Turkish-Speaking Immigration Attorney in Pennsylvania

1. Build your document list for your status. PennDOT's chart for non-U.S. citizens, PUB 195NC, lists the required documents for roughly 50 statuses (common ones are below). Every status needs a Social Security card or a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) saying you are not eligible for an SSN.
2. Bring two proofs of residency. They must show your name and Pennsylvania street address. Examples: a lease or mortgage document, a W-2 or pay stub, tax records, an auto insurance card, a computer-generated utility bill (electric, gas, cellphone or cable) and postmarked mail. If no bills are in your name, you can bring the person you live with, their license or ID, and a second document showing the same address.
3. Pass the knowledge test. It has 18 multiple-choice questions, and you need 15 correct. According to PennDOT, the test is offered in 29 languages, including Turkish, in written or audio form, on request at every Driver License Center. If you fail, you can retest the next business day. You then get a learner's permit, valid for 2 years.
4. Practice, then take the road test. Drivers under 18 need 65 hours of supervised driving. The examiner first checks your car's safety equipment, and parallel parking is tested in a space 24 feet long and 8 feet wide.

What documents does my status need?

Who cannot get one: B-1/B-2 visitors, C transit visa holders, D crewmembers and Visa Waiver (WB/WT) travelers are not eligible for any Pennsylvania license or ID. A-1 diplomats get their license from the U.S. Department of State instead.

What does it cost?

Current amounts are on PennDOT's fee page. Every center takes payment cards, checks and money orders. Cash is accepted only at the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg. A returned check costs at least $62.

Do I need REAL ID?

Domestic flights and some federal buildings require REAL ID or another accepted document such as a passport. For REAL ID, noncitizens bring a green card, an EAD, or a foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and an I-94. You also need proof of SSN (Social Security card, W-2, SSA-1099 or a pay stub showing the full number) and two proofs of residency. The list is on PennDOT's REAL ID document check. PennDOT charges a one-time $30 fee for your first REAL ID. Pre-verified applicants can get the card the same day at a REAL ID Center.

Where are the Driver License Centers?

Search Driver License Centers by ZIP code and service on PennDOT's location finder, where non-U.S. citizen transactions are listed as their own service. Centers do not publish their own phone numbers; questions go to PennDOT's customer call center. For options in the city, see our Philadelphia guide.

• Test language: the knowledge test is offered in Turkish on request, in written or audio form, at every Driver License Center in the state. Ask for it when you apply.
• Apply before the year runs out: collecting documents and verifying status can take time. Plan to finish the permit and road test steps before your Turkish license's 1-year window ends.
• Coming from another U.S. state: you must get a Pennsylvania license within 60 days of becoming a resident. At a Driver License Center, you surrender your old license, pass a vision screening, complete Form DL-180R, and show ID, proof of residency and your Social Security card. If your old license is valid or expired 6 months or less, the knowledge test is waived.
• Moving from Texas: a Texas license counts as an out-of-state license and transfers on the terms above. The 90 days you had in Texas is 60 days here, and noncitizens still show lawful-presence documents.

With a foreign license, follow the first-license steps above: documents, knowledge test, learner's permit and road test.

1. Get your Pennsylvania ID. According to PennDOT, you need a valid Pennsylvania driver's license or ID card to title and register a vehicle. You have 60 days for the license, but status checks can run long, so start your license application in your first weeks.
2. Buy Pennsylvania insurance. You need proof of Pennsylvania coverage: an insurance ID card, declaration page, binder or a copy of the insurance application. The minimums are in the table below.
3. Go to an authorized agent. The title application (Form MV-1) is not a do-it-yourself online form; an agent authorized by PennDOT completes it. Most notaries, dealers and messenger services are authorized and can issue a temporary registration on the spot. Leased vehicles also need Form MV-1L.
4. Bring your documents. A valid out-of-state title in your name (it is surrendered), proof of Pennsylvania insurance, and a VIN verification (a tracing, or verification by an inspection mechanic or notary).
5. Pay the fees. See the table below. Sales tax is 6 percent statewide; Philadelphia adds 2 percent and Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) adds 1 percent.
6. Inspect within 10 days. A newly registered vehicle must pass a safety inspection within 10 days of registration.

