Residence permit (ikamet) in Türkiye

01

What is a residence permit?

02

Short-term residence permit: who gets it?

The kind granted most often (Articles 31–33 of the law). It is granted on one of these grounds:

• Those who stay for tourism

  You state where, when and how long you will stay; documents are asked for when needed.

• Those who finished higher education in Türkiye

  When they apply within 6 months of graduating: once, for up to a year.

• Those enrolled in a Turkish course

  The course must be approved by the Ministry of National Education; granted up to twice.

• Investors

  Those who invest the set amount in Türkiye without working there, their spouse and children: up to 5 years at a time.

• Those who come for trade or business

  For a stay longer than 3 months, an invitation from the partner or company may be asked for.

• Those who own a home in Türkiye

  The home must be a dwelling and be lived in; a spouse and children who share in the property apply too.

• Those who must stay at the request of a court or an authority

  Foreigners whom a court or administrative decision requires to stay in Türkiye.

• Those taking part in student exchange programmes

  Under programmes such as Erasmus, Mevlana and Farabi; the permit does not run past the programme.

• Those who come for scientific research

  They come on a "scientific research" visa and submit the research permit, or a statement about the research.

• Those who come for medical treatment

  They must be admitted by a hospital and have no illness dangerous to public health; the permit is granted for the length of the treatment.

• Those who no longer meet the conditions of a family permit

  Those who turned 18 after 3 years on a family permit, those divorced from a Turkish citizen after 3 years (3 years are not asked for when domestic violence is proven by a court decision), and those whose sponsor has died.

• Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

  Up to 5 years at a time.

• Those who take part in in-service training

  The permit is granted for the length of the programme.

• Those in programmes of public bodies

  For education, research, internship or a course, up to a year.

A short-term permit is granted for at most 2 years at a time. Only investors and TRNC citizens get up to 5 years.

03

Conditions of the short-term permit

Under Article 32 of the law:

• Submitting documents that prove the purpose of your stay in Türkiye.
• Not being among those barred from entering Türkiye (Article 7 of the law).
• Having a place to live that meets health and safety standards.
• When asked, a criminal record certificate from the country of your citizenship or of your lawful residence.
• Giving the address where you will stay in Türkiye.

When one of the conditions is not met or ceases to be met, when the permit is used for another purpose, when there is a removal or entry ban decision, or when the time allowed abroad is exceeded, the permit is refused, cancelled if already granted, and not extended when it ends.

04

Family residence permit

Articles 34–37 of the law. Granted to the foreign spouse, minor children and dependent children of Turkish citizens, of persons under Article 28 of Law No. 5901, of foreigners holding a residence permit, of refugees and of holders of subsidiary protection.

• The sponsor's own children and the spouse's children can apply too.
• Where there is more than one spouse, only one gets a family permit; all the children can get one.
• When applying for a child, the consent of the parent abroad who shares custody is needed.
• A family permit gives the right to attend primary and secondary school without a student permit until 18.
• Granted for at most 3 years at a time, and never past the sponsor's own permit.
• From the sponsor: health insurance covering the whole family, a monthly income of at least a third of the minimum wage for each family member, a criminal record showing no offence against the family in the last 5 years, at least 1 year living in Türkiye, and registration in the address register.
• From the applicant: documents proving the purpose, showing that the couple lives together or means to, both spouses being 18 or older, no entry ban, and a marriage not entered into to obtain a family permit.
• On divorce (after 3 years on a family permit with a Turkish citizen), on the sponsor's death, or on turning 18 after 3 years on a family permit, one can move to a short-term permit.

When the conditions are not met or cease to be met, when the permit is used for another purpose, or when there is a removal or entry ban decision, the family permit is refused, cancelled or not extended.

05

Student residence permit

Articles 38–41 of the law. Granted to primary and secondary school pupils without a family permit, and to those studying in Türkiye at a higher education institution for an associate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, or a medical or dental specialisation (TUS, DUS).

• A pupil with a family permit studies without a student permit until 18; one who is still at secondary school after 18 must get a permit.
• When the studies last less than a year, the permit does not run past them. Those who come through public bodies get it for the length of their studies.
• A student who applies for general health insurance (GSS) within 3 months of first enrolling is not asked for separate insurance. One who misses the 3 months must take out private insurance.
• When the faculty or programme changes at the same institution, or the institution changes in the same province, the permit stays valid as long as the studies go on and the change is reported in time. On moving to another province, a new permit is granted there for the new length of study.
• Associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral students may work with a work permit. For associate and bachelor's students the right begins after the first year. The work permit is applied for at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
• A student permit lets the student sponsor a family permit for their spouse and children only.

06

Long-term (indefinite) residence permit

Articles 42–45 of the law. Granted without an end date. The conditions:

• At least 8 years living in Türkiye on residence permits without a break. Half of the time on a student permit counts, and all of the time on other permits.
• No social assistance received in the last 3 years.
• Sufficient and regular income to support oneself and one's family.
• Valid health insurance.
• No threat to public order or security.
• Refugees, conditional refugees, holders of subsidiary protection, of a humanitarian permit and of temporary protection cannot move to a long-term permit.
• Its holder has the rights of Turkish citizens, except military service, voting and standing for election, entering public service, importing a car duty-free, and what special laws provide.
• Cancelled on a serious security threat, or after more than 1 year abroad without a break for a reason other than health, education or compulsory service in one's own country.

