Guides
Turkish paperwork, explained step by step.
Free, practical guides to the permits people ask us about most — written the way we'd explain them to a client, with the details that actually cause refusals. No sign-up, nothing held back.
Guide 01
The permit every international student needs.
If you're studying in Türkiye on a programme lasting three months or longer, you need a student residence permit (ikamet). It's what keeps you legally resident once your entry visa or visa-exempt period runs out — and it's the piece of paperwork students most often get wrong, usually by applying too late or entering the country the wrong way.
What the full guide covers
- Who needs a student residence permit, and the entry rule that catches people out
- The e-ikamet application, stage by stage
- Every document requested, and how to prepare each one
- 2026 fees and how they are paid
- The biometrics appointment and what happens after it
- Address registration, changing permit type, and bringing family
- Renewals, graduation, and what happens when the permit ends
Read the full step-by-step guide
Every stage of the application, all the documents, 2026 fees, address registration, renewals and the questions students ask us most.
Guide 02
The six permit types, and which one fits you.
Turkish residence permits sit under Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, which sets out six types. Picking the one that genuinely matches your situation is the single most important decision in the whole process — the wrong type is the most common reason a first application is refused.
| Permit | Who it's for | Usually issued for | The condition that decides it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-termArticles 31–33 | Property owners, retirees, remote workers, language students, medical and business visitors | Up to 2 years at a time | Your stated purpose has to be evidenced. The property route needs a title deed value of at least USD 200,000. |
| FamilyArticles 34–37 | Spouse and minor or dependent children of a Turkish citizen, or of a foreigner holding a valid permit | Up to 3 years | The sponsor must meet income, insurance, accommodation and criminal-record conditions. |
| StudentArticles 38–41 | Anyone enrolled in a Turkish programme of three months or longer | Length of the course | Enrolment at a recognised institution — covered in full in Guide 01. |
| Long-termArticles 42–45 | Foreigners after eight years of uninterrupted lawful residence | Indefinite | Eight continuous years, no social assistance in the last three, and stable income. |
| HumanitarianArticle 46 | Exceptional situations assessed by the authorities | Up to 1 year at a time | Granted at the Ministry's discretion; not a route you can plan around. |
| Trafficking victimsArticles 48–49 | Victims, or probable victims, of human trafficking | 30 days, up to 3 years total | A protection measure rather than a general residence route. |
A work permit replaces a residence permitIf you hold a valid work permit, it counts as your residence permit for the same period — you don't hold both. See Guide 03 below.
Most asked about
Family residence permit
For the spouse and children of a Turkish citizen, or of a foreigner who already holds a valid permit. It is issued for up to three years at a time, and it can never run longer than the sponsor's own permit. Most of the conditions apply to the sponsor rather than the applicant, which catches families out.
Who can be sponsored
- Your foreign spouse
- Your minor children, and your spouse's minor children
- Dependent adult children of either spouse
- Sponsored by a Turkish citizen, a Blue Card holder, or a foreigner with a valid residence permit
What the sponsor must show
- Total monthly income not below the minimum wage, and at least one third of the minimum wage per person in the household
- Valid health insurance covering every family member on the application
- Accommodation suitable for the size of the family
- A criminal record certificate showing no conviction for crimes against the family in the last five years
- For foreign sponsors: at least one year's residence in Türkiye on a permit, with a registered address
- Address registration in order before the appointment, for everyone on the file
The most common permit
Short-term residence permit
The catch-all permit, issued for up to two years at a time. It covers most people who are living in Türkiye without studying, working or joining family — but each ground has to be evidenced, and two rules in particular decide a lot of applications.
Grounds it can be granted on
- Owning residential property in Türkiye
- Long-term tourism
- Business or commercial connections
- Attending a Turkish language course
- Medical treatment
- Scientific research
- Exchange programmes and in-service training
- Former family permit holders, in defined circumstances
The long game
Long-term residence permit
Often called permanent residence. It is issued indefinitely to foreigners who have lived in Türkiye lawfully and continuously for eight years, and it removes the renewal cycle entirely.
What you have to show
- Eight years of uninterrupted lawful residence in Türkiye
- No social assistance received in the last three years
- Sufficient, stable income for yourself and any dependants
- Valid health insurance
- No threat to public order or public security
The two you can't apply for in the ordinary way
Humanitarian residence permits are granted at the Ministry's discretion in exceptional situations — issued for up to a year at a time, and not something you can plan a move around. Permits for victims of human trafficking are a protection measure: initially thirty days, extendable up to three years in total. Both exist in the law, but neither is a general route into the country.
Rules that apply whichever permit you hold
- Apply online at e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr, then attend the appointment you are given
- The permit type must match your real reason for being in Türkiye
- Your address must be registered — and not in a neighbourhood closed to new foreign registration
- Health insurance must cover the whole permit period
- Applications are concluded within ninety days of being taken into processing
- The card is posted to your registered address, so that address must be correct
- No residence permit allows you to work — that needs a separate work permit
- Time spent outside Türkiye affects renewals and later applications
Residence permit questions.
