Short-term Residence Permit
You are now aware that in order to extend your stay here in Turkey beyond the maximal limit of 90 days that your tourist Visa could allow you to take within the country, you must provide the necessary information for your application for a short-term Residence Permit.
But you may ask, what's a Residence Permit ? What is it for? And why "short-term" ? Well, as you probably could have guessed form its name, a Residence Permit is the necessary document that will be delivered to you (if you fulfill the requirements) in order to testify that you are legally allowed to stay in Turkey beyond the duration of your standard tourist Visa. Basically, this document is mandatory for every foreigner who wishes to live, study or even simply going deeper in their discovery of Turkey.
"Short-term" residence permit can only be issued for a maximum period of one year! This is valid for all categories of residence permit.
Now, here is the very first step that you must do to obtain your residence permit : Get yourself an online appointment by applying on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Interior. Once you will have finished to register yourself an appointment day will automatically be given to you. Since this will be your first time ever registering for a Residence Permit in Turkey, do not forget that you MUST visit the Migration Office in person on the date and time of your appointment with your relevant documents !
Find right below the list of the documents you will be expected to bring with you to the Migration office :
- Residence permit application form
- The original and a copy of the passport or travel document
- Four passport-size photographs
- Declaration regarding sufficient and sustainable financial resources for the duration of the stay (Stated in the application form. The authority may request supporting documents. If you do not have enough money on your bank account, it is also possible to sponsored by someone who will need to show the required resources and testify that he or she will be taking financial responsibility for you over the duration of your stay).
- Official document regarding the applicant’s ownership of the residence. Basically, you will need to prove that you either have your own property in Turkey or that you are living with someone owning the property you are living in.
- One of the following medical insurance:
- Document facilitating health services in Turkey within the scope of bilateral social security agreements
- Provision document issued by the Social Security Institution
- Document regarding the application made to the Social Security Institution to be covered by the general health insurance
- Private health insurance
Useful additional Information:
- As it has already been stated, the duration of your stay in Turkey with a tourist Visa cannot extend 90 days within the country out of a period of time of 180 days. Therefore, it is necessary for you to apply for a Residence Permit before the end of your 90 days. Once you will have applied you will then secure yourself to be legally allowed to remain in Turkey until the date of your appointment day for Residence Permit. You will also not be allowed to go in and out of Turkey as you please until the date of your appointment.
- Your passport should have at least 60 days validity from the date of expiry of your residence permit when entering Turkey.
- A Turkish Tax Number will be required from you for extending your stay in Turkey.
- Health Insurance being one of the mandatory conditions to obtain your Residence Permit, it is strongly advised to acquire one before even the online process of applying for a Residence Permit.
- Once your Residence permit will have been accepted and once you will have paid the required fees, you will be provided with a paper confirming your legal status in Turkey for a period of one year. You will later receive to your address of residence the Residence Permit's card. Please note that until the reception of your card, the paper provided to you can only let you go out of Turkey (for vacation for instance) for a limit of 15 days.
- Note also that even with the card, your permit could be cancelled if you spend more than 120 days outside of Turkey.