Turkey Residence Permit: types and application
Short-term visa
Citizens from 120 countries can either stay in Turkey for up to 90 days without a visa or get a single-entry visa upon arrival. Citizens from countries that do not have a visa waiver agreement with Turkey can get a single-entry e-Visa. Country-specific requirements can be found on the Turkish Ministry of the Interior’s website.
NB: Anyone who overruns their visa-free period by up to 15 days is subject to a fine, while those who overstay by more than 15 days are banned from the country for a month. Failure to pay the fine may result in being barred from entering Turkey for five years.
$545,000
Total area 202 m² 3 bedrooms
$1,123,000
Total area 450 m² 6 bedrooms
$535,000
Total area 160 m² Land area: 260 m²
From $1,599,000
Completion in: 2024.II 7 units in total
From $2,226,000
Completion in: 2025.II 73 units in total
$578,000
Total area 250 m² Land area: 600 m²
Long-term visa
Foreigners who wish to stay in Turkey for longer than 90 days require a long-term visa.
First, they must fill out an application on the Turkish Consulate's website. Then it’s necessary to personally submit the required documents to a Security Directorate in Turkey or a consulate in the applicant’s own country.
NB: The Turkish Ministry of the Interior can take up to two months to review long-term visa applications, while during the summer it can take up to four months.
Up-to-date information can be found in local embassies and consulates.
Real estate owner's visa
Owners or renters of real estate in Turkey are entitled to a long-term visa.
Documents required for a long-term real estate owner's visa:
- a printed out visa application form;
- one passport-sized biometric colour photo;
- a title deed (TAPU) and a copy, or a copy of the rental agreement;
- the bank statement or income certificate indicating at least a budget of $50 per day for the duration of their stay in Turkey;
- a copy of passport pages containing personal information;
- a copy of internal passport pages containing temporary or permanent residential registration information;
- medical insurance.
Upon approval of the visa application, holders must submit their passports to the nearest consulate for the visa to be added. The procedure takes up to five days.
However, property owners rarely choose to obtain visas, preferring to apply for Turkish temporary residence instead.
Temporary residence
A temporary residence permit is necessary to spend over 90 days in Turkey within six months.
It’s possible to book an appointment to submit documents on the website of the Directorate General of Migration Management of Turkey's Ministry of the Interior.
After filling out an electronic questionnaire, applicants will be invited for an interview and submission of fingerprints. Residency applicants must submit their documents personally to the consulates in their home country or to the Turkish Ministry of the Interior.
After the documents have been accepted for review, applicants will receive a document confirming their residence permit application, which entitles them to legally stay in Turkey for 90 days.
Turkish temporary residence permits are usually issued for 1–2 years and can be extended using the same electronic application system.
After obtaining a one-year residence permit, holders can only remain outside of Turkey for 120 per year, otherwise, it will be revoked.
Up-to-date information about the requirements and grounds for residency can be found in English on the website of the Directorate General of Migration Management of Turkey's Ministry of the Interior.
Grounds for temporary residence in Turkey:
1. Short-term residence permit
- scientific research;
- real estate ownership;
- commercial ties or opening of a business;
- on-the-job training programmes;
- student exchange programmes: Erasmus, Mevlana, Farabi;
- tourism;
- medical treatment;
- administrative authority request or court ruling;
- transfer from a family residence permit;
- Turkish language courses;
- public or private education programmes;
- completion of higher education in Turkey (within six months);
- economic investment;
- Northern Cypriot nationality.
2. Family reunification
This residence permit type is available to the spouse and children (under 18) of a Turkish citizen or a foreign holder of a residence permit. Family residence permits are issued for up to three years but their validity periods cannot exceed that of the sponsor's residence permit.
Kinship must be proved. The sponsor must have been living in Turkey on a residence permit for at least one year. The sponsor's monthly income must exceed Turkey’s minimum wage and comfortably cover the needs of their family. The sponsor must also not have been convicted of any domestic crimes over the past five years. It is necessary to have a place of residence confirmed and medical insurance. All applicants must be free of dangerous infectious diseases.
3. Education
The residence permit is only issued to university and school students for the period of their studies. International students can work in Turkey after they complete the first year of study as they can obtain a work permit.
4. Humanitarian reasons
This residence permit is issued to migrants who are allowed to stay in Turkey due to emergency circumstances and those returning to their home countries of safe third countries. Humanitarian residence permits are issued for no more than a year.
