Turkish-Speaking Immigration Attorney in Virginia

1. Pick your card. There are three: the standard license, REAL ID and the Driver Privilege Card (see the table below). All are issued at DMV customer service centers.
2. Collect your documents. REAL ID requires one proof of identity, two proofs of Virginia residency, one proof of legal presence, proof of your SSN if one was issued, and proof of any name change. Bring originals; only printouts of residency documents you get online are accepted.
3. The extra Driver Privilege Card rule. In the past 12 months you must have reported Virginia-source income, or been claimed as a dependent on a Virginia tax return. DMV verifies the income electronically with the Virginia Department of Taxation. Bring two proofs of identity, two proofs of residency, your SSN or ITIN, and tax-return documentation. Documents not in English need a certified translation by a professional translator.
4. Take the tests. A first license means a knowledge exam, a vision screening and a road skills test. The knowledge exam is offered in many languages, including Turkish. For first-time Driver Privilege Card applicants 18 and older applying before January 1, 2027, DMV says you pass the knowledge exam, get a learner's permit, then either finish a state-approved driver education program or hold the permit at least 60 days before the road test.
5. The road test. Walk-ins are allowed: to test that day, arrive by 4:30 p.m. on weekdays or 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. You bring the test vehicle. Fail once or twice and you wait 2 days to retest; after a third failure, you must complete the matching part of a driver education course before a fourth try.

Standard license, REAL ID or Driver Privilege Card: what is the difference?

What does it cost?

Figures come from DMV's fee sheet dated August 10, 2026 (DMV 201). DMV takes major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, cash, checks and money orders. A Driver Privilege Card is valid for up to 8 years. Cards issued before July 1, 2026 must be renewed in person with a new photo and vision screening.

Where are the DMV customer service centers?

There are many across the state. In Northern Virginia, the Fairfax/Westfields center is in Chantilly (14950 Northridge Drive) and the Fairfax Braddock Road center is at 9855 Braddock Road. In Hampton Roads, there are centers at Virginia Beach/Buckner (3551 Buckner Boulevard), Norfolk/Military Circle (5745 Poplar Hall Drive) and Chesapeake (813 Greenbrier Parkway). For the other centers around Fairfax (Tysons Corner, Franconia, Lorton), see our Fairfax guide. The full list is on DMV's locations page.

• How to apply: book an appointment at any DMV customer service center. Bring your Turkish license with your identity and Virginia residency documents, then take the knowledge exam, road skills test and vision screening.
• Test language: Turkish is on DMV's official knowledge exam list, along with more than 20 other languages such as Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Kurdish and German. Only the commercial HAZMAT exam is English-only.
• The road test is in English: you may bring an interpreter who is at least 18 and holds an unexpired U.S. license; DMV does not provide one. You supply the car, with a valid safety inspection sticker, plates and registration. A rental works only if you are named on the rental agreement as an authorized driver.
• Under 18: a foreign license cannot be exchanged at all, and every step starts from scratch.
• Coming from another U.S. state: you have 60 days after moving to get a Virginia license, or 30 days if you hold a commercial license (CDL). The same deadlines apply if you move from Texas.

Without lawful status, you can take the same tests with your Turkish license and apply for a Driver Privilege Card.

1. Buy Virginia insurance. Minimums are in the table below (Code of Virginia § 46.2-472).
2. Title the car. For an out-of-state vehicle, bring a completed Application for Title and Registration, proof of address, the prior state's title or registration card, and proof of the purchase price if you bought the car in the last 12 months. The title fee is $15. Vehicle purchases carry a 4.15% sales and use tax, with a $75 minimum.
3. Register and get plates. At any DMV customer service center, after titling. A passenger car up to 4,000 lbs costs $30.75 a year; 4,001 to 6,500 lbs costs $35.75. Emissions areas add $2. Fully electric vehicles also pay a $135.63 Highway Use Fee each year. The late registration fee is $10.
4. Local decal. Some counties and cities require new residents to buy a Local Sticker or Decal within 30 days. It is sold by the local Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer or Director of Finance, not by DMV.

If your coverage lapses during the registration period, you must reinsure the car, deactivate the plates or surrender them. An uninsured owner pays a $600 noncompliance fee, must file an SR-22 for three years, and may owe a reinstatement fee.

What about inspections?