What are the insurance minimums, and what is Limited Tort?

These are the legal minimums set out by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, not a recommended amount. Your policy also asks you to choose Limited Tort or Full Tort. Limited Tort lowers your premium significantly, but you cannot recover damages such as pain and suffering unless the injury meets one of the exceptions in the law. Full Tort keeps that right unrestricted. If you do not specifically elect Limited Tort, you are treated as having chosen Full Tort. A lapse in coverage can lead to a 3-month registration suspension.

Is emissions testing required everywhere?

No. Safety inspection applies statewide, but emissions testing applies in only 25 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. All five Philadelphia-region counties (Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery) and Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, are among them. Model year 1996 and newer cars get an onboard computer (OBD) check and a gas-cap test. The rule is in Chapter 177 of the Pennsylvania Code (67 Pa. Code).

The Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg is PennDOT's own service center, one of the few places that handles titles directly rather than through an agent, and the only PennDOT center that takes cash. For Philadelphia-specific notes, see our Philadelphia guide.

• How to sign up: online, through the PA Toll Pay app, at retail Go Pak locations, or by phone or mail (1-877-736-6727). Details are on the PA Turnpike site.
• Auto-replenishment: from a bank account or a payment card, $35 per transponder is added when your balance drops to $10. If you replenish manually, you get a notice at $15.
• Toll By Plate: without a transponder, a camera photographs your plate and an invoice is mailed to the registered owner. Pay by check, money order or credit card.
• 2026 increase: since January 4, 2026, the most common passenger toll rose from $1.86 to $1.94 with E-ZPass, and from $3.72 to $3.88 with Toll By Plate. That is one example; every segment has its own rate.
• Usage: more than 80 percent of Turnpike toll transactions are now E-ZPass.

How do I pay on SEPTA?

• Single ride: $2.90 on buses, the Metro and trolleys, by contactless bank card, phone wallet or SEPTA Key card.
• SEPTA Key: the card costs $4.95, refunded if you register it at septakey.org within 30 days. With Key or contactless payment you get up to 2 free transfers within 2 hours; cash riders get no transfers.
• Who rides free: children under 12 with a paying adult, and riders 65 and older with a Senior Fare Card.
• Regional Rail: commuter trains are priced by zone. Tap on and tap off, and note there are no free transfers between Regional Rail and the bus or Metro.

Current fares are on SEPTA's fares page. SEPTA went through a serious budget crisis in 2025: planned line closures were halted by a court order, and on September 14, 2025 full service returned and fares rose 21.5 percent to today's level. No fare change has been announced since, but check the site before relying on a printed fare chart.

How do I get to Philadelphia airport (PHL)?

The SEPTA Airport Line links all four airport terminals with the five Center City stations, with trains every 30 minutes. According to the airport, the fare is $6.75 with SEPTA Key or $8.75 paying cash or card on board. Western Pennsylvania is served by Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).

Flights to Istanbul

As of September 2026, Turkish Airlines shows no nonstop service from Philadelphia (PHL) to Istanbul; check Turkish Airlines' own site before you book. Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul from New York JFK and Newark (EWR). See the Türkiye section for the time difference.

For getting around inside the city, see our Philadelphia guide.

• Which USCIS office: the Philadelphia Field Office covers 42 eastern counties (including Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton and Dauphin) plus Delaware; the Pittsburgh Field Office covers the western counties plus West Virginia. See USCIS offices.
• Philadelphia-only rules: the Wage Tax, Good Cause eviction rules, the Eviction Diversion Program and the Homestead Exemption apply only inside the City of Philadelphia. In the suburbs, use the statewide rules on this page.
• Turkish consulate: it is in New York, not Pennsylvania, and serves Turkish citizens in Pennsylvania too (see below).

