How to Get a Turkish Residence Permit (Updated June 2014) Obtaining a Turkish residence permit used to be a pain, but not incredibly challenging if you had all the necessary paperwork. Now though, with the new law that went into force in April 2014, it is difficult to know what exactly is required, how to fulfill those requirements, and how you will receive your permit. One of the biggest reasons for all this disarray is that the General Directorate of Migration Management, a new agency under the Turkish Ministry of the Interior that regulates all aspects of residence permits and visa policy, is still in the process of establishing its network of offices (here is a PDF they recently put out with very general information on residence permits). Obviously the government is still working out the kinks, but for now it seems as if there is a pattern emerging for this transition period. After surveying many foreigners who have gone through the new procedure, we have put together an update of our original post. Please note that these procedures may not be implemented uniformly, so it’s always best to bring a Turkish-speaker with you to the appointment, if possible. Also, once the General Directorate of Migration Management is fully established, there will most certainly be changes to this process again (the main one being that you will no longer apply for your permit at the police station). However, the ultimate aim is to have a procedure that is more stable, cheaper and easier to navigate. Getting into Turkey – Tourist Visa Previously, you could purchase a tourist visa at the airport upon arrival in Turkey. This visa came in the form of a sticker placed in your passport. However, the law has been changed and now tourists are required to obtain an electronic visa before flying to Turkey. The process is relatively easy — visit this website to apply, pay for and download the visa — although it does require some forward planning. Apparently it will still be possible to obtain a tourist visa at the airport for the remainder of the 2014 summer tourist season, but we recommend getting the e-visa just to be on the safe side. The tourist visa is good for 90 days. In the past, it was possible to hop over to another country and come back into Turkey with another 90-day tourist visa if the time on your initial one was running out. However, that’s no longer the case (and don’t listen to the friend of a friend of a friend who says that she did this just a few weeks ago with no problem — that may be the case, but generally I wouldn’t want to risk detainment at the local border police and/or deportation). If you do stay beyond the 90 days, you will be fined upon leaving the country in proportion to the number of days you overstayed your visa and prohibited from re-entering Turkey for another 90 days (180 days from the date of your initial tourist visa). If you leave the country while your tourist visa is still valid, the 90-day countdown will effectively stop and will only be activated again once you re-enter Turkey. The new residence card that will be mailed to you from Ankara (no more little blue book!) The new residence card that will be mailed to you from Ankara (no more little blue book!) Staying in Turkey – Short-Term Residence Permit When applying for a residence permit (ikamet in Turkish), it is first important to note that there are different procedures depending on your country of citizenship. The below information is for citizens from “Group A” countries who are applying for their first short-term residence permit, although we also include information on renewals, which require the same documents but have a few procedural differences. (“Group A” countries are those that are members of the EU and OECD — Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus (Southern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and USA.) We will not be covering “Group B” applications at this time, but may do so in the near future. Residence permits are typically valid for one year, depending on the amount of money you can guarantee. In the past, citizens of “Group A” countries could apply for a permit of up to five years, but it appears that this is no longer a possibility under the new law. You may only apply for a long-term residence permit if you have been living in Turkey for eight years. Step One: Make an appointment NOTE: These appointments can be very difficult to get and are often booked out for months. Consequently, we recommend booking one as early as possible. It may be the case that the first available date is after your 90-day tourist visa expires: Don’t fear, you are permitted to stay in the country as long as you are in the process of obtaining a residence permit. However, we DO NOT (I wish I could do that in triple bold) recommend leaving the country in the time between your visa expiring and the date of your appointment. There is often a disconnect between the border police at the airports and the city police stations (although now the process is technically overseen by the General Directorate of Migration Management). You can have a piece of paper showing the date of your appointment and reference number, but it may not do you any good. If you live in Istanbul, visit the “e-randevu” website of the Istanbul Police Department. Choose English as your language and click on “New Appointment.” Enter the required information and select “First Application” from