination so I have no first-hand experience to report. I don't know how the machines would respond to an expired document either.

Relaxed
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  • So I can go out from Schengen exit check without my passport? – Ünal Batuhan Uysal Aug 04 '17 at 11:50
  • I will call the airline and ask. Maybe they know about the prosedure – Ünal Batuhan Uysal Aug 04 '17 at 11:54
  • @ÜnalBatuhanUysal Generally, yes, that's not a problem at all. I am regularly flying to the UK with my ID card for example. But last time I went to Turkey I did have a passport and used an automated gate so I don't know if the police cares about it. Holidays in Turkey are not uncommon so I think they should be familiar with it. The worse that could happen is to meet a police officer who doesn't know the rules but you can always explain them and point to the official website. It is definitely fully legal and not uncommon to go to Turkey and a few other countries without a passport. – Relaxed Aug 04 '17 at 11:55
  • They told me "Yes you can go" – Ünal Batuhan Uysal Aug 04 '17 at 12:15
  • Personally, I would never depend on another person or database being fully aware. If I were in OP's place, I would carry a print-out of the official regulation. And, if not flying on a Turkish airline, a French or English translation! – WGroleau Aug 04 '17 at 14:58
  • @WGroleau You always depend on them, I am not saying carrying a printout is not a good idea but it's still their decision and that situation isn't particularly complicated. Also, even flying on a Turkish airline, ground handling personnel is unlikely to speak Turkish. – Relaxed Aug 04 '17 at 19:57
  • @Relaxed "As for the police, there is no reason they should preven you to leave" They shouldn't, but sometimes do, at least those in ZRH, which isnt really legal AFAIK. To me who speaks German it's not an issue (I just confidently state my ID's enough for the destination), but my mum was almost refused exit from Switzerland until I could intervene on the phone. – Crazydre Aug 05 '17 at 00:53
  • @Crazydre Yes, I know, that's why I didn't phrase it more affirmatively. – Relaxed Aug 05 '17 at 06:28
  • @Relaxed So I talked with the airline , they told me that It's ok. I talked with a French citizen who entered Turkey with his ID many times. He told me I should fill out a paper which called "Entry and Exit Form to/from Turkey For Persons Travelling With An Id Card According to the European Agreement on Regulations Governing the Movements of Persons Between Member States of The Council of Europe" – Ünal Batuhan Uysal Aug 05 '17 at 11:33
  • @ÜnalBatuhanUysal You don't fill it out yourself - the officer does (usually only your name, although there are more fields). When exiting, present the ID Card AND the form, because it'll get stamped again – Crazydre Aug 05 '17 at 12:46
  • @ÜnalBatuhanUysal with a title like that, there may be no more room on the form to enter any information! – phoog Aug 05 '17 at 12:47
  • @phoog Actually that's only what it's called at the land borders from Greece and Bulgaria. At the Istanbul Airports, it's "Entrance and Exit form on the border for persons who travel with indentification Card" (yes, it's spelt "indentification" xD). There are several different designs depending on where you enter – Crazydre Aug 05 '17 at 12:48
  • @ÜnalBatuhanUysal This is what the form Looks like at the Istanbul Airports (the White one) http://cokokuyancokgezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/kibris-cikis-formu-640x853.jpg – Crazydre Aug 05 '17 at 12:53
  • @Crazydre Also I couldn't get why plural form of word "person" is persons but not "people" ... – Ünal Batuhan Uysal Aug 05 '17 at 17:56
  • @ÜnalBatuhanUysal Haha, yeah! Anyway you'll be fine. I'm Swedish and officially require a passport to enter Turkey, but in practice I've always been let in on my ID. Since French IDs are officially accepted, it's even better. The officer often won't fill out the entire form, which won't be a problem later on in my experience. However, carry that form and your ID at all times, as police checks have become very common especially in the Istanbul Metro – Crazydre Aug 05 '17 at 18:08
  • @Crazydre Thanks for your help, I really appreciate. I'll edit here 19/08/17 – Ünal Batuhan Uysal Aug 06 '17 at 15:28