1. Find your utility. PA Power Switch is the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's official electric shopping website. Enter your ZIP code to see your distribution company and suppliers' rate plans. This works for Pittsburgh and every other region too.
2. Start service without an SSN (PECO). PECO's identity verification form accepts a driver's license, passport, Social Security card, college ID, visa (employment, immigrant or student), green card, state ID, military ID, employee ID or birth certificate. You send two IDs, at least one with a photo, to the email address on the form, and PECO replies within 3 business days. Your start date must be at least 3 business days out.
3. Gas in Philadelphia (PGW). New service needs at least 7 days' notice. Customer service is (215) 235-1000, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call to ask which IDs PGW accepts without an SSN.
4. Choosing a supplier is optional. If you switch, your local utility still owns the lines and meter and delivers the power. As of August 2026, more than 1.4 million Pennsylvanians had switched suppliers through PA Power Switch. Gas supplier choice runs through each utility's own program; at PGW it is called Gas Choice.

Water and trash: these depend on your municipality. In Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Water Department supplies water, and tenants can put water service in their own name under certain conditions. Details in our Philadelphia guide.

• Interest: once a tenancy passes 2 years, a deposit over $100 must be held in an interest-bearing account. The interest goes to the tenant, minus up to 1 percent a year the landlord may keep as a fee.
• The 30-day list: a landlord who does not provide the itemized list within 30 days loses the right to keep any part of the deposit for damages.
• Double damages: to claim double, first give your landlord your forwarding address in writing.
• Keep your records: the lease, the notice showing where the deposit is held, and any move-out list of deductions. A lease also counts as proof of residency at PennDOT.

Does Philadelphia add its own rules?

Yes, but only inside the City of Philadelphia. For leases shorter than a year (month-to-month, for example), a landlord must give 30 days' written notice and a Good Cause reason to end the lease. Before filing an eviction for unpaid rent, a landlord must take part in the city's Eviction Diversion Program for at least 30 days. Complaints go to the Fair Housing Commission. Details in our Philadelphia guide.

• Supplemental rebate: lower-income homeowners whose property tax is high relative to income may get an extra $190 to $500.
• How to apply: online at myPATH.pa.gov, by mail, or in person at hundreds of assistance sites around the state. Program hotline: 1-888-222-9190. Details are on the Department of Revenue's program page.
• Deadline: December 31, 2026. It used to be June 30, so check the date each year.

If you own a home in Philadelphia

Philadelphia's own Homestead Exemption lowers the taxable assessed value of your primary residence by $100,000. The city says most homeowners save up to $1,399 a year. You qualify by owning the home and living in it. Longtime owners can also look at LOOP, but it cannot be combined with the Homestead Exemption. Details in our Philadelphia guide.

1. Find your district. Your address decides it. Each local school board sets its own kindergarten entry age; Pennsylvania has no single statewide cutoff.
2. Proof of age. A birth certificate, passport, baptismal record, prior school record or a notarized statement. A Turkish passport works.
3. Immunization records. Medical and religious exemptions exist, and homeless, transfer and foster-care students can enroll provisionally.
4. Proof of residency. One current document with the parent's or guardian's name and address: a utility bill, lease, deed or bank statement dated within 3 months, or government mail. Parents also sign a sworn Parent Registration Statement about any past suspensions or expulsions.
5. Fill out the language survey. Every student's first enrollment includes a Home Language Survey, and it cannot delay enrollment. The answers decide whether your child is screened for English as a Second Language (ESL) services.

• Homeless students: students covered by McKinney-Vento enroll immediately without proof of residency, and unaccompanied homeless youth can enroll without an adult or documents.
• Up to what age: a student is entitled to enroll until high school graduation or the end of the school term in which they turn 21, whichever comes first.
• Philadelphia: the School District of Philadelphia requires kindergartners to be 5 by September 1. The city offers free PHLpreK for 3- and 4-year-olds with no income requirement, and the district runs a Newcomer Learner Academy for recently arrived teens aged 14 to 20. Details in our Philadelphia guide.

• Medical Assistance (Medicaid): from October 1, 2026, the immigrants who remain eligible are mainly lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau. The Department of Human Services (DHS) is sending letters asking affected people for immigration documents before the change. If you get one, answer it on time.
• CHIP: using a federal option, Pennsylvania keeps CHIP open for lawfully residing children and pregnant people. Emergency Medicaid remains for a true medical emergency.
• Pennie: Pennsylvania's own marketplace, used instead of healthcare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1. Premium help is narrowing for some lawfully present immigrants, so check your own case with Pennie.
• Health centers: find sliding-fee community health centers near you with HRSA's locator. Philadelphia's city health centers and the city's free and low-cost clinics are in our Philadelphia guide.
• 988: the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, with interpreters available.

