General Information
Providing parallelism in practise of
international law and international law rules has a place in creating a system
respecting human dignity and in preventing violations of human rights. Within
this scope, foreigners in our country have various rights and obligations.
Residency permits form a legal basis for the stay of foreigners in our country
within the framework of these rights and obligations.
According to the Law on Foreigners and
International Protection No. 6458, a residence permit document shall stand for
the permit issued for the purpose of staying in Turkey. This document granted
by competent authorities entitles the right to reside in a specific location in
Turkey for a given period of time. Residence permit which is of great
importance in terms of the provision and protection of public order shall be
issued following the request and application by the foreigner together with the
required documents providing s/he fulfils the related conditions.
Residence Permit Application
Foreigners who would stay in Turkey
beyond the duration of a visa or visa exemption or longer than ninety days
should obtain a residence permit. As it is envisaged by the law, it will soon
be possible to lodged with the consulates in the foreigner’s country of
citizenship or legal stay, and this will also be announced. Till the adoption
of this procedure, applications for residence permits shall be lodged with the
governorates.
Pursuant to the law in question,
accompanying is no longer valid and, in addition to this, residence permit
documents following their applications shall be issued separately for each
foreigner. Those applications may be made in person as well as by his/her legal
representative or lawyer. However, if the administration deems it necessary, it
may also require foreigners to be present at the time of application.
By the Law No. 6735, the provision
stating that applications may also be made through Authorized Intermediary has
been included in the scope of Article 21 of the Law No. 6458. Authorized
Intermediary refers to the institutions or organizations authorized by the
Directorate General and their qualifications and task frameworks shall be set
forth by regulation.
e-Residence System
Six types of residence permits shall
be issued by Article 30 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection
No. 6458, and first, extension or transfer applications shall be made online
via e-Residence system (https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/).
First and Transfer Applications
For the first and transfer
applications, foreigners are required to make a residence permit application
via e-Residence system and be present at Provincial Directorate of Migration
Management on the appointment date together with the required documents (
https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/Ikamet/IstenenBelgeler ).
Furthermore, original passport for the
first or transfer applications and notarized passport photocopy for the
extension applications shall be submitted.
Extension Application
Extension applications shall be made
to the governorates within sixty days prior to the expiration of the residence
permit and, in any case, before the expiration of the residence permit.
After applying for residence permit via
e-Residence system and gathering required documents, foreigners are required to
send those documents by post to the Provincial Directorate of Migration
Management within 5 (five) working days.
In addition, during the application
for extension, the information given earlier should be checked to ensure
correct entry. Otherwise the e-residence system will not allow to make an
extension application and will direct the applicant to the appointment system.
Work permit as a residence permit
A valid work permit, within the
framework of the law, shall be considered as a residence permit, which means
that the work permit holder is entitled to stay in our country without a
residence permit within the period of the work permit.
Health insurance requirement
Duration of your insurance must cover
the requested duration of residence permit.
One of the following health insurances
shall be considered sufficient:
1-An e-signed/signed and
sealed/stamped document which is received from the Provincial Unit of Social
Security Institution and which proves the access to health services in Turkey
within the scope of bilateral social security agreements;
2-An e-signed/signed and
sealed/stamped certificate of authorization received from Social Security
Institution (This certificate, for family residence permit, must be issued in a
way covering both sponsors and family members.);
3-An e-signed/signed and
sealed/stamped document proving the application made to Social Security
Institution for General Health Insurance;
4-Private Health Insurance.
Residence Permit Fee
Residence permit fee shall be issued
in the Law on Fees No. 492 and fees, pursuant to this Law, shall be collected
from foreigners. In cases where an application for the extension following the
expiration of the residence permit is not made, residence permit fee for the
period spent in Turkey shall be collected as much pursuant to Article 83 of the
Law on Fees No. 492
Address of Stay in Turkey
Foreigners are required to submit
information on their address of stay in Turkey and this address may be a fixed
address or an accommodation facility address. However, in any case, foreigners
are required to state correct and complete address information. In addition,
address, telephone number or e-mail information must be up-to-date in order for
the residence permit document to be sent to address.
If the address information changes within the
period of residence permit, the necessary documents are required to be
submitted to the provincial directorate of migration management and provincial
directorate of civil registration and citizenship within 20 (twenty) working
days.
Right to Exit-Entry for 15 Days
-Residence Permit Application Document
shall be issued following the first application of the foreigner via
e-Residence and completion of the application on the appointment date at the
Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.
-Residence Permit Application Document
shall be issued by the system upon the completion of the application for the
extension of the residence permit via e-Residence system.
Foreigners can exit from Turkey with
the “Residence Permit Application Document” approved by the Directorate along
with the fee receipt on condition of entry within 15 days. However, in case of
staying abroad for more than 15 days, the provisions of visa shall apply to the
foreigner.
Finalization of Residence Permits
According to Article 21 of the Law in
question, residence permit applications shall be finalized no later than ninety
days.
In addition, pursuant to Article 22 of
the Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International
Protection, the ninety-day period shall begin from the date on which
information and documents have been fully submitted to the competent authority.
Foreigners are notified in case of an extension in this period.
Warning about fake documentation
The Directorate General of Migration
Management shall not work with the third real and/or legal entities in the
activities and actions related to foreigners. It has been determined that fake
documents have been produced to be used in residence permit applications by
persons or companies that are working for a consideration. In this context,
applications for residence permit are required to be made in person, and the
third real and/or legal entities should not be accredited.
Foreigners Communication Center (YİMER):
Foreigners can obtain detailed
information about the residence permit from the Foreigners Communication Center
(YİMER) for 24 hours through domestic calls 157 or abroad calls +90 312 157 11
22.