Obtaining a residence permit in Turkey is one of the most discussed topics among foreigners. Interest in this issue is constantly maintained by numerous rumors and regular changes in legislation, attracting the attention of foreigners already living in Turkey and those who plan to move here for permanent residence.
In this article we will take a detailed look at the process of obtaining a residence permit in Turkey. We will discuss the basic requirements necessary for successfully obtaining an ikamet.
What is Ikamet?
Ikamet is a residence permit that allows foreign citizens to legally reside in Turkey for a specified period of time. This document is in the form of a plastic card with the owner’s photo and personal data.
Foreigners can stay in Turkey without a visa for a limited period, which varies from 30 to 90 days depending on their nationality.
To extend your stay in the country for a longer period, you must obtain a residence permit (residence permit). A residence permit in Turkey provides a number of benefits, including the ability to enroll children in school, access to quality medical care, the ability to buy a car, open a bank account and enjoy other rights and responsibilities similar to those of local residents, except the right to vote.
It is important to note that you cannot engage in labor activities on the basis of a residence permit in Turkey. However, having received a residence permit for a period of more than six months, you can apply for a work permit, which already gives the right for official employment in Turkey.
Residence Permit Types
Residence permits in Turkey are divided into several categories: short-term, family, student and long-term. A short-term residence permit in Turkey can be issued for a period of three months to three years and depends on various grounds for obtaining it, including a rental agreement, property ownership, tourism purposes, medical treatment and others.
Despite widespread rumors that Turkey has stopped issuing residence permits, this information is not true. However, the issuance of primary residence permits based on rental housing and accommodation in apart-hotels, as well as the extension of this type of residence permit, was almost completely suspended from december 2022. An exception is made only for Ukraine citizens.
The most reliable type of residence permit in Turkey is based on the right of ownership of residential real estate (according to TAPU).
But there are pitfalls here too:
- If the TAPU was issued before 04/26/2022 and the document contains only one owner or legal spouses with a marriage certificate with an apostille, you can obtain a residence permit under TAPU in any region. Even if it is currently closed for obtaining a residence permit without providing expert assessment of housing.
- If the TAPU was issued from 04/26/2022 to 06/30/2022 and the document contains only one owner or legal spouses (with a marriage certificate with an apostille), you can obtain a residence permit under TAPU in any area, but you must provide an expert assessment of the housing, which indicates that the value of the property is more than $75,000.
- If the TAPU was issued after 07/01/2022 and the document contains only one owner or legal spouses (with a marriage certificate with an apostille), a residence permit under TAPU can only be obtained in an area, opened for a residence permit, and with the mandatory provision of an expert assessment of housing, which indicates that the property value is more than $75,000.
- If the TAPU has been issued since October 16, 2023 and the document contains only one owner or legal spouses (with a marriage certificate with an apostille), a residence permit under TAPU can only be obtained in an area, opened for a residence permit. An expert assessment is not required, but the cadastral value of the property must be more than $200,000.
To obtain a residence permit in Turkey
It is impossible to get residence permit in “closed” districts, if the TAPU was received after 07/01/2022. The only way for foreigners to officially reside in closed areas based on property ownership is to obtain citizenship by investment.
To obtain a residence permit in Turkey, you must fill out an application on the website of the Turkish Migration Service “GÖÇ DAİRESİ”, prepare the necessary set of documents and arrive at the appointed meeting at the migration department. After the inspector checks the submitted documents, the case will be accepted for work, and the applicant will be able to track its status using the application number.
It is important to know that a residence permit in Turkey can be revoked:
- in case of providing an incorrect residential address;
- if it is established that the foreign citizen does not actually live in the apartment for which the residence permit was obtained;
- if the owner rents out an apartment for which he received a residence permit and in which he must live;
- when selling an apartment, if the residence permit holder does not register at a new residential address within 21 days from the date of re-registration of the TAPU.
To obtain each type of residence permit there is a list of required documents. The relevance of which can always be checked on the website by clicking on the link below:
Link >>> https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/Ikamet/BasvuruIstenenBelgeler/BasvuruFormuIstenenBelgeler?tur=3
We will list the main documents:
- International passport. Please pay attention to its expiration date. Residence permits will not be approved for a period longer than the validity period of the passport.
birth certificate of the apartment owner. - Marriage certificate.
- Birth certificate of children.
- Documents from the pension fund.
- Medical certificates.
- Certificate of good conduct.
- Permission from the second parent to export and obtain a residence permit for a minor child in case of departure with one parent.
- An approved certificate of child custody in the event of a divorce. If custody is shared an approved consent provided by the other parent
- In the event of the death of one of the spouses, the other provides a death certificate
- All documents, without passport must be apostilled in your country.
- Apostilled documents and passports are translated into Turkish by a sworn translator and certified by a notary.
All documents, except the passport, must be apostilled in your home country. The apostilled documents and passport are translated into Turkish by a sworn translator and notarized already in Turkey.
In any case, we advise you to resolve all issues with paperwork with the support of experts. If you have any questions about obtaining a residence permit, you can call or write to us.
Phone: +90 549 681 8866 (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram),
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/905496818866
E-mail: [email protected]
Gürses Invest employees will be happy to help you. You can view real estate under a residence permit from this link
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