Residence permit in Turkey in 2021

Today we will look at a very serious issue, namely, how to obtain a residence permit in Turkey (residence permit, otherwise known as ikamet) starting from 2021. What are the grounds for obtaining a residence permit, conditions for obtaining a residence permit for pensioners and children.

In addition, you will receive step-by-step instructions for obtaining a residence permit for Russians, this applies to those who want to resolve this issue on their own, without the help of intermediaries.

At the end, you will receive answers to the most common questions that will allow you to avoid common mistakes when preparing documents.

I also recommend reading: Permanent residence in Turkey for Russians, my review of the mentality, language barrier and cost of living in comparison with other countries.

Lifehack! If you are seriously thinking about getting a residence permit in Turkey, be sure to add this guide to your bookmarks; you may have to come back and reread something more than once, because the article is huge and the information is constantly updated.

What does a residence permit in Turkey give?

As you probably know, long-term residence of a foreigner in Turkey requires a residence permit ( residence permit, in Turkish ikamet

). Many people are mistaken in thinking that a residence permit in Turkey is simply the right to legally stay on the territory of the Turkish Republic, but this is not entirely true.

The fact is that a residence permit in fact gives a foreigner all the rights of a Turkish citizen. Just in case, let us clarify that now we are talking about a tourist residence permit, this is the type most often obtained by our compatriots.

Let's take a closer look at what exactly a tourist residence permit provides:

the possibility of treatment in local hospitals under insurance (insurance must be purchased separately);
the opportunity to purchase a car or other transport, obtain a local license;
arrange loans and mortgages;
educate a child in a public school;
enjoy discounts on entrance to attractions at citizen prices. For example, buy a card for visiting museums in Istanbul for 70 liras, and not for 375 liras (there will be a separate post about this);
learn English and/or Turkish for free;
obtain a Schengen visa;
obtain permission to use drones in Turkey;
after receiving a residence permit, you become a tax resident of Turkey and are required to pay taxes (if you reside in the country for more than six months in a calendar year).

What a tourist residence permit prohibits:

participation in elections is prohibited;
no right to employment and work (if you are caught, you will be deported);

Only those who have received a residence permit by opening a work visa directly from the employer have the right to work.

A residence permit in Turkey can be short-term or long-term. It all depends on the reasons that prompted you to live in the country; then we will consider information on obtaining a long-term residence permit. If you are interested in a short-term residence permit for a period of 3 months, then at the end of the article you will find a link to the requirements for obtaining exactly this type and since it is quite simple to obtain, we will not consider it in this article.

Possible reasons for refusal to provide a residence permit

The issue of providing ikamet may be decided not in favor of the applicant for the following reasons:

failure to provide a mandatory/certified document/certificate;
documents/certificates executed in violation of requirements;
documents/certificates that show signs of falsification;
an official ban on entry by the Turkish authorities;
outstanding fines imposed in connection with violation of the entry/exit regime into the country;
a medical policy issued in violation of the requirements;
the applicant’s income is below the required amount;
criminal record, being under investigation;
indication in the questionnaire of unreliable or deliberately false data.

Grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Turkey

In 2021, the basis for obtaining a residence permit in Turkey is:

Property owned in Turkey. It is necessary to be included in the Tapu - this is a document of ownership;
Long-term rental (from January 1, 2021, this basis is available only to citizens of Russia, the EU, the USA, and Canada). Citizens of other CIS countries (except the Russian Federation), unfortunately, can no longer use this basis for extending a residence permit, i.e. they can get it, but not renew it;
Reunion with family. If your close relative lives in Turkey legally;
Official employment, by opening a work visa, in this case it is not you, but the company that hires you to do such documents for you;
Opening a business in Turkey;
Obtaining education at a Turkish university or language courses;
Undergoing treatment in Turkey;
Visiting a country as a tourist. If 3 months is enough for you to stay in the country.
A residence permit is issued to refugees and victims of human trafficking (this even applies to Orthodox refugees due to persecution in Arab countries).