• Where: the county Register of Wills. In Philadelphia, that is the Marriage License Bureau in City Hall, Room 413, with walk-ins Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• ID (Philadelphia): two documents. One is a photo ID: a driver's license, state ID, international driver's license, U.S. or foreign passport, military ID or PHL City ID. The other is proof of an SSN or ITIN: a Social Security card, pay stub, W-2 or tax return.
• No SSN or ITIN: in Philadelphia, a birth certificate or a second photo ID is accepted instead. A Turkish passport counts as the photo ID.
• Interpreter: in Philadelphia, contact the office at least a week ahead if you need a translator.
• Other counties: in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown or the suburbs, apply at your own county's Register of Wills. The fee and document list may not match Philadelphia's.
• Name change: optional. If you change your name, update your Social Security record for free.

Philadelphia details are on the city's marriage license page and in our Philadelphia guide.

• Online: mycertificates.health.pa.gov is the state's only authorized online vendor and is open 24/7. You must be 18 or older to order online.
• By mail: send the Application for Birth Certificate to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103.
• In person: there are six Vital Records public offices. The main office is at 105 Nesbitt Road, New Castle, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Philadelphia office is at 110 N. Eighth Street, Suite 108.
• Who can order: the person named (16 or older), a parent, spouse, sibling or legal representative.
• Ask for a certified copy: you need one for a U.S. passport and for registering the birth in Türkiye.
• Apostille: for use in Türkiye, the state apostille office in Harrisburg apostilles birth certificates. Send the original certified copy from Vital Records, and do not have it notarized (see apostille).
• SSN: if you request your baby's SSN when the birth is registered at the hospital, the card arrives by mail and you do not need to visit an SSA office.

• What to bring: current immigration documents (green card, I-94 or EAD) with a valid passport, and a birth certificate if you have it. No photocopies or notarized copies. SSA suggests waiting 10 days after arrival so DHS records can be verified.
• F-1 and J-1: an SSN is available only once you are authorized to work (on-campus job, CPT, OPT), not just for enrolling in school.
• Which office: SSA decides which office serves you by ZIP code, not by distance. Check the SSA office locator before you go. Pennsylvania belongs to SSA's Philadelphia Region, together with Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
• National line: 1-800-772-1213.

What can I do in Pennsylvania without an SSN?

• Driver's license: Pennsylvania has no status-blind license like New Jersey's Standard license. PennDOT asks noncitizens for proof of lawful presence and checks it through DHS's SAVE system. For many statuses, such as H-1B, F-1 and asylum applicants, a letter from SSA saying you are not eligible for an SSN (an ineligibility letter) is accepted in place of the card. Green card holders must show their Social Security card. More in the driver's license section.
• School enrollment: under the state Department of Education's enrollment guidance, last revised September 22, 2026, schools may neither request nor require an SSN, and may not ask about immigration status.
• Electricity and gas: in the Philadelphia area, PECO accepts a visa, a green card or a passport as ID from new customers whose SSN-based identity check fails or who have no SSN.
• Taxes: people who must file but cannot get an SSN use an ITIN (see the tax section below).

State income tax

• Flat rate: according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, personal income tax is 3.07% with no brackets. The rate is the same whatever you earn.
• Two returns: the federal return goes to the IRS and the state return (PA-40) to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. There is no separate state ITIN; the federal ITIN is used on the state return too.
• Moving from Texas? Texas had no state income tax. Build the state tax and your local tax into your budget when you compare salary offers.

Local tax: Earned Income Tax and the Philadelphia Wage Tax

• Local income tax: many Pennsylvania municipalities and school districts levy their own Earned Income Tax on top of the state tax. Rates vary from place to place, so ask your employer or your municipality what applies where you live and work.
• Philadelphia Wage Tax: Philadelphia uses its own Wage Tax instead of a standard local tax. Since July 1, 2026, the rate is 3.735% for residents and 3.425% for nonresidents who work in the city. Philadelphia residents owe it wherever they work. More in our Philadelphia guide.

