Turkey Digital Nomad Visa

The Digital Nomad Visa (GoTürkiye) program in Turkey was announced in April 2024, but the official launch was only in October 2024. The program was created so that freelancers, IT specialists, entrepreneurs and representatives of other professions could move to the country and combine work with life in comfortable conditions. In addition to a rich cultural heritage, warm climate, affordable cost of living, Turkey can offer a long-term residence permit (for 12 months with the possibility of extension) and the opportunity to relocate a family. The main income requirement is from $ 3,000 per month. Thanks to loyal requirements, Turkey is one of the most attractive countries for digital nomads today.

The digital nomad visa is a new direction for Turkey, but it has already become one of the most popular. Our free guide will help you understand all the intricacies and nuances. It contains all the information necessary to obtain the status.

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Upon application approval, the candidate is issued an identification certificate. This becomes the basis for applying at a Turkish consulate and obtaining a freelancer visa. The document review period takes 4 weeks. The cost of the visa has not yet been specified on the embassy website or at visa centers.

Specifics of the Freelance Visa in Turkey

Holders of the Digital Nomad visa are promised an attractive lifestyle. Primarily, specialists from abroad are wanted in Istanbul, the Dalaman and Mugla provinces, and other cities with developed office infrastructure. The rapidly growing nomad community helps with adaptation in the country, networking, and professional growth. Before applying to participate in the program, the candidate requirements must be studied. There are really many advantages and here are the main ones:

• No requirements for knowledge of the Turkish language.
• No need to take out health insurance or rent housing at the time of applying for a visa.
• The freelancer card is provided for 12 months with the right to extend.
• Relatively affordable housing and cost of living compared to European countries or the USA.
• Convenient geographical location opens up wide opportunities for travel.
• Government institutions provide high-quality and affordable medical care.
• The spouse and children of the main applicant have the right to obtain a residence permit for a similar period.

A digital nomad visa can be obtained if you meet the following requirements:

• Higher education (the type of diploma does not matter).
• Age compliance (from 21 to 55 years).
• Citizenship of one of the countries included in the list of permitted.
• Proof of monthly income of $3,000 for the last 6 months.
• Proof of relevant experience as a freelancer or remote employee.
• Provide an employment contract (for remote employment).
• Provide a certificate of absence convictions.

The Minister of Industry and Technology noted that Turkey aims to be part of the global technology ecosystem and is ready to offer promising specialists favorable conditions. For many remote workers, these will become a springboard in their careers.

Support mechanisms for startups have been created, including business incubators with services tailored to the specifics of the activity and business accelerators with advisory assistance. Relocators are helped with renting offices in technoparks, co-working centers, and access to financial-analytical information and Türkiye technologies.

Taxes in Turkey

If a foreigner stays in the Republic for up to 183 days per year, he/she is not a tax resident and must pay taxes only on income received from Turkish companies. Tax residency occurs if a foreigner stays in the country for more than 183 days per calendar year. In this case, taxes must be paid on global income (received from abroad). The following tax rates are currently in effect in Turkey.

Personal Income Tax (PIT)

Residents of Turkey are subject to a progressive tax scale:

• Up to ₺110,000 – 15%
• From ₺110,001 to ₺230,000 – 20%
• From ₺230,001 to ₺1,900,000 – 27%
• Over ₺1,900,000 – 35-40%

Value Added Tax (VAT)

VAT in Turkey is 20% for most goods and services. Digital nomads generally do not pay VAT unless they do business in the Republic.

Social Contributions

If a digital nomad does not work for a Turkish company and does not have the status of an individual entrepreneur, then social contributions (pension, health) may not be paid. They can be paid voluntarily in order to gain access to the state health system (SGK).

Tax Incentives and Agreements

Turkey has double taxation treaties with more than 80 countries. When paying taxes in their home country, a foreigner can avoid double taxation in Turkey. To prove the fact of payment, it is necessary to provide relevant evidence to the tax authorities. Digital nomads who are not residents of Turkey may not pay taxes on foreign income if they do not transfer these funds to Turkey.