• Safety inspection: every vehicle in Virginia must display a valid annual safety inspection sticker. Licensed private repair shops do the inspection, not DMV. For stations and questions, call the Virginia State Police at (804) 674-2000. Driving without a valid sticker can get you a ticket.
• Emissions inspection: if your car is kept in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William or Stafford counties, or in the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas or Manassas Park, it needs an emissions inspection before its first Virginia registration, unless it already has a valid certificate from the last 12 months. Information: Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 703-583-3900.
• Multi-year registration: 2- and 3-year registrations get a $2 to $4 discount. First-time registrations and cars garaged in emissions areas do not qualify for the 3-year discount.

After registration comes the car tax

Separate from the DMV registration fee, the county or city where the car is kept charges a yearly car tax on its value. Fairfax County's rate is $4.57 per $100 of assessed value. We explain how it works, and the state subsidy, in the property and car tax section.

• E-ZPass Virginia: open an account at ezpassva.com. Customer service runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. You can also add cash with an E-ZPass Reload Card at participating stores. The tag works in other E-ZPass states too.
• Express Lanes (I-495, I-95, I-395): run by the private company Transurban. You pay with E-ZPass or, without a tag, by Pay-By-Plate, and the price moves with real-time traffic. The current price and a trip estimate are on expresslanes.com and in the company's app. Customer service: 1-855-495-9777.
• I-66 Express Lanes: the section outside the Beltway (66 Express Outside the Beltway) has its own operator and is open to all vehicles, including trucks. Check tolls and carpool (HOV) rules on the operator's site.
• Dulles Toll Road: run by MWAA, the authority that operates the Washington airports, from Fairfax County toward Dulles Airport. Pay with E-ZPass or Pay By Plate. Current tolls are on dullestollroad.com. The Dulles Greenway, farther west, is a separate private toll road.

• Paying: on Metrorail, tap your SmarTrip or contactless card both when you enter and when you exit, using the same card both times. Current fares are on WMATA's fares page.
• Transfers: bus to bus is free within 2 hours. Bus to rail, or rail to bus, gets a $2.25 discount within 2 hours. Discounts need SmarTrip or contactless payment, not cash. Fairfax Connector, Fairfax County's bus system, is part of this program; see our Fairfax guide.
• Kids: up to two children age 4 and under ride free with each paying adult.
• VRE: the Manassas and Fredericksburg lines run from Northern Virginia to Washington Union Station. Check fares with the calculator on VRE's website.
• Richmond and Hampton Roads: GRTC runs buses in the Richmond area, and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) serves Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

Which airport should I use?

• Washington Dulles (IAD): the region's main international airport, on the Fairfax-Loudoun county line. Turkish Airlines serves Dulles; its reservations line is 800-874-8875, and baggage claim is Zone 3.
• Reagan National (DCA): in Arlington, directly on Metrorail's Blue and Yellow lines. MWAA runs both airports.
• Flights to Istanbul: time difference and flights are in the Türkiye section.

• Counties and cities are separate: in Virginia, cities are governed apart from the surrounding county. The state's emissions list, for example, names Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax separately. The locality your address belongs to sets your taxes and services.
• Tax rates are local: each county and city sets its own real estate and car tax rates. Fairfax County's 2026 rates are in the property tax section.
• Turkish mission: there is no Turkish consulate in Virginia. Turkish citizens in Virginia are served by the consular section of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. (see below).

1. Find your utility. The Dominion Energy and NOVEC boundary can change from street to street. Ask your landlord before you move, or check your address on the utilities' service territory maps. Elsewhere in the state, your address also decides your provider.
2. Start service. Dominion Energy's website lets you start, move, stop or reconnect service online. NOVEC handles new service, transfers and stops; customer care is 703-335-0500.
3. Give notice when you move. NOVEC asks for notice within a reasonable time before the occupant or the person responsible for the bill changes. Without it, you can stay responsible for power used after you leave.
4. Natural gas. Washington Gas serves Northern Virginia. Start service through the "Start and Stop Service" section of its website.

Water and trash: these depend on your locality. In Fairfax County, for example, Fairfax Water supplies water (703-698-5600), and most households pick and pay a licensed private hauler for trash. See our Fairfax guide.

