Norwegians holding one of the country’s new ID cards can now use it for entry into Turkey, in lieu of a passport. The ID cards are also valid for travel to all countries within the European Union and European Economic Area.
The Turkish embassy in Oslo confirmed that Norwegian ID cards can replace passports for travel to Turkey from June 22. That’s an advantage, since thousands of Norwegians currently lack valid passports because of currently lengthy delays in the renewal process. Now they can at least use ID cards, which haven’t been subject to the same delays, for a trip to Turkey, also for travel in many other areas of Europe.
The Norwegian Justice Ministry confirmed that Turkey will accept ID cards for those without passports, as long as the holders have arrived on direct flights from Norway. The ID cards remain invalid in countries outside Turkey and the EU.
Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl has, meanwhile, asked other countries to simply accept expired Norwegian passports this summer. Her ministry is responsible for the police, who have failed to meet heavy demand for passport renewals after the Corona crisis.
Mehl told radio station P4 that it was still “impossible” to say whether Norwegians can travel within Europe this summer uisng their old passports. “I still can’t say whether this will be allowed,” Mehl said, “but we have a very good dialogue between our embassies and authorities in some of the countries we’ve contacted.”
newsinenglish.no staff
