Turkey, noting significant progress with its developing economy in recent years, investments in construction and real estate sectors, is becoming a center of attraction for institutional and individual investors. In this process, the country offers significant opportunities to foreign investors who need to master local dynamics to make successful investment decisions. As Trem Global team, we are closely following developments in order to provide support to investors in real estate acquisition and investment issues, which are highly dependent on internal and external factors and have unique problems, with our experienced and industry-dominated staff. In order to meet the needs of our customers in Turkey, and to help them achieve successful results in investment decisions we present Real Estate Acquisition and Investment Guide in Turkey to the investors, where we provide sector-specific knowledge. The information in this guide is general, not social, tax or legal advice.
The residence permit is one of the documents that foreigners have to take who decided to decide to settle in Turkey for various reasons. The residence permit application is made online by applying to the website of the immigration administration according to the type of residence permit you are considering the terms of the short term, student, family, long term and human residence permit types.
Foreigners who will stay longer than for the time allowed for visa or visa exemption or 90 days in Turkey, are required to obtain a residence permit. Applications must be made before the expiry date of visa or residence permit.
Foreigners who have completed their application must be present at the provincial / district immigration administration in the province where they want to live on the appointment time. Foreigners who do not have a valid excuse are considered to have never applied if they are not present in the relevant immigration administration. In case of a valid excuse, the administration requests information and documents. Extending the residence permit is the same procedure.
The residence permit applications are not accompanied by an escort application and the application and permit document of each foreigner are issued separately. In addition to the applications that can be made by foreigners themselves, applications can be made through the legal representative or lawyer of the foreigner. However, the administration may require the foreigner to be present during the application if he deems it necessary.
Six types of residence permits have been issued by law and online applications are made through the e-ikamet system for the first application, extension application, and transition applications.
Residence Permit Types
Short-Term Residence Permit
Family Residence Permit
Family residence permits are issued to the foreigners who have lost Turkish citizenship by obtaining a leave of absence or to the foreign spouse of foreigners and refugees who hold one of their residence permits and of those with secondary protection status, or to foreigner\'s spouse\'s minor foreign child, and to his or her spouse\'s dependent foreign child.
Student Residence Permit
Student residence permit ensures the student to be only the supporter of spouse and children in family residence permit applications. It does not provide any right to the other relatives about residence permit.
Long-Term Residence Permit
With the approval of the Ministry, the long-term residence permit is issued by the governorates for foreigners who have stayed in Turkey for at least eight years without interruption or meet the conditions set by the Migration Policies Board. Refugees, conditional refugees, and holders of secondary protection status, as well as holders of humanitarian residence permit and temporary protection are granted the right to a long-term residence permit.
Long-term residence permit is issued indefinitely.
Humanitarian Residence Permit
humanitarian residence permit may be issued.
Residence Permit for Victims of Human Trafficking
Within the framwork of Foreigners and International Protection Laws, a residence permit for victims of human trafficking shall be granted to foreigners who are victims of human trafficking or where there is strong circumstantial evidence that they might be victims.
Those who have these conditions and permission to work do not have to apply for a residence permit in Turkey. Work permit holder foreigners have the right to stay in Turkey without a residence permit for the duration of work permits.