Residence permit in Turkey: who needs one, the types, and how to apply and extend

A foreign national who will stay in Turkey longer than the period allowed by their visa or visa exemption, or longer than ninety days, must obtain a residence permit (Law No. 6458, art. 19(1)). A foreign national planning a shorter stay may still apply for one (YUKK Regulation art. 19(2)). A residence permit loses its validity if it is not used within six months (Law No. 6458, art. 19(1)); the YUKK Regulation applies this rule to permits obtained abroad (YUKK Regulation art. 19(5)).

The Law exempts, among others: 1) those who come with a visa or without a visa for up to ninety days, for the duration of that visa or visa exemption; 2) holders of a Stateless Person Identity Document; 3) diplomatic and consular officers serving in Turkey, and those of their family members notified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 4) those exempted by international agreements to which Turkey is a party; 5) persons covered by article 28 of the Turkish Citizenship Law (No. 5901), that is, persons who were Turkish citizens by birth and gave up citizenship with permission, and their descendants up to the third degree (Law No. 6458, art. 20(1); Law No. 5901, art. 28(1)).

Diplomatic and consular officers, their notified family members, staff of international organisations whose status is set by agreement, and persons exempted by an agreement who stay in Turkey after their exemption ends must apply to the governorship (valilik) for a residence permit within ten days at the latest (Law No. 6458, art. 20(2)).

A valid work permit counts as a residence permit (Law No. 6458, art. 27(1)); work permits are covered on a separate page. An application made within ten days by a foreign national whose work permit has been cancelled or has ended is decided under article 22 of the Law, the article on applications that may be made from within Turkey (YUKK Regulation art. 21(6)).

The general rule is that the application is made to the consulate in the country of which the foreign national is a citizen or in which they are lawfully present (Law No. 6458, art. 21(1)). Applications that may be made from within Turkey are made to the governorship (YUKK Regulation art. 19(3)).

The Law allows an application to the governorship, as an exception, in the following cases, among others: 1) long-term residence permits; 2) student residence permits; 3) humanitarian residence permits; 4) moving from a family residence permit to a short-term residence permit; 5) where it is not reasonable or possible for the foreign national to leave Turkey; 6) where the reason on which the current permit was granted has ended or changed and a permit matching the new purpose of stay is sought; 7) applications under article 20(2) by persons whose exemption has ended; 8) graduates of higher education in Turkey moving to a short-term residence permit (Law No. 6458, art. 22(1)). The Law does not name a first short-term permit for tourism or property ownership in this list, and it does not say how the list is applied in practice.

An application made in Turkey must be filed before the lawful period of stay ends; the YUKK Regulation also accepts applications from those who have exceeded their residence permit, visa or visa-exemption period by up to ten days (YUKK Regulation art. 21(2)). The application is made in person as a rule, and may also be made through a legal representative or a lawyer holding a power of attorney (art. 21(4)). Applications may also be received electronically (art. 19(4)).

Missing information or documents are notified to the applicant; if they are not completed within thirty days of notification, the application is removed from processing (YUKK Regulation art. 22(1)). Applications are decided within ninety days at the latest (Law No. 6458, art. 21(5)); the period starts on the date the information and documents are delivered in full, and if the period is extended, the foreign national is informed (YUKK Regulation art. 22(2)). A person who completes an in-country application receives a residence permit application document, and it gives the right to stay in Turkey until the application is decided (YUKK Regulation art. 21(8)-(9)).

Law No. 6458 lists six types: 1) short-term residence permit; 2) family residence permit; 3) student residence permit; 4) long-term residence permit; 5) humanitarian residence permit; 6) residence permit for victims of human trafficking (Law No. 6458, art. 30(1)). The YUKK Regulation repeats the list and adds a maximum period for each type (YUKK Regulation art. 27(1)). Each permit is tied to the purpose of stay and is issued separately for each foreign national (Law No. 6458, art. 23(1)).

A foreign national whose current permit was granted on a reason that has ended, and who will stay on, applies to the governorship for a permit matching the new purpose within ten days of the date that reason ended (YUKK Regulation art. 26(1)); the current permit is ended as of the date that reason ended (art. 26(2)).

A humanitarian residence permit may be granted by the governorship, with the approval of the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı; the definitions article of the Law still uses the former name, Directorate General of Migration Management) and without the conditions required for other permits, in the situations the Law lists, for example where the best interests of the child so require, or where a deportation or entry-ban decision has been made but the foreign national cannot be made to leave Turkey (Law No. 6458, arts. 3(1)(ğ), 46(1) and 121/A). A residence permit of thirty days is granted to foreign nationals strongly suspected of being, or possibly being, victims of human trafficking (art. 48(1)).