When a long-term permit cancelled for more than a year abroad is applied for again, the 8-year condition is not asked for again; the application is handled first and decided within a month at most.

07

Humanitarian residence permit

Articles 46–47 of the law. The conditions of the other permits are not asked for; the province grants it for the term the ministry sets, with the Directorate General's approval. It is granted:

• When the best interests of a child require it.
• When, despite a removal or entry ban decision, the foreigner cannot be removed from Türkiye, or leaving is not reasonable or possible.
• When no removal decision is taken under Article 55 of the law.
• When an action is brought in court against steps taken under Articles 53, 72 and 77 of the law.
• While the applicant's return to the first country of asylum or to a safe third country is under way.
• To foreigners who must be let in and allowed to stay for urgent reasons, for the interests of the state or for public order and security, but cannot get another permit.
• In extraordinary situations.

A foreigner granted a humanitarian permit must register in the address register within 20 working days. Time on it is not added to the periods other permits require. During its term one can apply for another permit (except the long-term one) whose conditions are met.

08

Residence permit for victims of human trafficking

09

The e-İkamet system

The online portal of the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı): e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr. On it you:

• follow the application, and whether the card has been printed and sent (the "Başvuru Sonucumu Öğrenmek İstiyorum" page).

• apply to extend a residence permit;
• apply to change the kind of permit (geçiş);
• see the list of documents each kind requires;
• apply for a residence permit for the first time;

For questions, the Foreigners Communication Centre (YİMER): 157 inside Türkiye, +90 312 157 11 22 from abroad.

10

How to apply

The basics: you must have entered Türkiye lawfully and hold a valid passport. The steps:

1. 1

   Make sure you entered Türkiye lawfully and your passport is valid.

2. 2

   Find the kind of permit that fits your purpose, and its conditions.

3. 3

   Fill in the application in the e-İkamet system. You must be in Türkiye when you apply.

4. 4

   On the day and at the time the system sets, go with the documents required to the migration office (İl Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü) of the province you plan to live in. In Istanbul and Ankara the system sets the date; in other provinces you choose it. Missing it without a valid excuse counts as not having applied.

5. 5

   Pay the residence permit fee (harç) and the card fee before the appointment.

6. 6

   You can submit the application yourself, through your legal representative or through your lawyer; the office may ask you to come in person if it sees fit. Each person's application and permit are handled separately; no one gets a permit as a companion.

7. 7

   Once the documents are accepted, you get an İkamet İzni Müracaat Belgesi (the application certificate) and the application is reviewed.

8. 8

   The decision comes by SMS or email and the residence card is sent to your address: your address, phone and email must be correct.

11

Which documents are needed?

The documents depend on the kind of permit; the full list is shown on e-İkamet. As a rule:

• A copy of the passport
• A biometric photo taken in the last 6 months
• Proof that the residence permit fee was paid
• A document on your address in Türkiye: a permanent address or a hotel address
• Health insurance covering the whole term of the permit (below)

Some kinds need more documents. For a permit through a home, for example, a property valuation report (Taşınmaz Değerleme Raporu) is asked for.

12

The health insurance condition

The insurance must cover the whole term of the permit asked for. One of these is enough:

• A GSS application document

  Signed and stamped, showing that general health insurance (GSS) was applied for at SGK.

• An SGK provision document

  Signed and stamped by the Social Security Institution; on a family permit it must cover both the sponsor and the family members.

• A social security agreement document

  Signed and stamped by the provincial social security office, on using health services in Türkiye under a bilateral agreement.

• Private health insurance

  A policy from an insurance company.

13

Key deadlines

Keep these in mind before and after you apply:

• 90 days

  The decision

  An application is decided within 90 days at most. The time runs from the day all the documents are in; you are told if it takes longer.

• 60 days

  Extending

  An extension is applied for from 60 days before the permit ends, and always before it ends.

• 15 days

  Travel while it is reviewed

  With the approved Müracaat Belgesi and the fee receipt you can leave Türkiye and come back within 15 days. If you stay abroad longer than 15 days, the visa rules apply on your return.

• 20 working days

  When the address changes

  When your address changes while you hold a permit, you must hand in the documents needed to the migration office and the civil registry within 20 working days.

• 30 days

  Missing documents

  When something is found missing from your documents, you must complete them within 30 days.

• 60 days

  Objecting to a refusal

  When the application is refused, you can object and use other legal remedies within 60 days.

• 10 days

  After a refusal

  A foreigner whose permit is refused must as a rule leave Türkiye within 10 days.

• 6 months

  Applying again

  For 6 months after a refusal, one cannot apply again on the same ground.

• 2×

  Time without a permit

  When a permit is not extended after it ends, the residence fee for the time spent without one is charged once more on top (Law No. 492 on Fees, Article 83).

This is why it matters so much to apply correctly and completely the first time.

14

Beware of forged documents