the drop-down menu under the heading “Purpose of Your Request for a Residence Permit.” You will then be presented with a drop-down menu to select the “Unit Location.” Previously all first applications went through the Foreigner’s Department at the central police station in Fatih (listed as “YABANCILAR ŞUBE MÜDÜRLÜĞÜ (VATAN)”), but we have heard that it is now possible to apply for your first short-term residence permit at the Foreigner’s Department of your local police station. To be on the safe side, we still recommend going to the central police station in Fatih for your first appointment and our advice is tailored accordingly. (NOTE: All renewals and applications for change of address will take place at your local police station.) You must print a color copy of this form, so it’s best to fill it out when you’re on a computer that’s connected to a printer. If you won’t be able to print it immediately, remember to write down the reference number at the end. That way, you can go back later to the e-randevu website and access your forms. Step Two: Collect all the necessary items for your appointment You will need the following items with you when you go to your appointment (this is also written on the application form, but mostly in Turkish): Your passport Photocopies of the follow pages of the passport: the page bearing the information and photograph of the applicant, the expiry date of the passport and the page with the visa stamp from your last entry into Turkey (there is often a photocopy service in or near the police stations, but we recommend getting it done beforehand as photocopy shops are all over the city — just go in and ask “fotokopi çeker misiniz?”) A color printout of your online application. Four passport-size photos (also possible to do the day-off at or near the police stations, but again we recommend getting your photos before the appointment — just let the person at the shop know it’s for your “ikamet”) A currency exchange slip or an account statement from a Turkish bank showing that you have enough money to support yourself for the duration of your residence permit. The required amount is $500 per month, so if you intend to obtain a one-year residence permit you will need a statement or exchange slip showing $6000. NOTE ONE: If you prefer to provide an account statement, you must first open an account at a Turkish bank. This money CANNOT be held in a foreign bank account, it must be in a Turkish bank. Unfortunately, a number of Turkish banks require a residence permit before allowing you to open an account. There are some banks, however, that allow you to open an account with only your passport and a tax number (we have heard that HSBC, Akbank, İş Bank and Yapıkredi will open an account with only a passport, tax number and a document, such as a driver’s license or old bill, showing your prior address, but again this may not be uniformly enforced). You can easily obtain a tax number at your local Tax Office (Vergi Dairesi) — you just give them your passport and a tax number is made for you. NOTE TWO: It used to be possible to obtain an exchange slip from a döviz office for a small fee even if you didn’t have the full amount of money required. However, many people have reported that a döviz slip is no longer accepted by the police. We recommend getting an exchange slip from a Turkish bank or a statement showing the required amount of money in a Turkish bank account. Proof of health insurance (sağlık sigortası): This is a new requirement and one that may prove to be the most vexing. Some of you may have emergency insurance from your home country, however the government requires that certain procedures are covered. We have been told that the your insurance must cover inpatient and outpatient treatment (ayakta ve yatarak tedavi), meaning that most emergency insurance will not be accepted. If you do have foreign insurance that extends beyond emergency care, you must get the documentation of your plan translated into Turkish and notarized (this can be done at an official notary or at a tercüme bürosu). If you do not have foreign insurance, you must buy a plan in Turkey. Initially it looked as if emergency insurance from a Turkish provider would be accepted, but the most recent reports suggest that “full insurance” is in fact required (what this means is up for debate – again, best to use the Turkish phrase “ayakta ve yatarak tedavi“). Some private companies that foreigners have recommend are AXA Sigorta, Allianz Sigorta, Acıbadem Sigorta and Yapıkredi Sigorta. Again, you will need your passport and tax number to sign up for a plan. The amount you pay will depend on a number of factors, such as your age and medical history. As an example, a Yabangee pal said that he went with AXA Sigorta: They asked if he smoked or drank (to which he answered no) and he was given a one-year policy for 470 TL. As a comparison, the full-service fancy plans generally run over 2000 TL for the year, paid out in installments. We recommend going to one of their offices and/or calling these companies and trying to speak with someone in English. As always, it’s often easiest to have a Turkish friend help you out. Regardless of where you get your insurance from, it must cover you for the entire period for which you will have your residence permit (i.e., for the following year). NOTE: Some people have suggested getting SGK (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu) insurance, the public insurance provided by the government. However, you only qualify for SGK if you have been a legal resident in Turkey for one year (this means you must have stayed in Turkey with a valid residence permit for at least one year). Apparently this option may be your best bet if you are married to a Turk who is working in Turkey, on the condition that your spouse has registered you for SGK. We’ve heard that all you need is a document from the SGK office. If anyone has any experience with using SGK insurance, please share any information you have in the comments. Proof of address: This is another new requirement and, as such, we have heard a number of different variations on what is required. A) If you are leasing an apartment (i.e., your name is on the lease), you must get a notarized copy of the signed contract between you and your landlord. The notary fee is 80 TL. If your contract mentions a deposit, the notary may send you to the Tax Office (Vergi Dairesi) to pay a 300 TL tax. Likewise, if you had a Turkish friend sign on as a guarantor (kefil), the notary may also send you to the tax office to pay another tax, although the amount of this tax is uncertain. B) If you are subletting (i.e., your name is not on the lease), there are a few different options, according to our sources. The first is to have your roommate accompany you to the notary and get a notarized statement that you are subletting from them at the specified address and that they accept responsibility for you. The same procedure should apply if you are living with a Turkish partner. We have also heard that you can go to your local Nufüs Office ([Name of your municipality] Nufüs Müdürlüğü) or the Muhtar in your neighborhood ([Name of your neighborhood] Mahallesi Muhtarlığı) and register there. They will provide you with a document certifying your address. You will need a copy of your rental agreement and your passport. Step Three: Go to your appointment at the police station (emniyet) The address of the central station in Fatih is: Emniyet Müdürlüğü, Vatan Caddesi, Hizmet Binası, A Blok, Kat:1, Fatih, Istanbul You can get there by the Aksaray Metro; exit Emniyet Fatih. The office is very close to the metro exit. Enter the building and go through the security check, then proceed towards main building. Take the stairs up to the second floor which is the Foreigner’s (Yabancı) Department. Turn left at the top of the stairs then left again and walk down the hallway. You will see a large waiting room on your right with numbers in red on the wall. Sit and wait for your number to be flashed. When called, go to the designated window and hand the person all your documents for processing. They will ask you a few questions such as where your parents are from, is this your first application for a permit, etc. They will tell you how much you need to pay (which, as mentioned above, will depend on how long you plan to reside in Turkey). You will then need to pay downstairs at the cashier. The amount changes depending on your country of citizenship, so it is best to have a good amount of cash on you (200-300 TL). More information on the exact prices can be found here. The cashier downstairs is open from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, so if your appointment ends after this time you have to return to the office. After paying the fee, go back up to the second floor and pay 50 TL at the glass window (turn right at the top of the stairs) for the residence permit itself (it has been reported that this payment must be paid elsewhere; regardless, you must pay 50 TL for the residence permit). (Note: If you are renewing your permit at your local police station, you will need to pay these fees at the nearest tax office.) After gathering your payment receipts, return to the person who processed your application. You don’t need another number or need to wait in line unless there are others waiting for his window too. When his window is free, submit all the documents you were missing (if any) and the receipts. If you are missing any documents, he will process your application then ask you to return with those documents the next day directly to him. NEW STEP: Your application will now be sent to Ankara, where an ID card (no more little blue book!) will be printed and mailed to your address. It is imperative that you provide the correct address, otherwise it may prove difficult to get your permit. Step Four: Wait for the mail! The card should arrive sometime between three weeks and three months of your appointment. Obviously the latter is less than ideal, but there are reports of people receiving the card within three weeks. It has also been reported that once your application has been processed in Ankara, you are in the electronic system and can technically leave and enter Turkey without any issues. However, do so at your own risk as this information has not been confirmed and, as we’ve stated before, things are not necessarily enforced in a uniform manner at this time. Disclaimer: This is not legal advice and should be construed as such. Yabangee does not accept liability or responsibility for any action taken based on this advice. Basically, folks, this is our collected wisdom to help guide you in this process. If you have a unique situation, it’s probably best to consult a lawyer.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 18:23:26 +0000