Residence permits are issued by the Presidency of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior. A holder of a valid work permit does not need a separate residence permit; this exemption covers only the employee, while spouse and children get a family residence permit. Being a company partner does not by itself give a right of residence.
Types
| Permit | For whom? | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term | Property ownership, business connections or setting up a business, tourism, treatment and other reasons listed in the law | Up to 2 years at a time |
| Short-term (investor) | Those investing within the scope and amount set by Presidential Decision; spouse and dependent children | Up to 5 years |
| Family | Spouse, children under 18 and dependent children of a Turkish citizen or residence permit holder | Up to 3 years at a time; not beyond the sponsor's permit |
| Student | Those enrolled at an educational institution in Türkiye | For the duration of studies |
| Long-term | Those resident continuously for at least 8 years | Indefinite |
| Humanitarian, victims of human trafficking | Cases listed in the legislation | Case by case |
Two conditions that decide the application
Health insurance: must cover the whole permit period. SGK registration is enough for employees; others take private health insurance within the announced scope.
Address: an address that can be registered with a notarised lease or title deed is needed. Address registration must be made within 20 business days of card delivery. Neighbourhoods where the foreign population exceeds a set threshold are closed to new residence registrations; check before signing a lease.
Family residence conditions
- Sufficient and regular income of the sponsor
- Housing suitable for the number of family members
- Health insurance for each family member
- Sponsor's criminal record
- Address registration documents
Application steps
- Determine the reason for residence and the permit type
- Check the address is eligible for registration
- Online application (e-İkamet) and appointment at the provincial migration office
- File: passport, biometric photo, health insurance, income documents, address documents, reason-specific documents; foreign documents apostilled with sworn translation
- Apply at the appointment; pay fees and card cost (a short period is given for missing documents)
- Card delivery and address registration
| Stage | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Apostille and translation | 1–3 weeks |
| Online application | 1 day |
| Waiting for appointment | A few weeks |
| Appointment, card and address registration | 2–6 weeks |
Renewal and overstay
- Renewal can be applied for from 60 days before expiry and must in any case be before expiry. Those applying on time may stay in Türkiye during review.
- Staying after expiry is a violation from the next day: an administrative fine and, depending on the length, an entry ban on exit. Leaving and re-entering does not erase the violation and affects later applications (including work permits).
Long-term residence permit
Conditions: at least 8 years of continuous residence, no social assistance from public bodies in the last 3 years, sufficient and regular income, valid health insurance and public order. Time abroad beyond the legal limits breaks continuity. Long-term permit holders can apply for an indefinite work permit and are exempt from work permit criteria.
How we help
For clients setting up a company or bringing employees to Türkiye, we plan residence and work permit files together with company formation and payroll, aligning income documents, insurance and tax records. We work with a lawyer in migration law disputes.
Sources
Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection (arts. 30–49) and its Implementing Regulation; Presidency of Migration Management announcements; International Labour Force Law No. 6735 (work permit replacing a residence permit).