Do foreign bank cards work for transport payments in Istanbul, including Istanbulkart, parking apps, and AJet tickets?

A Belarusian Visa was declined when trying to buy an Istanbulkart on arrival at Istanbul airport. Travelers were told that the same card may still work later at city vending points or top-up machines, even if the airport purchase fails.

For Istanbul parking services such as Parkkolay and likely LifePark, having a foreign phone number is not the main issue: you may be able to register, but topping up can still fail. Based on traveler experience, even a Belarusian card was rejected, so a Turkish bank card may be required in practice.

When booking domestic flights in Turkey, a Belarusian bank card may be rejected both on AJet and through Aviasales. If you need a ticket urgently, it is worth arranging a backup payment method in advance because the problem can appear at the booking stage.