Cancer treatment in Istanbul for patients from Iran
Istanbul is one of the most common destinations for patients from Iran, reached by dense direct flights from Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, Shiraz and Isfahan. Many come for a second opinion or full treatment — often because a specific cancer drug is in short supply at home — and reliable, uninterrupted access to medicines and modern equipment is part of the reason people travel. Persian (Farsi) reports 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 Iran to Istanbul
Direct flights connect Istanbul with Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, Shiraz and Isfahan, typically around 2.5–4 hours depending on the city — check current routing and schedules directly with the airlines when you book.
For Iranian ordinary passport holders, Turkey is visa-free for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period (verified against mfa.gov.tr, 22 Jul 2026). In practice, make sure your passport is valid well beyond your intended stay and that you can show onward or return travel, as these are checked at the border. Confirm your own case against the visa & length-of-stay guide before you travel. If a longer treatment course means you may need to extend your stay, or if you need a hospital invitation letter for any reason, request it directly from the hospital you choose.
The site is also available in Persian, and your Persian (Farsi) reports are translated as part of the free service — you don't need to translate anything yourself first. We reply in Persian on Telegram, so you can ask questions in your own language.
Paying for treatment: private, and planning for cross-border payment
Most patients from Iran pay the hospital directly and privately. Because of sanctions and currency restrictions, cross-border payment can be genuinely difficult — international cards issued in Iran generally won't work in Turkey, and exchange rates move sharply — so plan how you will settle costs before you travel. Any funds transfer, currency exchange or payment arrangement is entirely yours to organize; we do not handle, hold, transfer or facilitate payments, and we can't advise on how to move money across borders.
If 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 or guarantee any funding. What we can do is provide itemized invoices and medical documentation from the treating hospital, so you know the full cost in advance and can plan payment. 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.
Your records organized into a plain-language case file plus itemized price ranges you can compare, with no obligation; a hospital tumor board answers once a partner hospital is confirmed for your case.
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.