Lifehack!
Telephone number 157 for foreigners located in Turkey regarding issues of obtaining ikamet (consultation is available in Russian). The same number is only for calls from abroad +90

Can a pensioner obtain a residence permit?

Those who have reached retirement age often think about moving to a country with a mild climate and comfortable living conditions. Low utility bills, high-quality products at reasonable prices, and a calm and measured way of life often tip the scales in favor of a change of residence. The procedure for obtaining Ikamet for elderly people requires the presence of a document confirming the ownership of housing or its rental, as well as a certificate of income. Ignorance of the language will not be an obstacle to a positive outcome of the case.

Cost and terms of obtaining a residence permit in Turkey

We calculate the costs of a residence permit for 1 person without children:

SIM card: 80-100 liras;
Photos (6 pieces): 20 liras;
Honey. insurance: from 140 liras;
Notarized rental agreement and translation of passport: from 133 liras. If the owner is a foreigner, for example Russian, then we multiply the price by 2, since translation of 2 passports will be required;
Earthquake insurance: 50 liras;
Re-registration of water and electricity bills: free. But a deposit of 40 liras (water) and 120 liras (electricity) is required;
Duty for ikamet: 110TL+23.5$ (for citizens of the Russian Federation) from 2020.

The result is:
615-800 liras, but there may be other unforeseen expenses in each specific case and then the cost will be more expensive.

For more information, read our article: How much does a residence permit cost for citizens of CIS countries and the algorithm for extending a residence permit for the next year. Here we share personal experience and consider the exact amount of duties for 2021 for citizens of all CIS countries.

Be sure to read: How much does a residence permit cost in Turkey in 2021 and how to renew it

Types of residence permits in Turkey

At the legislative level, there are two types of residence permits:

Short-term (Kısa Dönem İkamet İzni)
Long-term (Uzun Dönem İkamet İzni)

You can get short-term ikamet (up to one year) for the following purposes:

tourism;
buying a home;
teaching Turkish in one of the educational institutions of Turkey (permission from the Ministry of Education will be required);
student training or internships under student exchange programs;
receiving medical care in Turkish private and public clinics (if the disease does not pose a threat to the health of citizens);
business and business cooperation;
employment;
if you have relatives in Turkey;
as part of providing assistance to refugees (Afghan, Syrian refugees, etc.);
protection of victims of human trafficking.

A long-term residence permit is granted to those citizens who have received ikamet for at least 8 years without interruption and who have spent no more than a year outside the republic in five years and no more than 180 days per year.

The Turkish government, in turn, is hospitable to those foreigners who would like to have ikamet legally.

Questions and answers on obtaining a residence permit

The validity of your passport at the time of expiration of the residence permit must be at least 4 months.
The birth certificate (for children under 18 years only)/marriage/divorce must be apostilled in advance in the country where it was issued and must be translated into Turkish by an accredited translation agency. The translation must be certified by a notary.
If the document turns out to be without an apostille, this issue can be resolved while in Turkey. Contact the Parus translation office in Antalya. Address: Kılıçarslan mah., Hıdırlık sok., No. 50/1, tel. +90536 638 27 43
. Everything else will be suggested there.
If the father is not indicated on the birth certificate, but the middle name is written down according to the mother, a certificate from the civil registry office of the country where it was issued, apostilled, translated into Turkish and certified by a notary is required.
For children (if you live separately), the father's consent (translated into Turkish and certified by a notary) is required to obtain a residence permit, education and medical care in Turkey.
Today, it is not necessary to prove the source of livelihood, as well as the availability of funds, however, an official can request this information on an individual basis, as well as a certificate of good conduct.

How can a Russian citizen obtain ikamet?

In 2021, Russians can obtain a residence permit in Turkey on the same basis as citizens of other states: the registration procedure does not depend on the citizenship of the applicant.

