Residence permit in Turkey

About one million Ikamet (as a plastic residence permit card is called in Turkey) are received annually by foreign citizens who want to stay in this country for longer than 90 days after entry. There are different reasons for obtaining an Icam, for example, tourism, work, university studies or investing. Having this card and extending it on time, you can legally engage in the relevant type of activity, and subsequently switch from a residence permit to permanent residence and obtain Turkish citizenship. Applications for registration of all types of Accounts are submitted online. The authorities of the country consider the case within 30-90 days.

Advantages

Ikamet is attractive for the following reasons:

• Turkey has a geographically advantageous location for business. Legally staying in this country, it is convenient to cooperate with companies and individuals from Europe and Asian countries.
• Low cost of living compared to the EU and the USA. Reasonable prices also apply to rental housing. For example, an Istanbul studio apartment with a comfortable location will cost a foreigner $800, while similar apartments in Ankara or Izmir will cost $600.
• With a residence permit, the transition to citizenship is allowed. The process takes 5 years.
• Turkish banks lend to foreigners who want to buy a home. The estimated monthly rate is 1.5–4%.
• The country has a high level of medicine, and the cost of healthcare services is significantly lower than in Germany, Poland, and the United States.

Types of residence permit in Turkey

Hiccups can be short-term and long-term. Both types of residence permits give the right to stay in the country for longer than 90 days, but there are differences between them. Short-term residence permits are issued to university students, scientists, tourists, businessmen and foreigners who want to receive medical care. It is renewed every year and is valid for no more than 5 years. A long-term residence permit is issued after 8 years of stay in Turkey using any type of residence permit.

Tourist

Foreign travelers have the right to live in the country for a year after entry on the basis of a tourist residence permit. The application is submitted online on the migration service portal. A state fee is paid for reviewing the case – $ 11, excluding the tourist fee.

To apply for a residence permit, a tourist will be asked to attach to the application a receipt for payment for a hotel room, plane tickets, passes to cultural events or other documents confirming the purpose of entry.

The worker

The Turkish Ministry of Labor issues 3 types of work permits to foreigners, each of which is equivalent to an Icamete (that is, the card does not need to be obtained separately):

• Temporary for those who want to take up a position in a local company for the first time. It is issued for 1 year, then extended for 2.
• Indefinite or permanent for foreigners who have worked in Turkey for 8+ years.
• Independent for businessmen and buyers of shares of local organizations. Applications for such work permits are considered individually.

The basis for obtaining this type of residence permit is an employment contract with the employer, which is attached to the online application.

For investments

The country’s authorities consider a foreigner to be an investor who has bought an apartment or a house worth over $400,000. The owner of such housing has the right to apply for a residence permit for a period of 2 years. If he is going to retain ownership of the property, he can count on an extension of the residence permit. It is allowed to purchase both one and several objects. The main thing is to exceed the minimum threshold of $400,000. An act of registration of real estate in the land registry (TAPU) and/or a purchase and sale agreement is attached to the application for a residence permit.

In addition to buying a home, Ikamet is available for investment to those who keep $500,000 in a local bank or have invested a similar amount in the development of a Turkish company. You can also buy government bonds and investment fund units.

Family

This type of residence permit is issued to husbands, wives and minor children of foreigners who hold Turkish passports or residence permits. A spouse with local citizenship will be asked to confirm their monthly income, which should not be less than $580 per person. It is also important for him to prove the fact of residence in the country in the last 12 months before submitting the application and attach medical insurance for each relative to the application.

The family residence permit is valid for 3 years. Then it is allowed to apply for Turkish citizenship.

Student

It is suitable for university students, schoolchildren, college students, doctoral students and those who are going to improve their qualifications in the medical profession. Many Turkish universities and institutes accept applications online and send out e-invitations to eligible applicants.

A student applying for a residence permit will need a B1+ language certificate and a bank statement confirming that they have the means to support themselves for the duration of their studies. The student’s residence permit is valid for 1 year with an extension based on successfully passed exams.

Humanitarian

A humanitarian residence permit in Turkey is issued only for a year, then it is changed to a residence permit with a different reason for staying or leaving the country. Foreigners who are obliged to provide their children with living conditions, deported citizens of other countries without the opportunity to leave the country, victims of emergencies and those who are not granted another residence permit have the right to obtain such a permit. In the latter case, a foreigner should not pose a threat to Turkish citizens.

For pensioners

Retired people have access to a residence permit for owning real estate. There is no separate residence permit for older foreigners in Turkey in 2025. Retirees who intend to live in this state have an advantage: unlike investors, they can buy apartments or a house for less than $400,000. If a pensioner buys a house, he is immediately issued a residence permit with the right to annual renewal.

