edgymix

HI,
Can I register and pay for the covid test on Oct 7th and do the testing on oct 11th?

Thank you so much for any of your reply

edgymix

Sorry, I mean November not october ...

ISTFlyer

The registration process is like checking in to a hotel at the reception, so unfortunately you couldn't register in advance and reserve a timeslot.

edgymix

@ISTFlyer but I saw some people said they can just transfer the money in advance and once they get to IST airport they can do the test. So it's not true? is it the test has to be done on the same day you register? Thank you so much for your reply

edgymix

Can I pay for the covid test on Nov 7th , and register and get a bar code on Nov 11th then do the test? I will arrive IST airport on Nov 7th then head to Avanos for a few day before I leave on Nov 11th to Maldives.

ISTFlyer

You could transfer the money in advance. That's correct.
But you should still register ( check-in ) at the front desk at the time you plan to take a test.
The payment date is irrelevant in this case.

Again, if I would implement it to the hotel example,
Even if you pay online, the hotel would check your passport and credit card at the desk for verification purposes.
Here, they would check your passport, your bank transfer receipt, etc... at the desk.

Some people have reported that the payment and the registration ( check-in ) lines have been merged, although, I have no information about this.

ISTFlyer

Yes, the date you've paid is irrelevant.
You could pay whatever date you want.

If you're going to have a test on the 11th, you would need to go to the registration desk on the 11th and then do the test after registration.

edgymix

Thank you so much for your kind response! ) I will check when I arrive IST airport. thank you

DaveS

I did the test during the night when I arrived here. To summarise the current process:

1. Press button on display terminal to get a number.
2. When it is your turn, take the number to whatever desk they point you to. That desk takes payment and enters your details. Entering your data is the longest bit. They give you the bar code.
3. Walk round the corner to take the test.

As was reported previously, combining the payment and bar code step means there is no benefit to paying ahead of time.

I arrived there at 1:44AM. There was one other person looking for a test and a lot of bored looking staff. The result was that it took no more than 5 minutes from pressing the button to getting tested. It was a nose and throat swab for me.

I am staying at the Yotel landside which is very convenient for the test as it is directly above the test centre. There is a set of escalators between exits 6/7 zone P that takes you between arrivals and departures levels.

My results were ready by the time I woke and thankfully were negative One other thing to be aware of. If your final destination needs the COVID test certificate, TK will not check your bags through to to your final destination unless you have the test before you fly and can show the certificate at check-in. Be ready to collect and recheck your bags at IST. It is not a big inconvenience and the test system worked well for me.

I went down to print my test results at 10:00AM and there was still no queue for tests. I asked what happens of you get a positive test. They said they take you to hospital.

Last data point. I walked past at 4:00PM and there was still no queue with just a few people there.

Explorer8939

I am in Istanbul, but will be flying out on the 25th to a country that requires a COVID-19 test 48 hours prior to departure.

I could show up at Istanbul 8 or 9 hours prior to my flight and take the test at the airport. But that’s a long wait.

What I would like to is take the test at the airport the day before my flight. The problem is that I can’t get into the terminal without a same day ticket. Or, is there some way I can get a document that will allow me to enter the terminal the day before my flight?

fvn1312

It‘s always possible to enter the Terminal don’t worry.

Recommend Ahenk (Harmony) laboratory near taskim, Test is around 270 TL and they send you the result latest in 24 hours via email.

Explorer8939

That would be useful if they email a certificate that can printed out. The issue is that most countries requiring a COVID-19 test like to see a printed document.

UPDATE: Because I am in Turkey for more than 14 days, and Turkey is a Green Zone country, no COVID-19 test is required before departure to Ukraine. I will have to check the Green Zone list before the departure date.

ISTFlyer

Although you don't need a COVID test for Ukraine, a reminder that most hotels have printers, and for most countries, there is no requirement that the print-out should be printed by the testing center.

hfly

Dare I note that what the regulations are for anywhere in 14 days is speculative.

cerberusbites

Hi all,
I land at IST but my return flight leaves 44 hours later from SAW rather than IST (on TK operated by AnadoluJet).
Can I still do a test at IST, or is this facility only reserved for passengers departing from IST?
Thanks