How do I get an ITIN?

1. Complete Form W-7 and attach it to your federal return unless an exception applies.
2. Get documents verified. Mail originals to the IRS in Austin, use a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA), or book an appointment at an IRS office that reviews ITIN documents. With a CAA or an IRS office, your passport does not go in the mail.
3. Wait. Processing takes about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 to April 30).

• IRS office: the IRS list includes the Philadelphia office at 600 Arch Street, which reviews ITIN documents in person. Appointments: 844-545-5640. For other parts of the state, use the IRS office locator.
• Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal return for three years in a row expires.

1. Certificate of Organization: filed on Form DSCB:15-8821 with the Department of State's Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations; the fee is $125. The same filing costs $300 in Texas.
2. Annual Report: Act 122 of 2022 replaced the old once-a-decade report with an annual one. It costs $7 for LLCs, corporations, LPs and LLPs, and nothing for nonprofits. The deadline is September 30 each year. According to the Department of State, starting with reports due in 2027, a company that does not file is administratively dissolved six months after the due date and loses the exclusive right to its name.
3. Fictitious name: anyone doing business under an assumed name, whether a sole proprietor, a partnership or a company, files Form DSCB:54-311 with the Department of State; the fee is $70. Fictitious names have not been filed at the county level since the early 1980s.
4. Newspaper notice: if an individual is a party to the registration, a one-time notice must run in two newspapers of general circulation in the county where the business is located, one of them a legal newspaper.

Registering a fictitious name does not give you an exclusive right to use it.

• Who still qualifies for SNAP: according to DHS, since November 1, 2025, SNAP is open to green card holders (after the 5-year wait or with an exception), Cuban and Haitian entrants and citizens of the COFA countries (Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau). Refugees, asylees, people granted withholding of removal, certain parolees, trafficking victims and VAWA applicants lost eligibility.
• Already receiving SNAP? If you are in a group that lost eligibility, benefits continue until your next renewal date, when eligibility is reassessed.
• Medicaid on October 1, 2026: under federal law, Medical Assistance will be limited to green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants and COFA citizens. Pennsylvania uses a federal option (CHIPRA) to keep covering lawfully residing children and pregnant people. Emergency Medicaid continues. DHS is sending letters asking affected people for immigration documents; do not ignore yours.
• The new public charge rule: for green card applications filed on or after September 18, 2026, officers may consider any means-tested benefit (SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance and others) received on or after that date. Benefits received earlier count only if they were cash assistance or long-term institutional care. Benefits received by family members, such as a child in their own right, are generally not counted.
• Who is exempt: humanitarian categories such as asylees and refugees, T and U visa holders, VAWA self-petitioners and TPS. Family-based, most employment-based and diversity visa applicants are subject to it.
• Litigation: on September 14, 2026, more than 20 states filed one lawsuit and cities led by New York City filed another. As of September 25, 2026, no court had blocked the rule.

1. Log in to your USCIS account and open Change of Address. Reporting online satisfies the legal requirement; no paper AR-11 is needed.
2. Enter the receipt number of every pending case. Otherwise notices may still go to the old address.
3. Tell USPS separately. A post office change of address does not update USCIS, and USPS does not forward USCIS mail.
4. If you are in court proceedings, file Form EOIR-33/IC within 5 days. The court changes your address only through this form.
5. If you have ICE reporting obligations (for example, check-ins set when you were released), update ICE too through the ICE Portal.

A and G visa holders and Visa Waiver visitors are exempt from the USCIS requirement.

• Which office: it depends on your county. The Philadelphia office covers eastern and central counties, including Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Lancaster, Lehigh, Berks, Dauphin and York. The Pittsburgh office covers western counties, including Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland. Your notice is the final word.
• Same building: in Pittsburgh, the field office and the biometrics center share the same building and suite. Check which appointment your notice is for.
• Appointments and questions: USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283, or book online. Appointments are free.
• Processing times: on the USCIS processing times page, pick the form, the category and "Philadelphia PA" or "Pittsburgh PA" as the office. Times update monthly.
• Biometrics: the center is assigned on your I-797C notice; you do not choose it. To reschedule, ask through your USCIS online account. Our biometrics guide covers what to bring.
• Asylum interviews: the office that will interview a Pennsylvania resident is named on the interview notice; go to that address.

