Obtaining a Turkey residence permit is a crucial step for those seeking to establish legal residency in the country. This process allows individuals to enjoy an extended stay while adhering to the necessary legal requirements.
Residence permit in Turkey: types
Turkey offers various types of residence permits, including Short-Term, Family, Student, Long-Term, Humanitarian, and Victim of Human Trafficking residence permits. Each type has specific requirements and application procedures.
Residence permit in Turkey: new rules in 2024
Since 2024, several amendments have been introduced in Turkish citizenship and residence permit applications. Initially, for Turkish citizenship through investment, applicants must first submit a residence permit application, proceeding to the citizenship application after approval. A significant change in February 2023 mandated investors to provide fingerprints at the Fatih Immigration Office upon visiting Turkey.
In the 2024 practice change, investors are now required to personally attend appointments for both residence permit and citizenship applications. Post this alteration, all applicants and their spouses (if married) must provide fingerprints in Turkey, submitting the residence application file to the Immigration Administration in person. Additionally, a criminal record from the applicant's and spouse's country of citizenship or legal residence, not previously required in residence applications, is now mandatory. These adjustments aim to conduct a preliminary check for individuals seeking to reside in Turkey and obtain Turkish citizenship.
Key amendments effective from 2024 include:
1. Inclusion of a criminal record from the investor's country of citizenship or legal residence in the residence permit application file.
2. Requirement for the investor and spouse to personally come to Turkey before the residence permit application and provide fingerprints.
3. Mandatory presence of the investor and spouse in Turkey during both residence permit and citizenship application processes.
4. If the criminal record is from apostille-participating countries, it must be apostilled, with its Turkish translation notarized. For non-apostille countries, the criminal record document must be certified by relevant authorities. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Turkish Consulate)
These amendments, effective from 2024, aim to enhance the screening process for those wishing to reside in Turkey and acquire Turkish citizenship.
In the 2024 practice change, investors are now required to personally attend appointments for both residence permit and citizenship applications. Post this alteration, all applicants and their spouses (if married) must provide fingerprints in Turkey, submitting the residence application file to the Immigration Administration in person. Additionally, a criminal record from the applicant's and spouse's country of citizenship or legal residence, not previously required in residence applications, is now mandatory. These adjustments aim to conduct a preliminary check for individuals seeking to reside in Turkey and obtain Turkish citizenship.
Key amendments effective from 2024 include:
1. Inclusion of a criminal record from the investor's country of citizenship or legal residence in the residence permit application file.
2. Requirement for the investor and spouse to personally come to Turkey before the residence permit application and provide fingerprints.
3. Mandatory presence of the investor and spouse in Turkey during both residence permit and citizenship application processes.
4. If the criminal record is from apostille-participating countries, it must be apostilled, with its Turkish translation notarized. For non-apostille countries, the criminal record document must be certified by relevant authorities. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Turkish Consulate)
These amendments, effective from 2024, aim to enhance the screening process for those wishing to reside in Turkey and acquire Turkish citizenship.
Short term residence permit in Turkey: nuances
It is one of the highly coveted residence permits in Turkey. Eligibility for this permit includes purposes such as scientific research, establishing business connections, attending training programs, participating in student exchange programs, tourism, receiving medical treatment (without posing a health threat), and enrolling in Turkish learning courses.
How to get residence permit in Turkey?
Upon your scheduled appointment at the DGMM office, you will need to provide essential documents, which comprise:
1. Completed Residence Permit Application Form.
2. A minimum of 4 biometric photographs.
3. Original passport.
4. Notarized copy of your passport or an equivalent travel document.
5. Evidence of sustainable financial resources to cover the entire duration of your stay in Turkey. It is necessary to have funds in your bank account equivalent to at least €500 per month or provide proof of monthly income meeting this requirement.
1. Completed Residence Permit Application Form.
2. A minimum of 4 biometric photographs.
3. Original passport.
4. Notarized copy of your passport or an equivalent travel document.
5. Evidence of sustainable financial resources to cover the entire duration of your stay in Turkey. It is necessary to have funds in your bank account equivalent to at least €500 per month or provide proof of monthly income meeting this requirement.
Turkey residence permit by buying property
To obtain residency through property purchase in Turkey, follow these steps: Acquire a title deed upon property purchase, then schedule an appointment with the Directorate General of Immigration Management. Attend an immigration department interview, submit required documents, pay the residence permit fee, and receive your card via post upon approval.
Cities eligible for residency with a property purchase of USD 75,000 include:
- Adana
- Antalya
- Aydin
- Balikesir
- Bursa
- Denizli
- Diyarbakir
- Erzurum
- Eskisehir
- Gaziantep
- Hatay
- Istanbul
- Izmir
- Kahramanmaras
- Kayseri
- Kocaeli
- Konya
- Malatya
- Manisa
- Mardin
- Mersin
- Mugla
- Ordu
- Sakarya
- Samsun
- Sanliurfa
- Tekirdag
- Trabzon
- Van
For other cities, a minimum of USD 50,000 is required for the residence permit scheme.
While there was no fixed property value requirement for real estate residence, a recent announcement mandates a minimum value of:
- USD 75,000 for properties in metropolitan cities
- USD 50,000 for properties in smaller cities.
Property owners receive residency permits for up to two years and can apply for Turkish citizenship with a property valued at USD 400,000.
Required documents for residence through property purchase:
- Valid passport
- Tax number
- Medical insurance
- Copy of passport
- 4 colored photographs
- Copy of TAPU (title deed) with original documents
- Bank statement (USD 500/month)
- Registration card (worth 50 TL)
- Translated and certified family statement for children
- Completed application form.
Cities eligible for residency with a property purchase of USD 75,000 include:
- Adana
- Antalya
- Aydin
- Balikesir
- Bursa
- Denizli
- Diyarbakir
- Erzurum
- Eskisehir
- Gaziantep
- Hatay
- Istanbul
- Izmir
- Kahramanmaras
- Kayseri
- Kocaeli
- Konya
- Malatya
- Manisa
- Mardin
- Mersin
- Mugla
- Ordu
- Sakarya
- Samsun
- Sanliurfa
- Tekirdag
- Trabzon
- Van
For other cities, a minimum of USD 50,000 is required for the residence permit scheme.
While there was no fixed property value requirement for real estate residence, a recent announcement mandates a minimum value of:
- USD 75,000 for properties in metropolitan cities
- USD 50,000 for properties in smaller cities.
Property owners receive residency permits for up to two years and can apply for Turkish citizenship with a property valued at USD 400,000.
Required documents for residence through property purchase:
- Valid passport
- Tax number
- Medical insurance
- Copy of passport
- 4 colored photographs
- Copy of TAPU (title deed) with original documents
- Bank statement (USD 500/month)
- Registration card (worth 50 TL)
- Translated and certified family statement for children
- Completed application form.
How to apply residence permit in Turkey?
To obtain a residence permit in Turkey, follow these steps: determine the type of residence permit, create an account on the official website of the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management, complete the online application, upload necessary documents, pay the required fees, schedule an appointment at the local migration management office, attend the appointment to provide biometric data, and await the decision on your application. Upon approval, collect your residence permit and, if necessary, renew it before it expires.
Residence permit in Turkey: price and processing time
The Residence Permit Card Fee is $5, and the Residence Permit Application Fee is $45. The application is expected to be processed within a maximum period of 3 months.
Renewal residence permit in Turkey
To ensure continuity, initiate your online "extension application" for a valid residence permit at least 2 months (60 days) before its expiration. Failure to submit an application within 10 days after expiration may result in penalties, necessitating departure from Turkey.