The first step is to submit your application electronically. After this, the applicant is assigned a date and time for an interview at one of the nearest migration centers of the Republic of Turkey. The next step is to prepare the necessary documents and certificates that are attached to the application for a residence permit.

Residence permit for pensioners and children

Some countries have a separate residence permit for pensioners, but in Turkey there is no separate residence permit for pensioners and registration follows general rules.

There is one caveat about children in Turkey: if you are divorced or a single mother, then this can complicate things a little. The fact is that in the legislation of the Turkish Republic there are some rules that require the presence of the father.

Let me give you an example

. The completed residence permit is most often sent by mail. But the father must receive it or there must be written permission from the father, translated into Turkish and certified by a notary. If you have only one and you have already submitted it to open a residence permit, then problems begin here. A residence permit will be issued, but you will not be able to pick it up at the post office! How to deal with this situation is the topic of a separate article.

Pros and cons of Ikamet design

By obtaining a residence permit, in addition to staying in Turkey for a long time legally, you will be able to:

receive qualified medical care if you have medical insurance issued in accordance with all rules;
educate your children who have reached school age in state educational institutions;
apply for a loan from local banks;
buy any vehicle.

In addition to the above, a citizen with a residence permit becomes a taxpayer after six months and acquires the same obligations as the local population to pay existing taxes

Frequent mistakes when applying for a residence permit

spelling errors in the application or inconsistency of personal data;
not a complete package of documents;
forget to apostille birth/marriage/divorce certificates;
forget to translate into Turkish and/or do not notarize the necessary documents;
there are no necessary copies of documents;
they forget to attach receipts for payment of the fee (state duty);
the residential address is indicated incorrectly;
forget to indicate or indicate the wrong local phone number.

Step-by-step instructions: how to apply for Ikamet

Do you need to go to the official website of the service responsible for compliance? migration rules:

In order to start filling out the application, you need to go to “apply for a residence permit for the first time”.
When answering the questions in the submitted questionnaire, you must strictly follow the instructions without skipping the required fields.
After the online application has been submitted, you can familiarize yourself with the package of documents that must be provided when visiting in person at the migration service office. The office address will be determined automatically. As a rule, this is the closest point to your location.
The amount of the state fee is calculated immediately, since the payment receipt will need to be attached to the package of documents.
You can choose the date and time of your visit to the migration service - Emniyet Müdürlüğü Yabancılar Şube Müdürlüğü yourself. This may be an office at the Turkish consulate of the applicant’s country or directly in one of the cities of Turkey.

Where and how will I get an ikamet card?

The migration service will notify you that the residence permit is ready and will be delivered by courier to your residential address. As a rule, delivery by courier is carried out within 2-5 working days. If you are not at the specified address, you can obtain a residence permit card at the nearest post office (PTT).

Keep in mind that after receiving Ikamet, by law you must register in the apartment you are renting, this is done free of charge, in the office where the rendezvous took place.

If you don't do it, you will be fined.

Preparation of documents for residence permit and permanent residence

If the move to Turkey has taken place, the foreigner upon arrival must provide the following documents to the Security Management:

Statement;
Original and photocopy of the international passport;
Passport-type photographs (2 pcs.);
Information about income or a bank statement about the account balance;
A certificate from the police stating that the person has no criminal record;
Receipt for payment of duty.

To obtain permanent residence in Turkey, you must submit the same package of documents, however, it should be supplemented with the following documents:

Certificate of knowledge of Turkish language;
Medical insurance;
This is what a medical card looks like in Turkey
Written confirmation of legal residence in Turkey for the past five years.