• Hours: public and filing hours at the Philadelphia court are weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Email: [email protected].
• A different court: if you are detained or your case sits with another court, your notice gives the address. Check court details on EOIR's court list; do not rely on an old address.
• Online lookup: ACIS needs only your A-number (A + 8 or 9 digits). Your hearing notice is still the official source; the system may show new dates late.
• ICE: according to ICE's page, the ERO Philadelphia Field Office is at 114 North 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (215) 656-7164, and covers Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia. If you have a check-in, talk to your attorney before you go.

Where do I find my I-94, and how do I fix an error?

Download your most recent I-94 from CBP's website. Errors made at entry (wrong visa class, name or admit-until date) are corrected by CBP Deferred Inspection. Pennsylvania's office is at Philadelphia International Airport, Terminal A West, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19153. It is open only weekdays from noon to 8 p.m., (215) 863-4247, [email protected]. It fixes only mistakes made at the time of entry.

• Who can register: according to the state's voter registration page, you must have been a U.S. citizen for at least one month before the election and have lived in Pennsylvania and your election district for at least 30 days. Registration closes 15 days before an election; for the November 3, 2026 election the deadline is October 19, 2026.
• The state's own warning: if you are not a U.S. citizen and a Pennsylvania resident at least 30 days before the next election, you cannot register. Voter hotline: 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772).
• At PennDOT: a driver's license or ID does not make you eligible to vote. If PennDOT or any other agency offers to register you, answer the citizenship question truthfully and decline if you are not a citizen.
• Consequences: registering or voting as a noncitizen is a federal crime (18 U.S.C. 611 and 1015(f)). In immigration law it can mean permanent inadmissibility, deportability and denial of naturalization.
• Do not fill out voter registration forms handed out door to door or at events.
• Who can serve on a jury: among other requirements, Pennsylvania jurors must be U.S. citizens, residents of the county and able to read and understand English.
• If a summons arrives: complete the county court's qualification questionnaire and answer the citizenship question truthfully. Many counties let you respond online. In Philadelphia, jury service is run by the First Judicial District's Jury Commission: [email protected], (215) 683-7170.

Recently naturalized? The rules and ways to register are on Pennsylvania's election page. Remember that you must have been a citizen for at least one month before the election.

• Find an acceptance facility: use the passport facility locator to find the nearest post office or other facility. These locations accept new applications (DS-11) only. The acceptance fee is paid separately from the passport fee.
• Children: a passport book for a child under 16 costs $100 plus the $35 acceptance fee.
• Urgent travel: you need proof of travel within 14 days, or of a foreign visa needed within 28 days. The expedite fee is an extra $60.

• Appointments: free, at passportappointment.travel.state.gov or 877-487-2778 (weekdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., weekends 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Eastern Time). Third-party sites that charge to book an appointment are scams. The agency is closed on federal holidays.

How do park and museum fees work?

According to DCNR's price page, no Pennsylvania state park charges an entrance or day-use fee. You pay only for camping, cabins, boating permits and pools, plus a $6.50 non-refundable transaction fee on reservations. Point State Park is free and open sunrise to sunset all year; nearby parking costs money. At Gettysburg, the grounds open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset. The film, the Cyclorama painting and the museum in the visitor center are run by the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation, not the Park Service, and need a separate ticket.

Fallingwater: entry hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from September 1 to November 29, then 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from November 30; it is closed Wednesdays. The guided architectural tour is $42 per person and a grounds pass without the house tour is $18. October is one of the peak months, and Fallingwater recommends booking at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead for it.

For Philadelphia's sights, see our Philadelphia guide.

Free

• State parks: none of the more than 120 parks charges an entrance or day-use fee. Only camping, cabins and some activities cost money.
• Point State Park: Pittsburgh's riverfront, fountain and historic grounds, open sunrise to sunset all year.
• Gettysburg: the battlefield, auto-tour roads, monuments and visitor center building are free.
• Hershey's Chocolate World: free all year, including the Chocolate Tour ride and its free sample.
• Lancaster County: the Amish towns and country roads are free to explore. See the free things to do list from Discover Lancaster, the region's official tourism office.
• Pocono Mountains: hiking and watching the fall color are free.

