Cancer treatment in Istanbul for patients from Iraq
Istanbul is a long-established destination for patients from Iraq, reached by direct flights from Baghdad, Erbil and Basra. Many come for a second opinion or full treatment; reports in Arabic can be sent in and medical translation is part of the free service, so your case isn't held up waiting on a translation. You receive an itemized, comparable treatment plan before committing to anything.
Getting from Iraq to Istanbul
Direct flights connect Istanbul with Baghdad, Erbil and Basra, typically around 2.5–3.5 hours. We confirm the current best routing for your city once your case is scheduled.
For Iraqi ordinary passport holders, Turkey's rule is age-based: nationals under 15 and over 50 are exempt from a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, while those aged 15–50 require a visa — an e-visa is available online for eligible applicants who already hold a valid Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit (verified against mfa.gov.tr, 17 Jul 2026). Many oncology patients fall in the visa-exempt age bands; check your own case against the visa & length-of-stay guide, and your coordinator prepares the hospital invitation letter that often accompanies a visa application.
Consultation is handled in English and your Arabic-language reports are translated as part of the free service — you don't need to translate anything yourself first.
Paying for treatment: private, or a government referral
Some patients from Iraq travel privately and pay the hospital directly; others come through a government or ministry 'treatment abroad' referral. If you intend to seek public funding or a referral, the eligibility, process and paperwork are set entirely by your own health authority — confirm the current requirements and any referral-letter or pre-approval steps with them directly before you travel, as we cannot determine, influence or guarantee any of it for you.
If instead you hold private or employer insurance, confirm what applies with the insurer in writing before booking — including pre-authorization, approved hospitals, and documentation. We could not find a general provision that automatically reimburses elective treatment in Turkey; your own arrangement may differ, so please verify it.
We don't process claims, handle referrals, or guarantee any funding. We can provide itemized invoices and medical documentation from the treating hospital for you or your sponsor to submit. This is general information, not financial or insurance advice.
Where to go next
Itemized ranges by procedure, updated quarterly — no numbers repeated here, so this page never goes stale.
A written tumor-board assessment and competing hospital quotes, with no obligation.
Full index of every physician who reviews cases, by specialty and language.
Treatment overviews organized by cancer type.
Official visa-free durations by passport, and the residence-permit path if multi-cycle treatment runs longer.
Including critical feedback — we publish the 3-star reviews too.
How the process works from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.