Addresses of migration services (İl Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü)

Antalya

Address: Bayındır Mahallesi Gazi Bulvarı No:2 07030 Muratpaşa/Antalya

e-mail:

telephone:

Alanya

telephone: (0242) 511 17 51

Address: Şekerhane Mahallesi Gücüoğlu Sokak No:18, 07400 Alanya/Antalya

Kemer

telephone: (0242) 814 49 36

Address: Merkez Mah. Yalı Cad. No: 1 İç Capı : DE Kemer Bel. Alti Kemer/Antalya

Manavgat

telephone

Address: Emek Mah. 3081 sok. İlçe Emniyet Müd. Ek Hizmet Binası No: 6 Manavgat/Antalya

Sources of information used

Official website of the Antalya Migration Department

https://antalya.goc.gov.tr/iletisim

Tax office addresses

https://www.ant-vdb.gov.tr/vergi-dairesi-mudurlukleri-iletisim-bilgileri

Full text of all requirements from the official website of the migration service in Russian (18 pages, very large document): https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/Ikamet/IstenenBelgeler/IlkBasvuruIstenenBelgeDownload

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Basic documents and certificates

Do I need to fill out an application in the prescribed form on the official website? Turkish Migration Service. A copy must be printed and signed personally. The following documents are attached to the application:

An original foreign passport, the validity of which expires no less than sixty days after the expiration date of the Ikamet.
Photocopies of all pages of the international passport without exception.
Four biometric color photos, always taken on a white background. The image is frontal, clearly centered, without any objects or people in the frame.
The document serving as the basis for obtaining a residence permit: ownership of real estate acquired on the territory of the Turkish state; marriage certificate, if one was concluded with a Turkish citizen; medical report on the need and validity of treatment in local health care institutions; program for tourists, designed for more than three months of stay and other documents.
Certificate - confirmation of financial solvency. Income must be at least five hundred euros monthly.
The rental agreement for residential premises, if any, must be notarized.
A policy confirming the right to receive medical care.
Certificate of individual taxpayer number for payment of state duty.
Receipt of paid state duty.
A document confirming that the recipient of the Ikamet has no criminal record.

Migration service employees have the right to request additional certificates and documents. It depends on the circumstances relied upon by the applicant. Can you clarify and view the list of required documents on the website? e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr.

How long is a Turkish residence permit valid?

Ikamet in Turkey is issued for a period of 6 to 24 months. If necessary, the residence permit can be extended. It is not necessary to leave the country for this.

The validity period of a residence permit depends on its type. So, a short-term ikamet should not exceed 1 year, a family one gives the right to stay in Turkey for a maximum of 2 years, a student one is issued for the entire duration of study.

Anyone who has lived in Turkey with a residence permit for 8 years (and has not left Turkey for more than 365 days in 5 years, or 180 days in a year) can count on receiving a permanent residence permit.

The Ikamet becomes invalid if its owner leaves Turkey for more than 120 days.

How can Russians and other foreigners obtain status?

Turkey is an open, secular country that is interested in foreign investment and foreigners themselves, who can work and replenish the state budget in other ways. Immigrating to Turkey is quite simple and there are many ways for a Russian citizen.

When purchasing real estate

Purchasing real estate for a foreigner means a guaranteed long-term residence permit. This is practiced in many countries around the world, not only in Turkey. Everything is simple here - you need to purchase any real estate in Turkey and go through the registration procedure.

Of course, this method requires investment, but in terms of the number of formalities, this is the easiest way to obtain residency in the country.

Attention. If you have the funds to purchase housing and a stable income (passive or obtained through remote work), feel free to choose real estate and get a residence permit.

Investment path

It is not necessary to purchase personal housing; you can buy an office or any other premises for business activities or buy a ready-made business with premises. This path is called investment, and obtaining a residence permit through it is sometimes even easier than through purchasing real estate for personal needs.

It is not so important how exactly the real estate you purchase will be used; the fact of purchase and evidence that you can support yourself are enough for status (the required monthly income is from $1,000).

Family bonds

A very simple way to move, but only possible if you have blood relatives in Turkey and they are ready to help you move. Theoretically, any relationship can work, but in practice it will be easy to move only if you have a relative no further than a cousin.
Applying for such a residence permit is simple - you are invited from the Turkish side, and the process of preparing documents takes place before the actual move. You can do the opposite - come to the country on a tourist visa (valid for three months - this time is quite enough) and then negotiate with your relatives there.

