U.S. citizens do typically need an e-visa to enter Turkiye, but cruise ship passengers are permitted to come ashore without a visa for day visits by special arrangements. In short, you may visit Turkiye on the day trip from your cruise ship without being in possession of your passport.

Whether you can enter Turkey without a passport in 2026 depends entirely on your nationality. Currently, citizens of several European countries—including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, and Switzerland—can enter Turkey for tourism purposes using only their national ID cards. Additionally, citizens of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine (with biometric IDs) can also enter without a physical passport. Most other travelers, including those from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, are strictly required to have a valid passport and, in most cases, must obtain an e-Visa before arrival. For those eligible for ID-only entry, the stay is typically limited to 90 days within a 180-day period. It is important to note that even if you can enter the country with an ID, you should ensure it is a biometric version and that your transit countries (if any) also allow ID-only travel.