5. Status of a human trafficking victim
These residence permits are issued to foreign nationals who have become, or are at risk of becoming, victims of human trafficking. Such permits are granted for a period between 30 days and 6 months but no more than three years.
The list of the documents required for residence permits based on different grounds can be checked on the website of the Directorate General of Migration Management of Turkey's Ministry of the Interior.
Employment residence permit
Under the new regulations, Turkish work permits can be used as residence permits so holders there’s no need to additionally apply for residency.
Residence permit for real estate owners
Owning real estate in Turkey is enough to be issued a short-term residence permit. Notably, the cost of the property does not matter.
To be granted a residence permit through property ownership, a title deed (TAPU) is required. The applicant’s spouse, minor children (under 18), and parents are also eligible for residency.
Property owners receive residence permits for 1–2 years, and the term can be extended.
How to choose a project
In order to choose a profitable option, contact our specialists.
Experienced managers will help you find a suitable living location or a project with a steady stream of rent revenue. Moreover, we can assist you in obtaining a Turkish residence permit or citizenship and relevant paperwork.
Contact a specialist
Documents required to obtain temporary residence permits for real estate owners:
- residence permit application;
- four passport-sized biometric colour photos;
- passport and passport copy. The passport validity term must exceed that of the requested residence permit by at least 60 days;
- copy of property ownership certificate (TAPU);
- TAPU validity certificate issued by the Сadastre Office;
- valid medical insurance, covering the whole period of stay. Children under 18 and adults over 65 years of age do not need to be insured.
Permanent residence
If the total period of stay on a short-term residence permit in Turkey has reached eight years, holders are eligible for a long-term or permanent residence permit. In this case, the period of time spent outside Turkey must not exceed 365 days over the last five years, or 180 days within a year.
It’s also necessary to demonstrate a stable source of income.
Foreign nationals must not have been receiving social aid over the past three years. They also need to be medically insured.
Permanent residency is granted indefinitely.
Permanent residents have almost the same rights as Turkish nationals. However, they cannot vote or be elected into governing bodies, hold public offices, be exempt from customs duties when importing motor vehicles into the country, or sign up for military service.
Permanent residency is revoked when foreign nationals remain outside of Turkey for over a year. Exemptions include medical treatment, education, and compulsory public service.
Documents required to apply for permanent residency on the basis of an eight-year residence in Turkey:
- a residence permit application;
- a passport (valid for at least six months) and a passport copy;
- copies of all passport pages containing entry and exit stamps and information for the past eight years;
- four passport-sized biometric colour photos;
- previous residence permits and their copies;
- documents verifying the non-receipt of social aid for the past three years;
- documentary proof of stable and sufficient income during the entire period of residence: property and rental income, salary, commercial profit, inheritance and savings;
- police clearance certificates issued in the applicant's home country and Turkey — they should be requested at least three months before applying for residence;
- document verifying the registration with the Address Based Population Registration System, issued by the registry offices;
- valid medical insurance covering the period of stay.
Acceptable documentary for proof of permanent income:
- an international credit card;
- a bank passbook indicating pension payment;
- the authenticated current income certificate indicating that the income has not been frozen;
- the document specifying the number of funds available in the bank account;
- the employment verification letter certified by seal and signature;
- documentary proof of a bank deposit income;
- a property title deed and rental agreement signed no earlier than two years before;
- a company tax certificate copy, official commercial registry gazette, balance sheet, and profit and loss statement certified by the tax office or a sworn auditor.
If the documents have been obtained in a foreign country, a notarised translation into Turkish by a sworn translator has to be provided.
The up-to-date information on applying for permanent residence can be found on the website of the Directorate General of Migration Management of Turkey's Ministry of the Interior.
Citizenship
After five years of residence in Turkey, it’s possible to apply for citizenship. The maximum period of stay outside the country must not exceed six months within the last five years and applicants must be proficient in speaking Turkish.
The spouses of Turkish citizens and foreign nationals born in the country can obtain nationality in three years. To apply for citizenship, they need to have a residence permit for at least a year.
Documents required to apply for Turkish citizenship:
- a citizenship application;
- the passport details of the applicant and the applicant's parents translated into Turkish and notarised;
- a copy of the residence permit certificate valid for at least six months;
- a marital status document and children's documents translated into Turkish and notarised (if applicable);
- a document, certifying Turkish language proficiency issued by the Ministry of Education or a Turkish consulate;
- an authenticated health certificate;
- a notarised income certificate;
- two biometric passport-sized photos.