A short-term residence permit may be granted on the grounds the Law lists, including: 1) tourism; 2) owning immovable property in Turkey; 3) establishing business connections or setting up a business; 4) scientific research; 5) medical treatment, provided the person does not carry a disease regarded as a threat to public health; 6) attending Turkish language courses; 7) having completed higher education in Turkey and applying within six months of graduation (Law No. 6458, art. 31(1)). The graduate's application may be made to the governorship in Turkey (art. 22(1)(ı)); the permit on this ground is granted only once and for at most one year, and the permit for Turkish language courses at most twice (art. 31(3)-(4)).

The conditions are: 1) applying on one or more of those grounds and submitting the related information and documents; 2) not being among the foreign nationals refused entry to Turkey under article 7; 3) having accommodation that meets general health and safety standards; 4) if requested, submitting a criminal record document issued by the country of citizenship or lawful residence; 5) providing the address where they will stay in Turkey (Law No. 6458, art. 32(1)). For sufficient financial means, the applicant's own statement is the starting point; if it is not convincing, documents are requested, and the YUKK Regulation looks for 1) means covering a monthly expense equal to the net minimum wage of the year of application; 2) means of one third of the minimum wage for each family member including the applicant, and in total not less than the minimum wage; 3) means that do not rest solely on undertakings given by third parties (YUKK Regulation art. 22(6)).

The Law, as amended in 2016 by Law No. 6735, sets a maximum of two years at a time for a short-term permit, except on the grounds of investment and of citizenship of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, where the maximum is five years at a time (Law No. 6458, art. 31(2), (5)). The YUKK Regulation states up to one year at a time, and that the period is set by taking into account the applicant's request, the ground and other relevant matters (YUKK Regulation art. 27(1)(a), 28(1)).

For a tourism application, the foreign national's statement about the travel plan, such as where, when and for how long they will stay in Turkey, is assessed, and information or documents on the travel plan or the purpose of stay may be requested (YUKK Regulation art. 28(7)). A short-term application that does not fall under any of the other listed grounds is treated as a tourism application (art. 28(10)).

For an application based on owning property, the property must be a dwelling and must be used as one (YUKK Regulation art. 28(3)). Family members who are co-owners of the dwelling may also apply on this ground; for family members who are not co-owners, the property can only serve as evidence of financial means (art. 28(3)). The type and value of property that qualifies are determined by the Ministry of Interior (Law No. 6458, art. 31(6)); neither the Law nor the Regulation states a figure.

The Law and the Regulation do not list closed neighbourhoods; the YUKK Regulation only allows the Presidency of Migration Management to make arrangements on the provinces in which residence permits may be granted, on grounds of public order or public security (YUKK Regulation art. 21(15)). Arrangements made under that power are not set out in the Law or the Regulation, and this page does not cover them.

A family residence permit may be granted to the foreign spouse of a sponsor, and to the foreign minor or dependent child of the sponsor or of the sponsor's spouse, where the sponsor is a Turkish citizen, a person covered by article 28 of Law No. 5901, a foreign national holding a residence permit, a refugee or a holder of subsidiary protection status (Law No. 6458, art. 34(1)). The Law, as amended in 2016 by Law No. 6735, sets a maximum of three years at a time, never longer than the sponsor's own permit (art. 34(1)); the YUKK Regulation states up to two years at a time (YUKK Regulation art. 27(1)(b)).

The sponsor must: 1) have a monthly income of at least one third of the minimum wage per family member, and in total not less than the minimum wage; 2) have accommodation suited to the size of the family that meets general health and safety standards, and health insurance covering all family members; 3) show by criminal record that they have not been convicted of an offence against the family order within the last five years; 4) have stayed in Turkey with a residence permit for at least one year; 5) be registered in the address registration system (Law No. 6458, art. 35(1)). The one-year condition does not apply to sponsors holding a scientific research residence permit or a work permit, to persons covered by article 28 of Law No. 5901, or to foreign nationals married to Turkish citizens (art. 35(2)).

The family member must show that they fall within article 34(1), that they live or intend to live with the sponsor, and that the marriage was not entered into to obtain the permit; each spouse must be at least eighteen (Law No. 6458, art. 35(3)). Where there is reasonable suspicion, the governorship investigates whether the marriage was entered into solely to obtain a residence permit (art. 37(1)). A person who has stayed at least three years on a family residence permit and turned eighteen may convert it into a short-term residence permit on request (art. 34(5)).