• What deductions are allowed: unpaid rent (including reasonable late charges in the lease), damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, other charges the lease provides for, and actual damages from breaking the lease.
• Itemized notice: any deductions must be listed in writing, and the balance paid within the same 45 days.
• Several tenants: the refund goes out as one check payable to all tenants, sent to a forwarding address one of them provides. Give your landlord your new address in writing when you move.
• If you stay past the end date: the landlord can file an unlawful detainer (eviction) case in court.
• First stop in a dispute: some localities offer free mediation. Fairfax County's Consumer Services Division, for example, tries to resolve tenant-landlord complaints through voluntary mediation (703-222-8435). See our Fairfax guide.

• Who gets PPTRA relief: personal-use vehicles. A car co-owned by a business, used more than half for business, expensed under Section 179, or leased with the company paying does not qualify, and it must be registered under 10,001 lbs. A vehicle worth $1,000 or less owes no car tax, though the DMV registration fee still applies.
• Filing: since January 1, 2023, Fairfax County files the tax return itself for vehicles registered with DMV. If the county does not receive the DMV registration within 60 days of the purchase or move, it adds a 10% penalty ($10 minimum). Elsewhere, ask your local Commissioner of the Revenue how it works.
• Relief and exemptions: Fairfax County offers real estate and car tax relief to residents who are 65 or older or permanently and totally disabled, subject to income and asset limits. Separate exemptions exist for active-duty military, disabled veterans, and surviving spouses of service members or first responders killed in the line of duty. Ask your local tax office whether it runs similar programs.
• Fairfax detail: tax offices, phone numbers and special district add-on rates are in our Fairfax guide.

1. Find your school division. You enroll where you live. Under § 22.1-3, public schools are free to every school-age person who resides in the division. Each division sets its own registration process and documents; there is no single state portal. Children who are homeless or temporarily staying with others keep their right to enroll without a fixed address.
2. Check the age cutoff. To start kindergarten, a child must turn 5 by September 30.
3. Gather documents. The division decides what it asks for. In Fairfax County, for example, the school's own Residency Attestation plus a lease, deed or resident manager's letter proves your address, and a passport can show the child's age if there is no birth certificate. An SSN is not on the list. See our Fairfax guide.
4. Fill out the language survey. Registration includes a Home Language Survey. If your family speaks a language other than English at home, the school uses the WIDA screener to check your child's English and places them in English-learner services if needed.

Is there free preschool?

Yes. The state-funded Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) serves 3- and 4-year-olds in households at or below 350% of the federal poverty level. Children with an IEP, children who are homeless or in foster care, and children who live with a teen parent, have an incarcerated parent, or whose parents did not finish high school can qualify regardless of income. You apply through your school division or locality.

What if the school asks for immigration papers?

Under § 22.1-2.2, a school may not exclude a child from enrollment or a program based on immigration or citizenship status, and, except where state or federal law requires it, may not ask for information or documents about immigration or citizenship status. If the rule is broken, a family can sue after giving the school division 15 days' written notice and ask the court for an order and damages. The notice period does not apply in an emergency.

• FAMIS Prenatal: full coverage throughout pregnancy. You need an expected delivery date, the number of babies expected, Virginia residency, income within the limit, and no other insurance. Details on DMAS's FAMIS Prenatal page.
• The October 1, 2026 Medicaid change: under the federal H.R. 1 law, Medicaid eligibility for noncitizen adults narrows starting October 1, 2026. DMAS's June 2026 toolkit says the rules for FAMIS Prenatal, children, and pregnant and postpartum women do not change.
• Cover Virginia: the state's information portal for Medicaid, FAMIS and marketplace options, with a page just for noncitizens: Health Coverage for Noncitizens.
• Health centers: find sliding-fee community health centers near you with HRSA's locator. We list free and low-cost clinics in Fairfax County in our Fairfax guide.
• Hospital bills: in Virginia, financial help with hospital bills varies from hospital to hospital. Before you pay, ask the hospital about its financial assistance policy.
• 988: the suicide and crisis lifeline, with interpreters available.

