Last Updated on 15/05/2023
Turkey has been lately one of the preferred immigrants’ destinations globally. Actually, Turkey has been home to more than 70 countries’ nationals worldwide. Iraqis ranked 1s in top Expats nationalities in Turkey. They are followed by Turkmenistanis, Iranians, Syrians, and Uzbeks, the accessible immigration process in Turkey has encouraged many foreign nationals to relocate to this country.
According to the official data, the General Directorate of migration management issued 1,320,503 Turkey residence permits in the first week of January 2022. More than half of these residence permit holders live in Istanbul, 53.3%. Then come respectively Antakya, Ankara, Bursa and Izmir.
We highly recommend foreigners willing to settle in Turkey be aware of the immigration process in Turkey and its requirements. This information will prevent them from facing critical situations.
How to get residence permit in Turkey
Foreigners who have the intention to stay in Turkey for longer than the determined visa period must apply for a residence permit in the General Directorate of Migration Management.
Foreigners who have visa exemption are also required to apply for a residence permit if they plan to extend their stay.
There are two types of residence permits:
Long-term residence permit
Foreigners who have stayed legally in Turkey for at least 8 consecutive years can apply for a long-term residence permit.
Short-term residence permit Turkey
Short-term residence permits issued for a period of up to 2 years. According to the applicant purpose of stay, we can categorize the residence permit as follows:
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Touristic residence permit:
This type of residence permit granted to foreigners willing to stay in Turkey for tourism reasons. This type given up to one year, and doesn’t allow its holder to work or study in Turkey.
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Student residence permit:
International students intend to study in Turkey or attend any course or language program must apply for a student residence permit. Also includes students coming through exchange programs that Turkey is part of. Only students registered in Turkish learning programs are exempt from applying for a student residence permit.
Foreigners willing to intern in Turkey must also apply for this residence permit. It is granted for 1 year and can be renewed every year if the required conditions are still available.
Students who graduated from Turkish universities are eligible for a post-graduation one-year residence permit so they can look for a job.
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Family residence permit:
Issued for foreigners married legally to Turkish Citizens. If the foreign spouse has children from a previous marriage, these children can obtain a residence permit. However, in this case, the salary of the Turkish spouse must be at least equal to the minimum salary times the family members’ number.
Also granted for family members of foreigners working legally in Turkey, they must obey the same salary condition. It does not allow its holders to work in Turkey.
Foreigners willing to work in Turkey must get a work permit. Yet, foreign children who got residence permits can study legally in state schools.
This type issued for a maximum of two years to be renewed. Foreigners married to Turkish citizens can apply for Turkish citizenship after consecutive 3 years of effective marriage.
Turkey residence permit by investment
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Real Estate residence permit in Turkey:
- Foreign nationals who own a property can obtain a one-year residence permit renewable each year. Spouse and the property owner’s children are also eligible for the residence permit.
Previosuly, there was no minimum amount to be eligible for a residence permit by real estate. However, after a reguılation occured at the end of 2022, the minimum amount to get residence permit by real estate in metropolitan cities became 75,000$. -
Business residence permit:
- Business residence permit is issued to foreigners who have the intention to establish a business or commerce in Turkey. These individuals will be required to submit proof documents relative to the company they are about to set.
How to apply Turkey Residence Permit
Foreigners willing to apply for any residence permit must apply for Turkish residence online on the following website https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. They must have a valid health insurance policy covering all the requested stay periods. Besides, the validity of the passport must be 6 months longer than the requested residence period.
After fishing the online application, they will receive an SMS or an email from the General Directorate of migration management with the date and the time of their appointment.
Then submitting the required documents to the decided General Directorate of migration management Office at the time and the date of the appointment.
Residence foreign ID card is issued within a month after the application. Until that time, foreigners stay legally in Turkey and won’t face any sanction. Still, in case of travel outside Turkey, they have to get permission from the General Directorate of migration management without exceeding 2 weeks of stay.
Process of renewing residence permit in Turkey
Foreigners whose residence permit is about to expire must apply for its extension if they still have the intention to live in Turkey. They must submit the renewal application online in the last month of their current residence permit.
Any change in the holder’s information, such as the city of residence passport number or civic status, requires a new residence permit.
Any violation of the residence permit limited period will cause its holder a fine and, in some cases, deportation from Turkey for a certain period.
To know further details about the residence permit application in Turkey, MEO Consultants offer you a complete advisory. You can get a free consultation.
FAQ
Where can I travel with Turkey residence permit?
The Turkish RP is not a passport. So you can travel to the countries where your passport allows you to.
Can I travel to Europe with Turkey residence permit?
In order to travel to Europe you need to get Schengen visa first.
Can I get health insurance with Turkey residence permit?
You should get private health insurance for residence permits in Turkey. For tourists, students, and businesspeople traveling to Turkey, private health insurance policies are often issued for one year and are only good for a combined total of two years.
How long does it take to get a Turkish residence permit?
It takes between one and three months to get a Turkish residence permit.
How long can I stay outside of Turkey with residence permit?
A valid short-term R.P holder should not leave Turkey for more than 120 days in a year unless there are urgent reasons relating to the community.
What are the new rules for residence permit in Turkey?
After the regulation declared at the end of 2022, real estate residence permit require a minimum investment of 75,000$ in metropolitan cities and 50,000$ in small provinces.
