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A residence permit in Turkey is a legal document that allows foreigners to stay in Turkey for more than three months; the residence permit in Turkey is granted by the Ministry of Interior and Migration Management upon the request of the foreigner. Foreigners who wish to visit Turkey should read the related information about the visa regime in Turkey.
Types of Residence Permits in Turkey
1. Short-Term Residence Permit
Foreigners who wish to stay in Turkey and extend their stay beyond the 90 days visa period every 180 days must obtain a short-term residence permit to make their stay legal. The Turkish short-term residence permit is valid for up to two years. It can be used for one of the following reasons:
- Scientific research
- Business intentions
- Participating in an in-service training program
- Educational purposes such as student exchange programs (Erasmus programs, etc.)
- Tourism
- Medical tourism, only if you are not a threat to public health
- Turkish language course
- Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus citizens
2. Family Residence Permit
In Turkey, a family residence permit is granted to the families of Turkish citizens (spouse, minor children, dependent foreign children). It is valid for up to 3 years, and the duration cannot exceed the sponsor's residence permit in any case. To be appropriate to apply for the family residence permit, the sponsor should have enough income to support all the applicants.
Family residence permits issued to children will require consent from foreign parents who share custody. The residence permit allows the child to get primary and secondary education from the educational system by 18 without obtaining a student residence permit.
3. Student Residence Permit
The student residence permit is granted to those foreigners who come to Turkey to study in the primary and secondary educational systems, associate degree, bachelors, masters, doctorate, specialty training in medicine, or specialty training in dentistry in Turkey. The permit does not give rights to other family members and is granted until the end of the education period.
Work Rights for Foreign Students
International students enrolled in associate, undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate programs can work if they acquire a work permit by applying to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. However, associate or undergraduate students can work only after the first year of their studies.
4. Long-Term Residence Permit
If you reside in Turkey uninterruptedly for eight years without a residence permit issued by the Turkish authorities, you can apply for a long-term residence permit with indefinite validity. However, refugees, conditional refugees, temporary protection, secondary protection, and humanitarian residence permit holders will not be suitable to apply for a long-term residence permit.
Residents with a long-term residence permit will have the same rights as Turkish nationals: Excluding the provisions of special laws and compulsory military service, the right to vote and be elected, enter public services, and exemption from customs duties importing vehicles.
The long-term residence permit in Turkey can be canceled under the conditions like being a threat to public safety, staying out of Turkey continuously without any specific reason such as education and health, or compulsory military service. A re-application for a canceled long-term residence permit can be made at consulates abroad and governorates following the procedure. Continuous residence conditions will not be considered during re-application.
5. Humanitarian Residence Permit
You can apply for this type of permit for the following reasons:
- If you are in Turkey without a valid visa or residence permit, no deportation has been taken.
- If you are unable to return to your home country due to emergency reasons.
A humanitarian residence permit in Turkey is issued for a year. It can be renewed every year by the governorates after the approval of the Ministry. Foreigners granted this permit should register with the address-based registration system within 20 days of the issuance date. Foreigners with a humanitarian residence permit can apply for any other residence permit type except the long-term residence permit if they meet the requirements.
6. Residence Permit for Victims of Human Trafficking
A residence permit will be provided to foreigners if there is strong evidence that they are victims of human trafficking. The residence permit is valid for 30 days and is issued by the governorates. It can be renewed for six months and not exceed the total duration of 3 years. If the residence permit can be canceled or refused, the conditions may not apply anymore, and if revealed, the foreigners are not victims.
It is essential to apply for a residence permit within a month of entering Turkey if you wish to stay longer than the visa duration to make your stay legal. There are several procedures you must follow for a residence permit application.
First, you need to decide the type of residence permit you need to apply for and then complete the online application form at the Turkish Ministry of Interiors' website https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. You will need to provide your name, surname, date of birth, name of your parents, nationality, and contact details in the application form.
After completing the online application, you should make an appointment at the Directorate General of Migration Management's office through the Central Appointment System website. After this, you will be given a list of the required documents, available appointment dates and times, and application and card fee details that you are required to pay to complete the application process.
Documents Required for Residence Permit in the Republic of Turkey
On the day of the appointment, you will need to submit the required documents at the office of the Directorate General of Migration Management;
- Residence permit application form
- Four biometric photographs
- Original and a photocopy of the passport
- Declaration of financial resources for the duration of stay
- General Health Insurance
- Residence document
- Proof of payment for residence permit card
- Proof of tax payment
Please note that you may need to submit additional documents according to the type of your residence permit, make sure to present all of them on time, or the application process might get delayed or even get canceled.
Documents for the Long-Term Residence Permit Application
For eight years, foreigners residing in Turkey can submit their documents to the Migration Administration for an indefinite long-term residence permit in Turkey.
- Residence permit application form
- Original and photocopy of the passport
- Previous residence permit document
- Two biometric photographs
- Documents showing that there has not been any social aid received from government institutions and organizations in the last three years
- Proof of sufficient financial resources
- Police record
- Health insurance
- Document showing that the applicant is registered with the address based on the registration system
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I get a residency permit in Turkey?
To apply for a short-term residence permit or a long-term residence permit, foreigners must submit the required documents to the relevant Provincial Directorate of Immigration Administration.
2. How do I apply for a work visa in Turkey?
Two sides are involved in the application procedure for a Turkish work visa: the employee and the employer. Before you apply, you must have a job offer or contract. You should submit your application to the Turkish embassy, consulate, or third-party visa application center in your country of residence.
Within ten days of receiving your application, your employer must submit any additional documents required to the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Your application will be rejected if your employer fails to deliver the documents on time.
3. How hard is it to obtain permanent residence in Turkey?
Turkish citizenship can be obtained within three to six months. Turkish citizenship by investment is popular among foreigners. Up to half of all applicants are granted a Turkish passport in this manner.
4. What countries can I travel to with my Turkish resident permit?
The Turkish citizenship benefit allows visa-free travel to 111 countries without a Turkish passport, but only by Turkish national ID Card.
5. How long does it take to get a residence permit in Turkey?
Turkish citizenship can be obtained within two to six months.
6. What are the benefits of a Turkish residence permit?
Foreigners may make investments, establish a business, search for business opportunities, work and retire with government social security, medical protection, and pension, and sell or rent property in Turkey.