• Where: any Circuit Court clerk's office in Virginia. Hours, fees and requested information vary a little by office, so call ahead.
• ID: a driver's license, passport or military ID. A valid Turkish passport works as photo ID. You both apply together, in person.
• Fairfax example: at the Fairfax County Courthouse (4110 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 116), the fee is $30, paid in cash or by Visa or Mastercard with a 4% card fee. Fairfax's page lists Social Security numbers among the information it asks for; if you have none, call the clerk before you go. See our Fairfax guide.
• Validity: the license is good for 60 days from issue. With no waiting period, the ceremony can happen the day you get it.
• Marriage certificate: certified copies come from the state vital records office in Richmond or a local health department's vital records window. The state holds marriage records from 1936 on, and a copy costs $15.
• Name change: it is optional. If you change your name, update your Social Security record for free.

• State office (Richmond): 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. Mailing address P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Customer care (804) 662-6200, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Checks, money orders, cards, mobile pay and cash are accepted. Order online through VDH's vital records page, or use VitalChek for express delivery.
• Local health departments: you can get the same certified copy at a nearby health department window. In Fairfax County, for example, the Annandale, Franconia-Springfield, Herndon-Reston and Mount Vernon public health centers issue copies to walk-ins on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m.). See our Fairfax guide.
• DMV: Virginia DMV customer service centers also sell certified copies of Virginia birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Call the center to confirm before you go.
• Ask for the full certified copy: a U.S. passport application and registration in Türkiye both need the certified long-form birth certificate.
• Apostille: a birth certificate for use in Türkiye gets its apostille from the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Richmond, $10 per document (see below).
• SSN: if you request your baby's Social Security number when the birth is registered at the hospital, the card comes 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. For example, the Reston office in Fairfax County is at 10800 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 100, open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cities such as Richmond, Norfolk and Roanoke have their own offices.
• National line: 1-800-772-1213.

What can I do in Virginia without an SSN?

• Driving: Virginia has no status-neutral standard license. Residents who cannot show legal presence can apply for a Driver Privilege Card: an ITIN is accepted in place of an SSN, but you must have reported Virginia-source income, or been claimed as a dependent on a Virginia return, in the past 12 months. DMV checks that income electronically with the Virginia Department of Taxation. The card is not REAL ID compliant and cannot be used to board a flight. More in the driver's license section.
• School enrollment: Code of Virginia § 22.1-287.03 bars school boards from requiring a student's or parent's Social Security number. Students get an SSN-independent student ID number instead.
• Pregnancy coverage: FAMIS Prenatal does not require an SSN (see the health section).
• Taxes: people who must file but cannot get an SSN use an ITIN (see the tax section below).

State income tax

• Old brackets: the thresholds in § 58.1-320 have not changed since 1990. Because the top bracket starts at $17,000, most of an ordinary salary is taxed at 5.75%.
• Two returns: the federal return goes to the IRS and the state return (Form 760) to the Virginia Department of Taxation. Virginia has no separate ITIN; the number the IRS issues is used on the state return too.
• Moving from Texas? Texas had no state income tax. Build Virginia tax into your budget when you compare salary offers.
• Link to the Driver Privilege Card: the card requires reported Virginia income, and DMV verifies it with the tax department. If you have no SSN, file your Virginia return with your ITIN on time.

What is the Virginia car tax?

• A local tax: every Virginia city and county taxes vehicles normally garaged there as personal property, once a year, at a locally set rate. It is separate from the DMV registration fee. In Fairfax County, for example, the rate is $4.57 per $100 of assessed value.
• State relief (PPTRA): under the Personal Property Tax Relief Act of 1998, the state subsidizes the tax on the first $20,000 of a personal-use vehicle's assessed value. Vehicles assessed at $1,000 or less owe no car tax at all. Business vehicles do not qualify.
• Real estate tax is also set locally, so there is no single statewide rate (see the property tax section).

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; documents are returned at the end of the appointment.
3. Wait. Processing takes about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 to April 30).

• IRS offices: according to the IRS list, Virginia offices that review ITIN documents in person are in Charlottesville, Hampton, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke and Vienna (in Fairfax County). Appointments: 844-545-5640; it can take several weeks to get one. Find addresses with the IRS office locator.
• Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal return for three years in a row expires.

1. Articles of Organization: filed with the SCC; the fee is $100 (§ 13.1-1005). The same filing costs $300 in Texas.
2. Annual registration fee: $50 (§ 13.1-1062), first due by the last day of the 12th month after the month of formation and every year after that. A late payment adds a $25 penalty, and the SCC mails a warning that the LLC's existence may be cancelled.
3. Trade name: doing business in Virginia under a name other than your legal name requires a Certificate of Assumed or Fictitious Name. Under § 59.1-69, it has been filed with the SCC since January 1, 2020. Circuit Court clerks now accept only dissolutions of certificates filed with them before 2020.