A Turkish passport enables visa-free or simplified entry to 111 countries around the world, including Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea. Turkey recognises dual nationality.
Turkey is also an E-2 agreement signatory country, which means citizens can relocate and do business in the US on a non-immigrant investor visa.
Simplified issuance of Turkish citizenship to investors
Foreign nationals who will make a significant contribution to Turkey's economy can obtain citizenship immediately. Turkish passports will also be issued to their spouses and minor children (under 18).
In order to obtain Turkish nationality, it is not necessary to live in the country. The main applicant must visit Turkey only to apply for citizenship and submit biometric data. There is no need to speak Turkish either.
In September 2018, the Turkish government reported that it was reducing the threshold to participate in the citizenship-by-investment programme for all investment options. According to the new rules, citizenship can be obtained under more affordable schemes.
Grounds for investment-based citizenship in Turkey:
- Purchase of property worth at least $400,000. Residential real estate must be owned for three years and can be rented out.
- Investment of $500,000 in a Turkish business or production
- $500,000 deposit in a Turkish bank for at least three years.
- Purchase of public bonds worth $500,000 with a possibility of dividends and an obligation to maintain assets for three years
- Registration of a company and creation of at least 50 jobs in Turkey for three years minimum.
- Acquisition of a share in an investment or venture fund worth at least $500,000 for three years.
When purchasing real estate worth $400,000 or more, citizenship is issued to the investor's entire family under a simplified procedure. In this case, the property can be registered to a single individual.
General documents required to apply for investment-based citizenship:
- an application and questionnaire;
- a passport and passport copy translated into Turkish and notarised;
- a certificate of household registration in the applicant's home country, translated and notarised;
- a copy of the Turkish residence permit. If there is no residence permit, the procedure of application for such will be combined with citizenship issuance;
- a notarised written permission to grant the local authorities access to the applicant's details. Such a letter gives access to the bank records concerning securities and deposits, land, and commercial registry records. Officials receive the right to order extracts and make copies;
- a receipt confirming that the stamp duty has been paid.
In addition to the general documents, specific papers are required depending on the type of investment.
Additional documents required to apply for citizenship through property purchase:
- a conformity certificate. It is obtained from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation;
- a property valuation report. It must specify the property market value. The report is drawn up by a licensed expert;
- an authenticated copy of the certificate of property registration with the Land Registry.
The application can be submitted to a provincial or central registry office, as well as a Turkish diplomatic mission abroad.
The Turkish authorities can take between three months and a year to review the investor's application for citizenship. The head registry office forwards the application to the Ministry of the Interior and presidential approval completes the procedure.
Residence permit («Golden Visa») in other countries:
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FAQ about residence permits and citizenship in Turkey
A residence permit in Turkey (Ikamet) is a document that allows foreigners to reside legally on the territory of Turkey, regardless of the visa validity period or period of visa-free visits to the country.
In addition, obtaining a residence permit in Turkey allows:
- to be legally employed;
- to enroll children in public school for free;
- to buy a car under the simplified scheme;
- to get insurance and medical care;
- to get assistance from the state in home renting;
- to move freely throughout the territory of Turkey;
- to obtain a mortgage loan from a local bank;
- to claim Turkish citizenship over time.
To apply for a Turkish residence permit in 2023 you should submit the following documents to the Consulate of your place of residence:
- Passport and its copy.
- Tax identification number
- 4 photos.
- Child's birth certificate (for minors).
- Health insurance.
- Printed resident’s questionnaire.
- TAPU, marriage registration certificate, rental agreement and other documents confirming the right to obtain a residence permit.
All submitted documents must be translated into Turkish and notarized.
The maximum period of stay for foreign nationals varies from 30 to 90 days within 180 days. There is no limit on the number of border crossings.
To stay in Turkey beyond this period it is recommended to obtain a residence permit or work visa.
After buying a property you must prepare the following list of documents:
- The original foreign passport and its copy translated into Turkish and certified by a notary.
- Tax identification number (registered in the place of purchase of the real estate).
- Proof of ownership, for example a sales contract.
- 4 biometric photos.
These documents are filed at the Cadastral Office. In addition to the collected documents, you will need to pay a tax of 4% of the cadastral value of the property.
Turkish property owners will need the same documents as during the initial application: TAPU (copy), 4 photos, a valid passport and a copy of it, medical insurance in Turkey. In addition, you must attach an application for the extension of a residence permit in Turkey.
Extension can be done online through the official website.
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