Declaration of income

If a digital nomad has the status of a tax resident, he/she must submit a tax return. The deadline for filing documents is the end of March of the year following the reporting year. Non-residents declare only income received in Turkey.

Property taxes

When owning real estate in Turkey, a foreigner must pay property tax. The rate varies from 0.1% to 0.6% of the cadastral value of the property. When purchasing, a tax on the change of ownership is levied (4% of the value).

Registration costs

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Important addition. From April 1, 2025, new insurance limits for Yabancı Sağlık Sigorta (YSS) policies, which are mandatory for obtaining a residence permit in Turkey, will come into force. The new conditions imply the following rates:

• Outpatient treatment: ₺15,000 (currently ₺5,000)
• Inpatient treatment: ₺150,000 (currently ₺50,000)

What does this mean in practice?

The cost of insurance will definitely increase. The exact prices have not yet been announced, but an increase is expected. From April 1, 2025, migration centers will only accept policies with the updated limits. Therefore, when planning to apply for a Digital Nomad Visa, apply for a residence permit as soon as possible to avoid paying higher rates. At the moment, policies with new limits are not yet available. It is worth remembering that the requirements will change from April 1, 2025.

If you take a policy with minimum coverage, the price of insurance in 2025 will be:

• for persons 18-35 years old – 1300₺ per year;
• for persons 36-45 years old – 1800₺ per year;
• for persons 46-55 years old, under 18 – 2100₺ per year;
• for persons 56-60 years old – 2700₺ per year;
• over 60 – from 3000₺ per year

It is worth factoring in housing costs. As of March 2025, the rental prices in Istanbul are as follows:

• 1-room apartment (city center) – ₺35,051;
• 1-room apartment (outside the center) – ₺22,117;
• 3-room apartment (city center) – ₺63,765;
• 3-room apartment (outside the center) – ₺37,207.

Necessary Documents and Requirements

The main requirements for the applicant’s dossier are similar to those of European countries that issue visas for nomads. You can see the list of the main documents on the website digitalnomads.goturkiye.com. To create a dossier need to prepare:

• Application form.
• Diploma of higher education (required), original + copy.
• Original passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure to Turkey and at least 2 blank pages + a copy of its first page.
• A copy of the passport with the registration page.
• 2 biometric photographs. Requirements for the photo: on a white background, not older than 6 months, with a full-face image, clearly visible face, size 5×6).
• Admission letter from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey (required).
• Reservation of an air ticket to Turkey and back for a period of no more than 90 days.
• Confirmation of accommodation in Turkey (hotel reservation, certificate of ownership / lease agreement for real estate, notarized invitation).
• A certificate of employment from an employer in Russia. Indicating the position, salary and date of employment, information that the job will be kept after returning to the Russian Federation, the date of issue of the certificate. The document must be certified by the signature of the responsible person and the company seal. For freelancers: a contract for the project that he/she is working on, indicating all the details of the project.
• Bank account statement. Information must be provided with the movement of funds for the last 6 months and information on the balance.
• A document indicating the details of the applicant’s parents + a copy.

Recent Changes in Visa Issues in Turkey

The launch of the national nomad visa sparked debates. According to public feedback, the program is less suitable for Russians. People express mistrust towards the local authorities. This is related to the fact that in 2023, they were frequently denied extensions of residence permits and were forced to leave the country. Many disliked the high monthly income requirement, especially when the minimum wage in Turkey is only $550. After exploring programs in other countries, they advise less affluent expats to consider Spain, Montenegro, and Italy, which have lower financial requirements. How correct they are will be seen in the coming months.

Popularity statistics for Digital Nomad Visa to Turkey

However, so far, the dynamics of popularity according to Google Trends shows the opposite: as of mid-summer 2024, there is a tendency to be included in the list of the most popular visas by destination. This may be due to the general trend of growing demand for such programs around the world.