• Who still qualifies for SNAP: U.S. citizens, green card holders, Cuban/Haitian entrants and COFA citizens. Refugees, asylees and trafficking-visa holders no longer qualify based on that status alone. The 5-year wait still applies to green card holders, with exceptions such as children under 18. In Fairfax County, applications go to the Department of Family Services.
• U.S.-citizen children in the household may still receive benefits in their own right.
• Medicaid and FAMIS: according to the H.R. 1 toolkit from DMAS, Virginia's Medicaid agency, the narrower rules for adult noncitizens take effect on October 1, 2026. Eligibility rules for children and for pregnant and postpartum women do not change. Check your own situation on Cover Virginia's page for noncitizens.
• FAMIS Prenatal: pregnancy coverage with no immigration status rules, no immigration documents and no SSN required. You need to live in Virginia, meet the income limit and be uninsured (see the health section).
• 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. ICE's page asks for updates within 5 business days of moving.

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

• Your notice decides: you do not choose the office. The address, floor and time on your appointment notice are what count; if the notice shows a different address from this table, follow the notice.
• 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 "Washington DC" or "Norfolk VA" as the office. Northern Virginia cases appear under "Washington DC." Times update monthly.
• Biometrics: the center is assigned on your I-797C notice and may not be the closest one. To reschedule, ask through your USCIS online account at least 12 hours before the appointment. Our biometrics guide covers what to bring.

• Richmond: EOIR's page lists no hours or docket type for this center. Go there only if your hearing notice gives this address.
• Hours: the Annandale and Sterling courts are open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with filing until 4 p.m.
• Email: [email protected] and [email protected].
• The old Arlington court: if an older document mentions the Arlington Immigration Court, that court closed in 2022 and its docket moved to Annandale. Always check the location on your latest hearing notice.
• 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: the ERO Washington Field Office is in Chantilly, in Fairfax County (14797 Murdock Street, Chantilly, VA 20151), (703) 633-2100, and covers Washington, D.C. and all of Virginia. Confirm the address and phone on ICE's website or your own paperwork before you go. 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. If you entered through Dulles, the office is at the airport: Main Terminal, Lower Level, West End, (703) 661-2800 ext. 7116 (per CBP's list, Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; mailing address 1 Saarinen Circle, Sterling, VA 20166; email [email protected]). Hours can change, so call before you go. It fixes only mistakes made at the time of entry.

• Who can register: according to the Virginia Department of Elections, U.S. citizens who live in Virginia (people here only temporarily who plan to return to another state do not count), are 18 and are not registered in another state. 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election may pre-register.
• Where registrations are taken: besides the online portal and local registrar offices, at DMV offices, offices that handle SNAP, WIC, TANF and Medicaid, and public libraries. If you are offered voter registration while applying for a Driver Privilege Card or a benefit, decline and answer the citizenship question truthfully.
• 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.
• The jury list: the Fairfax Circuit Court's jury FAQ says potential jurors are randomly selected from voter registration lists and sent a Juror Questionnaire. Responding is mandatory; people who do not respond can be found in contempt of court. Jurors are paid $50 a day.
• If a summons reaches you by mistake: do not ignore it. Call the jury office of the court named on the summons and tell them you are not a citizen. Answer the citizenship question truthfully and never claim to be a citizen.

Recently naturalized? The rules and ways to register are on the Virginia Department of Elections page.

• 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, through the online appointment system 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.

How do park fees work?

A 7-day pass to Shenandoah National Park costs $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle or $15 per person aged 16 and up. The park's annual pass is $55. Since July 1, 2025, the park no longer takes cash; bring a credit or debit card. Historic Jamestowne charges $15 for 7 days, or $45 for an annual pass. The Blue Ridge Parkway has no entrance fee. Most state parks charge a small per-vehicle fee, so check the park's page before you go.

Fall color: Shenandoah's own website says it is impossible to predict a single peak date, because the park stretches along more than 100 miles of ridge at very different elevations. Color turns first up high and moves down into the valleys over several weeks.