Education

Like any progressive country, Türkiye accepts students to study. There are government programs for student exchange and for working with future applicants, but basically you will have to work independently with the university you have chosen for studying.

Important. In order to obtain a residence permit for study, you must first obtain a student visa. This can only be done through an invitation from the university. You will receive an invitation after passing exams and submitting documents with a positive verdict for the applicant (all this happens remotely).

The most significant obstacle to this method will be the language barrier. It is highly desirable to know Turkish , but it is also possible for a student with knowledge of English to maintain a basic level of comfort.

Marriage

A universal method for all countries of the world, which is consistently used by at least a third of those wishing to immigrate.
Marriage is a sufficient reason for obtaining a residence permit; there is no need to confirm income or comply with other formal procedures. You can achieve marriage with a Turkish citizen in different ways : both naturally and through marriage agencies (for women).
In addition, the payer in this case is a Turkish citizen - the services of most agencies are free. In order for a residence permit by marriage to become effective, it is enough to contact the relevant services that provide for the needs of immigrants with a marriage certificate.

Granting refugee status

Turkey officially accepts refugees arriving in the country due to the localization of military conflicts in their former place of residence. It is not specified which specific countries refugees can count on for asylum in Turkey, but in practice these are residents of Afghanistan, Syria and other current “hot spots”.

Attention. A refugee's residence permit is temporary and has significant restrictions (for example, you cannot officially get a job).

Also, the personal freedoms of a refugee may be limited for some time - you cannot apply for another visa for some time, and you cannot leave the country’s borders.

These measures are being taken to control the flow of refugees, which is quite large in Turkey. Many migrants use the country as a “transshipment point” on their way to European countries, where the standard of living and benefits are higher.

Work activity

A work residence permit is very similar to a study residence permit - in the same way, you need to obtain a work visa or apply for one while already in the country on a different type of visa. In order to obtain a residence permit for work, you can go in two ways:

open your own business by renting premises;
receive a job offer from any company.

If you have the means and the opportunity to take the first route, it is better to consider the option of obtaining a residence permit through investment, described above, so you will avoid many formal procedures.
With an invitation to work, everything is simpler. It is necessary to contact a company in Turkey and offer your services as a specialist.

Especially sought-after specialists receive offers from companies without their own initiative.

Attention. To simplify and speed up the process of obtaining a residence permit, there are special agencies that provide communication between the employer and the applicant.

Starting a business

This option is very similar to the investment path for obtaining a residence permit, but still differs from it.

Opening your own business can be different: you can purchase franchise rights, start from scratch, or buy an existing business.

The way to earn money in this way does not matter much; it is important for government agencies to follow only a few rules:

Completely “white” production or another type of business activity. Otherwise, you, like any resident of the country, will face the consequences of violating the current legislation.
Hiring a certain percentage of Turkish citizens.
A certain amount of authorized capital.

If you are ready to meet all these requirements and have sufficient funds, you can safely open your own business in Turkey or purchase an existing business.

What type of ikamet can a foreign citizen receive in Turkey in 2021?

The law of the country gives foreign guests the right to reside legally upon receipt of one of the permits:

Short-term Residence Permit Humanitarian for a period of up to 1 year.
Residence permit for the purchase of real estate, including Turkish citizenship when purchasing an object from 250,000.
Ikamet for business, for investment or company registration in Turkey by a foreign person.
Tourist residence permit.
Family residence permit – up to 2 years.
Student option for the younger generation, which is issued for the period of study in Turkey.

Long-term residence permit – for an indefinite period, but subject to a number of requirements.

Residence permit for victims of human trafficking.

The government of the jurisdiction is very hospitable and gives the opportunity to make a choice of ikamet, including on the basis of such weighty arguments as a business visit, medical care, legal requirements, and scientific research.