With kids

• Hershey: start with the free Chocolate Tour at Chocolate World, then spend the day at the ticketed Hersheypark next door. Check Hersheypark's fall operating days on its site before you go.
• State parks: swimming at lakes and beaches, boating and hiking trails, all with free entry.
• Gettysburg: driving the battlefield is free; the film and Cyclorama need a separate ticket.
• Fallingwater: the Family Field Trip tour is $35 per person, with a minimum of 2 people. Book ahead.
• Point State Park: the fountain and a riverfront walk; the Fort Pitt Museum in the park is ticketed.

To book: konsolosluk.gov.tr → Randevu Al → Türk Vatandaşları İçin Konsolosluk İşlemleri → New York. The 24/7 Consular Call Center: 1-888-566-76-56. After-hours emergency line: +1 646 204 0011. The consulate's website (in Turkish) is newyork-bk.mfa.gov.tr.

Fees and mail-in conditions are updated from time to time. Check the current details on the consulate's site before your appointment.

Tips for your visit

• Services are in Manhattan: whether you live in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Allentown or Pittsburgh, in-person services such as passports and powers of attorney are handled in New York. Have every document ready before your appointment; a missing paper means a new appointment and another trip.
• Timing: there are two service blocks, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Allow for travel time and leave early.
• By mail: birth and marriage registration can also be done by mail, which is worth considering if you live far from New York.
• Birth registration: when registering a U.S.-born child with the Turkish civil registry, use a certified copy of the birth certificate. In Pennsylvania it comes from the state Department of Health's Division of Vital Records, $20 per copy. The only authorized online vendor is mycertificates.health.pa.gov ($10 extra).
• Military service (askerlik): men born in 2007 must complete their registration (yoklama) by December 31, 2026. The paid military service option (dövizle askerlik) for July to December 2026 is the foreign-currency equivalent of 472,653.60 TL, collected by the New York consulate in U.S. dollars at the Turkish central bank rate of the payment day, plus a transfer fee (ask the consulate for the current amount); the amount changes on January 1, 2027. All of Pennsylvania is in the consulate's district. Dual citizens born in the U.S. or who came before 18 can defer until the end of age 35 after registering their U.S. citizenship. F-1 students defer through the consulate's Education Attaché; contact details are on the consulate's contact page.

1. Prepare the original document. The apostille confirms the signature of the Pennsylvania official who signed it, such as a notary, a county clerk or the state registrar. Diplomas, transcripts and criminal record checks must first be notarized by a Pennsylvania notary.
2. Send it by mail. Mail the original with a cover letter or the official Request for Legalization form, payment and a self-addressed stamped return envelope to Pennsylvania Department of State, Apostilles & Certifications, North Office Building, Room 201, 401 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Say which country the document is for.
3. Or walk in. The Harrisburg office serves walk-in customers first come, first served. Tell staff how many documents you have and which country they are for; payment is due when the work is done.

• The building: the front doors of the North Office Building lock after 3 p.m., so go early.
• Birth, death and marriage certificates: a birth certificate must be a certified copy from the state Division of Vital Records and should not be notarized. A death certificate must be signed by the state registrar, not a local registrar. A marriage certificate must be signed by the county Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court, not only by the officiant.
• Apostille or certification: apostilles are for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention. For other countries the office issues a certification, and that country's embassy may need to legalize it as well.

• U.S. clock changes: daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November: November 1, 2026 and March 14, 2027. At 9 a.m. in Pennsylvania it is 4 p.m. in Istanbul in summer and 5 p.m. in winter.
• From Philadelphia: as of September 2026, Turkish Airlines shows no nonstop between PHL and Istanbul. Routes change by season, so check Turkish Airlines before you book.
• Nonstop from New York and Newark: Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul Airport (IST) from New York JFK and from Newark Liberty (EWR).
• Western Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) serves the western part of the state. Check Istanbul options from there on the airline's site or a flight search site.