Free

• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: free general admission in Richmond, open 365 days a year. Only special exhibitions are ticketed.
• More free stops in Richmond: the Virginia State Capitol and the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site.
• Blue Ridge Parkway: no fee to drive it; only campgrounds charge.
• Virginia Beach: the boardwalk and beach are free, and so are the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum and the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum on the boardwalk.
• Shenandoah National Park: free on NPS fee-free days (the ones left in 2026 are October 27 and November 11). From 2026 the Park Service limits free entrance on these days to U.S. citizens and residents; non-residents pay the regular entrance fee, and at some parks a non-resident fee on top of it. The Park Service page does not say who counts as a resident, so if you are not a citizen, check before you rely on it.
• Colonial Williamsburg: the Historic Area is free on November 14, 2026, with a reservation.

With kids

• Colonial Williamsburg: costumed interpreters and trade shops. A single-day ticket is $10 for ages 6 to 12, and children under 6 are free.
• Monticello: always free under 5. The grounds ticket is $2 for ages 5 to 11 and $8 for ages 12 to 18; the Highlights Tour is $4 and $13.
• Virginia Beach: Grommet Island Park, an ADA-accessible beach playground.
• Shenandoah and Skyline Drive: overlooks along the drive and short trails. Fourth graders can get a free America the Beautiful pass. The pass is $80 for residents and $250 for non-residents, and at some parks non-residents aged 16 and over pay a $100 fee on top of the regular entrance fee.
• Historic Jamestowne: see archaeologists at work at the first English settlement.

To book: konsolosluk.gov.tr → Randevu Al → Türk Vatandaşları İçin Konsolosluk İşlemleri, then choose the Washington Embassy from the list. The 24/7 Consular Call Center: +90 312 292 29 29. After-hours emergency line: +1 202 304 3889. Other phone: +1 202 612 6701. General embassy email: [email protected]. The embassy's website is washington-emb.mfa.gov.tr.

Fees and the conditions for mail applications are updated from time to time. Check them on the embassy's site before your appointment.

Tips for your visit

• An embassy, not a consulate general: choose the Washington Embassy when you book. Virginia is not in the New York Consulate General's district.
• Services are in D.C.: whether you live in Fairfax, Richmond, Norfolk or Roanoke, consular services are handled in Washington. Have every document ready before your appointment; a missing paper means a new appointment and another trip.
• Timing: general embassy hours are weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but the consular section's public reception hours can be shorter. Plan around your appointment time and allow for traffic.
• Birth registration: when registering a U.S.-born child with the Turkish civil registry, use the certified long-form copy of the birth certificate. In Virginia it comes from the state Office of Vital Records in Richmond or from a local health department's vital records office; a copy costs $15.
• Military service (askerlik): men born in 2007 must complete their registration (yoklama) by December 31, 2026, through the embassy or e-Devlet. 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 Washington Embassy in U.S. dollars at the Turkish central bank rate of the payment day; ask the embassy whether a transfer fee is added. The amount changes on January 1, 2027. It requires a U.S. residence or work permit, 3 years (1,095 days) of work abroad, the MSB online training and an in-person appointment. All of Virginia is in the embassy'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 embassy's education office; contact details are on the embassy's contact page.

1. Get the right certified copy. Birth, marriage, divorce and death records come from the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Vital Records (8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond; walk-in, weekdays 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or from local health departments, at $15 a copy. Documents issued or notarized in another state must be authenticated in that state, not in Virginia.
2. By mail: generate the cover letter in the online system. Send the document with the cover letter, payment and a prepaid return mailer by USPS to 1111 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. For FedEx, UPS or DHL, use 400 East Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Turnaround is 7 to 10 business days from receipt.
3. In person: 400 East Cary Street, Richmond. Appointment slots open only on Fridays at 10 a.m., and only for the following week. Up to 2 people per appointment and up to 10 documents per visit. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID.

• Fee: $10 per document, not per page. When several documents are signed by the same official on the same date for the same country, each one after the first is $5.
• Contact: the office does not publish a phone number. Email questions to [email protected].

• 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. If you are coming from Texas, Virginia is one hour ahead.
• Dulles to Istanbul: Turkish Airlines is on Dulles's list of airlines, reservations 800-874-8875. Check current days and fares on the Turkish Airlines website.
• Airports: Dulles sits on the Fairfax County and Loudoun County line and is the region's main international gateway. Reagan National (DCA) in Arlington is on Metrorail's Blue and Yellow lines.