Long-term residence permit

They are issued to non-convicted foreigners who have been living in Turkey for at least 8 years and do not receive social benefits due to poverty. This document has no validity period, but it is canceled if its holder does not come to the country for more than a year. Acceptable reasons for long–term absence are medical treatment and education abroad.

With a long-term residence permit, it is allowed to study and attend public clinics for free, work for local companies, keep money in banks, buy housing and non-residential facilities on credit.

Requirements for the applicant

A residence permit is issued to foreigners who are willing to document their reason for living in Turkey. It is critically important to have no criminal record and no dangerous illnesses – in both cases, the chances of obtaining a residence permit are low. The general reliability is confirmed by a certificate of non-criminal record and examination at a clinic accredited at the consulate. Financial viability is confirmed by a bank statement. The minimum monthly amount per person is $580. The total amount shown on the account is calculated according to the duration of the requested residence permit and the number of people in the family.

Required documents

The list of documents that are attached to the online application depends on the specific reason for a long-term stay in the country. This may include proof of home ownership, an invitation from an educational institution, and a language certificate, marriage certificate, or employment contract. Here is exactly what you will need to apply for a residence permit card in Turkey.:

• a questionnaire containing the personal data of the applicant and his relatives;
• INN;
• 4 photos;
• original and copy of passport with translation and notarization;
• statement of deposit or certificate of employment;
• medical insurance;
• apartment rental agreement with notary’s seal or proof of ownership of housing.

The translation language of the documents is Turkish. Apostillation is required for marriage, birth, divorce certificates, diplomas of education, and passports.

Cost

The state fee for reviewing the case and making the card is 160 Turkish lira. To extend the residence permit, you will need about $118 per year per person. The cost of a SIM card is $5, and medical insurance for a year is $325. Renting one-room apartments will cost $550-800, depending on the locality.

The application process

The process of obtaining a residence permit card in Turkey looks like this:

• Purchase a SIM card. The phone number will definitely come in handy at the stage of obtaining an INN and an Ikamet card.
• Find an apartment, sign and notarize the lease agreement. The landlord enters the series and passport number + INN, indicates the co-owners.
• Buy annual health insurance. The easiest way is do it online, but you can personally come to the insurance company with a suitable price and amount of coverage.
• Order a translation and notarization of the passport and everything that is necessary to confirm the grounds for a specific residence permit. The language is Turkish only.
• Take a picture. The photos must be biometric, the quantity is 4 pieces.
• Fill out the application, book the date and time of the interview with the immigration officer.
• Explain to the migration service representative the purpose of obtaining a residence permit. Take with you the documents and their copies indicated in the application for a residence permit. If it is difficult to communicate in English or Turkish, it makes sense to come for an interview with a translator.
• Get an INN. This can be done at the Tax Office.
• Get an Icameter in the mail. When the card arrives at the branch, the applicant will receive a confirmation message.

You can view the current stage of the application for a residence permit on the migration service portal.

Terms of review

According to official information, the applicant’s documents are studied and checked within 3 months. In practice, a residence permit can be obtained within 30 days if it is correctly translated, certified and attached to the application form the first time.

Extension of residence permit

To extend a short-term residence permit in the second and subsequent years of residence in the country, you must contact the office of the Turkish Migration Service and apply. A long–term residence permit is not extended (it has no expiration date), the main thing is not to travel abroad for more than a year.

Reasons for refusal and cancellation

The country’s authorities will refuse to issue a residence permit if a foreigner:

• has been receiving poverty benefits for the past 36 months;
• has not paid for an insurance policy covering medical services;
• did not show a bank statement with the availability of funds for living;
• poses a danger to local citizens.

A negative response to the application can be appealed. An immigration lawyer will help the applicant with this, who will draw up and file a lawsuit within 2 months after the refusal. Foreigners who have been denied a residence permit must leave Turkey within 10 days.

Features of living with a residence permit in Turkey

A person who has been legally present in the territory of the state for six months or longer is considered a resident. If a foreigner is staying in Turkey according to a tourist plan and is going to receive a long-term residence permit and/or citizenship, it is important for him to remember: the length of residence in the status of a traveler will not be taken into account when considering the case. Therefore, if there are plans for permanent residence, it is necessary to find another reason and document it.

Holders of a long-term residence permit are not allowed to travel outside the country for more than a year. To overcome this limitation, you should obtain citizenship.

Before obtaining a Turkish residence permit for the first time, it is necessary to find out in which areas this document is not issued and/or refused to be renewed. For example, there are such areas in Alanya, Antalya, Istanbul and Mersin. If a foreigner already has his own home in such an area, he will be able to rest in it, but the right to obtain a residence permit will be limited.