How To Apply For A Turkey Residence Permit

A Turkish Residence Permit is a permit to stay in Turkey for more than three months in a half-year for purposes such as settlement, employment, or education.

A residence permit allows you to live in Turkey, study, marry, convert to a Turkish driver’s license, obtain a tax number, open a bank account, buy property, make investments, and much more. If you’re moving to Turkey to work, you’ll just need a work permit, which also functions as a residency permit.

• Who Needs a Turkey Residence Permit

Everyone who moves to Turkey with the aim of staying for more than three months is required to obtain a Turkey Residence Permit upon arrival. Without a residency permit, your stay in Turkey is deemed unlawful.

You will be exempt from this requirement if one of the following applies to you:

• You have a “registration certificate” for international protection application.
• You are exempt from a residence permit pursuant to reciprocal or multilateral conventions to which the Republic of Turkey is also a party.
• You are a diplomacy or consulate officer that holds office in Turkey.
• You work for representative offices of international establishments in Turkey.
• Your identity card contains one of the following tags:
• “international protection applicant”
• “international protection status”
• “statelessness”
• You have a valid work permit.

Turkish Residence Permit Types

You can apply for one of the following resident permits in Turkey based on your visa type, the reason of your application, and your expected term of stay:

• Short-term residence permit

The Turkish short-term residency permit is the most popular among all other residence licenses. You may obtain this residency permit for any of the following purposes:

• for scientific research
• to establish commercial connections or business
• to participate in an in-service training program
• for educational or similar purposes in the framework of student exchange programs;
• for tourism purposes
• to receive medical treatment given that you do not carry one of the diseases which are considered as a threat to public health
• to attend Turkish learning courses
• You are a citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Family residence permit

A family residence permit may be awarded to a foreign spouse of a Turkish national, his or her minor children, and a dependent foreign kid. To obtain a residence permit, the sponsor must have adequate money to sustain the applicants.

• Student residence permit

If you are in Turkey to study at the primary or secondary level, you can obtain a student residency permit. If you currently have a family home permit, you do not need this one.

You will also be able to apply for this residence if you want to study at the associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctorate, specialty training in medical (TUS), and specialized training in dentistry (DUS) levels in a Turkish higher education institution.

• Long-term residence permit

If you have lived in Turkey for at least eight years continuously under a residence permission issued by Turkish authorities, you can apply for a Turkish long-term permit with indefinite validity.

It should be noted that you are ineligible to apply if you have been in Turkey for the specified period as a refugee, conditional refugee and secondary protection status holder, humanitarian residence visa holder, or temporary protection.

• Humanitarian residence permit

You can apply for this residence permit if you are in Turkey without a valid visa or residence permit but have not received a deportation decision, are awaiting deportation, or are unable to return to your place of residence due to an emergency.

• Residence permit for victims of human trafficking

If you are a victim of human trafficking, and you are in Turkey, you can apply for this residence permit.

• How to Apply for a Turkey Residence Permit

To apply for a Turkish Residence Permit, you must follow a series of processes. The first thing you should know is that you must apply for a residence permit within one month of arriving in Turkey.

Decide which sort of residency permit you wish to apply for, and then fill out the online application at the Turkish Ministry of Interior’s website: https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. You will need to provide your name and surname, date of birth, parents’ names, nationality, and contact details.

Then, go to the “Central Appointment System” website and schedule an appointment with the nearest Directorate General of Migration Management office. In fact, you will need to fill out a form with your information and address in Turkey.

Then you will be given the address of the nearest DGMM office, a list of the required documents, available dates and hours for the appointment, and the application and card charge that you must pay.

• Required Documents for a Turkey Residence Permit

On the day of your appointment, you will be required to provide several documents to the nearest Directorate General of Migration Management location. The necessary documentation for a Turkish resident permit are as follows:

• Residence permit application form.
• Four biometric photographs according to Turkey requirements.
• Original passport.
• Notarized copy of the passport or travel document.
• Proof of sufficient and sustainable financial resources for the duration of the stay. You must prove you have in your bank at least €500
• for each month you spend in Turkey, or present proof that you will receive that amount monthly.
• Evidence of Health Insurance.

It is important to note that extra documents may be required depending on your situation, the type of residence permit you are seeking for, and your nationality. Make care you submit them all on time, as necessary.

• Residence Permit Validity

The validity of a Residence Permit in Turkey is determined by the type of permit that you hold, as follows:

• Short-term residence permits can be issued for a maximum of two years at a time.
• Long-term residence permits are issued with indefinite validity.
• The validity of a Student Residence Permit depends on the length of studies. If your education period is less than one year, the residence permit period cannot exceed the education period.
• The family residence permit may be issued for a period not exceeding three years at a time.
• The permit for humanitarian residence is granted and extended for a maximum period of one year.
• The residence permit for the victims of human trafficking is issued for a period of thirty days.