A student residence permit is granted to foreign nationals who will study for an associate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree at a higher education institution in Turkey (Law No. 6458, art. 38(1)). The conditions are submitting the information and documents required under article 38, not falling under article 7, and providing the address where the student will stay in Turkey (art. 39(1)). The permit gives the student's parents and other relatives no right to a residence permit (art. 38(3)). Students in formal associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral education may work if they obtain a work permit; for associate and bachelor's students, this right starts after the first year (art. 41(1)).

A long-term residence permit, issued without a time limit, is granted by the governorship, with the approval of the Ministry of Interior, to foreign nationals who have stayed in Turkey with a residence permit for at least eight years without interruption, or who meet conditions set by the Ministry (Law No. 6458, art. 42(1)).

The conditions are: 1) at least eight years of uninterrupted stay in Turkey with a residence permit; 2) no social assistance received in the last three years; 3) sufficient and regular income to support themselves and, if any, their family (under the YUKK Regulation, the means to cover monthly expenses equal to the net minimum wage, and one third of the minimum wage for each family member including the applicant, in total not less than the minimum wage; undertakings by third parties are not accepted as a source of income (YUKK Regulation art. 40(5))); 4) valid health insurance; 5) not posing a threat to public order or public security (Law No. 6458, art. 43(1)). For foreign nationals found suitable because they meet conditions set by the Ministry, only the public order and public security condition applies (art. 43(2)).

Under the YUKK Regulation, the calculation is based on the date of application, and time spent abroad and time spent in Turkey without a residence permit count as interruptions. Counting back in one-year blocks, no block may contain more than 180 days of interruption in total; if that test is met, the last five-year block is checked for more than 365 days of interruption in total. An application by a person who spent more than six months at a time, or consecutively, abroad or in Turkey without a permit within the eight years is refused without that calculation, and the earlier permit periods of a foreign national who has been deported are not counted (YUKK Regulation art. 40(2)).

Refugees, conditional refugees, holders of subsidiary protection status, holders of a humanitarian residence permit and persons under temporary protection have no right to move to a long-term permit (Law No. 6458, art. 42(2)). A long-term permit holder enjoys the rights granted to Turkish citizens, except for military service, voting and standing for election, entering public service and importing vehicles exempt from duty, and subject to special laws, with acquired social security rights preserved and their use subject to the relevant legislation (art. 44(1)). The President may restrict these rights in whole or in part (art. 44(2)).

The applicant must hold a passport or substitute document valid for sixty days longer than the residence permit period requested (Law No. 6458, art. 21(2)). The permit is issued for a period sixty days shorter than the validity of the passport (art. 23(1)).

The applicant must have valid health insurance covering the residence permit period requested; persons covered by general health insurance in Turkey are accepted as having valid health insurance (YUKK Regulation art. 22(13)). For applications made in Turkey, private health insurance from foreign companies is accepted only if it was concluded in Turkey (art. 22(13)). Those not covered by general health insurance must have a one-year private health insurance, renewed at the end of the year, for permit requests of one year or more (art. 22(14)).

Residence permits may be extended by the governorship (Law No. 6458, art. 24(1)). The extension application is made from sixty days before the permit expires, and in any case before it expires; the applicant receives a document that allows them to stay in Turkey until a decision is made, even if the permit has expired in the meantime (art. 24(2)). The extended permit runs from the end of the previous permit (art. 24(3)).

A foreign national who obtained the permit from a consulate registers in the address registration system within twenty working days of entry into Turkey; one who obtained it in Turkey, within twenty working days of receiving the permit (Law No. 6458, art. 26(2); YUKK Regulation art. 22(12)). A change of residential address, marital status or name in the passport is notified to the governorship within twenty working days; a foreign national who moves to another province applies there for a new residence permit within twenty working days (YUKK Regulation art. 23(2)-(3)).

Time spent abroad can lead to cancellation. For a short-term permit, this is more than 120 days in total abroad in the last year, and for a family permit more than 180 days, unless the absence was for compulsory public service, duty, education or health (YUKK Regulation art. 29(1)(c), 33(1)(d)). For a long-term permit, it is more than one year outside Turkey without interruption, unless the absence was for health, education or compulsory public service in the person's own country (Law No. 6458, art. 45(1)(b)); the YUKK Regulation also excepts absence on duty (YUKK Regulation art. 42(2)). If a deportation decision is notified, an action against it may be brought before the administrative court within seven days of notification (Law No. 6458, art. 53(3)). Refusals, cancellations and non-renewals of residence permits, and deportation, are covered on separate pages.