Which permit should I apply for?
The one that matches your actual reason for being in Türkiye. Choosing a type that doesn't fit your situation — or that your evidence doesn't support — is the most common reason first applications are refused, and a refusal on record makes the next attempt harder.
Can I work on a residence permit?
No. A residence permit lets you live here; it does not authorise employment. Work requires a separate work permit, which your employer applies for. A valid work permit then counts as your residence permit for its duration.
Can my parents or siblings join me on a family permit?
No. The family residence permit covers a spouse and minor or dependent children only. Parents, siblings and other relatives need their own basis for staying, usually a short-term permit.
What happens when my child turns 18?
The family permit no longer covers them. They will need their own permit — normally a student permit if they are studying, or a short-term permit otherwise. It is worth starting that before the birthday, not after.
Does buying property give me residence?
Property can support a short-term residence permit, but only where the title deed value is at least USD 200,000 at the Central Bank rate on the day of purchase. Below that threshold, the property does not support an application on its own.
What is a 'closed' neighbourhood?
Migration Management closes neighbourhoods to new foreign address registration once foreign residents exceed a set share of the population. If your address is in one, the application is refused regardless of how good the rest of the file is. The list changes, so check the specific address before you sign a lease or buy.
Do these years count towards citizenship?
Five years of lawful residence can open the naturalisation route, but not every permit type is treated the same way, and time abroad can break the continuity. Our citizenship page explains how that route works.
Not sure which one you need?
Tell us your situation — nationality, family, why you're here and how long you plan to stay — and we'll tell you which permit fits and what it takes.
Guide 03
Working legally in Türkiye.
A work permit (çalışma izni) is issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and it is a separate document from your residence permit. The thing that surprises most people: you don't apply for it — your employer does, and most of the qualifying conditions are about the company rather than about you.
What the employer has to satisfy
These are the conditions that decide most applications. If the company can't meet them, no amount of paperwork on your side will fix it — which is why we check the employer first.
- At least five Turkish citizens employed per foreign worker at the same workplace
- Paid-in capital, prior-year sales or export figures above the Ministry's threshold
- A salary that matches the role — set as a multiple of the current gross minimum wage
- Up-to-date tax and social security records
- A credible explanation of why the role needs a foreign professional
- The declared job and salary kept consistent throughout the permit
How the application runs
Check eligibility first
Both sides have to qualify: you for the role, and the employer for the right to sponsor a foreign worker. Checking this before anything else is what avoids a wasted application and a refusal on record.
Apply from abroad, or from here
If you are outside Türkiye, you apply for a work visa at a Turkish consulate and your employer files the matching application within ten working days. If you already hold a valid residence permit — normally with at least six months left, and not a short-term tourist one — your employer applies directly online.
The employer files
The application goes through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security's e-İzin system using the company's e-Devlet login. Supporting documents follow within the Ministry's deadline; missing that deadline is a common cause of refusal.
Decision, fee, then SGK
A complete file is normally decided in about thirty days. Once approved, the fee is paid, the permit is issued, and the employer registers you with the social security institution. Preparing, translating and apostilling documents usually takes longer than the review itself.
Routes with different rules
Not everyone goes through the standard employer-sponsored route. If one of these applies to you, the conditions change significantly.
Work permit questions.
Can I apply for a work permit myself?
In most cases no — the employer applies for you, and the permit is tied to that employer and workplace. Independent work permits and the Turquoise Card are the main exceptions, and both have their own qualifying conditions.
Does my residence permit already let me work?
No. A residence permit gives you the right to live in Türkiye, not to work. Working without a permit puts both you and your employer at risk, and can affect your residence status.
Does a work permit replace my residence permit?
Yes. While it is valid, a work permit counts as your residence permit, so you do not hold a separate one for the same period.
How long does it take?
A complete application is usually decided in around thirty days. Realistically, budget longer: collecting diplomas, translations, notarisation and apostilles from your home country is what sets the timeline.
What happens if I change jobs?
The permit belongs to that employer and that workplace. A new employer has to apply again, and you should not start the new job until the new permit is approved.
I'm an international student. Can I work?
Yes, with a work permit, and the rules depend on your level of study. Undergraduate and associate students can apply after completing their first year and work part-time, commonly capped at 24 hours a week during term. Master's and doctoral students can apply from their first year and are not held to the same limits.
These guides are general information, not legal advice for your situation. Requirements, thresholds and fees are set by the Turkish authorities and change from time to time. We confirm the current rules in writing before filing anything on your behalf.
Rather not do the paperwork yourself?
We prepare the file, book the appointments, and go with you when it helps. Tell us your situation and we'll say plainly what's involved, what it costs and how long it takes.
What we're writing next.
Guides on family residence permits, the tax number and bank account, and diploma equivalency (denklik) are in preparation. If there's something you'd find useful, tell us — we usually write the guide people keep asking for.
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