One of the things we need to consider. Once we have entered Turkey and in case we're planning on staying in the country for more than three months, which is the time we are allowed to stay in the country on a tourist visa, applying for a residence permit in Turkish is called Ikamet. With this content, we are going to share with you all the important information about the types of residence permits the official website to apply for an appointment and all the documents you're gonna be needing. So let's get started.

This residents permit will allow us to stay in Turkey in a legal way. If your visa expires, you never apply for a residence permit and you didn't leave the country on time. Then once you try to leave the country, a fine will be imposed. This fine depends on the days that you exceeded your stay. And also on the immigration officer for certain exceeded days, one can pay.

For example, let's say 500 Turkish liras but another person for the exact same days can pay 1000 liras. Also you are at risk that the country could ban you from entering Turkey for some years.

So you already know if you want to live in Turkey in a legal way, you'll need to do the process to apply for a residence permit first, that will also give you the opportunity to work here with a work permit. Because just as a tip, if you look for a job, once you are in Turkey first, you must apply for the residence permit. And then the job you have applied to will process the work permit for you without the ikamet. The employer cannot give you the work permit. So now let's start with all the important information about the ikamet.

When should I apply for the residence permit?

Well, for this one, you must apply for it. Once you are in Turkey, remember you cannot do it from another country or through the Turkish embassy in your home country. Once you have entered the country, you must apply before your visa expires. Now, what happens if my appointment was given way after my visa expires? Am I illegal in the country?

Well, most of the time, the appointments for our interview in the immigration offices, which is known as Goc idaresi (Immigration Department) in Turkish are given one to even three months away from the date when we apply it on the system. But you don't have to worry. You are not illegally in Turkey. When you fulfill the form on the system, you need to print it out and keep a photo of it on your phone. That will prove that you have already started the process.

And you're waiting for your interview appointment at the immigration offices. Even you can still travel within Turkey that way.

Types of residence Permit:

Now let's see what types of residence permits we have available. There are two types of resident permits short-term, and the second is long-term. The long-term residence permit, which is also indefinite, is only given to those who have been living in Turkey for at least 8 years.

What are the types of short-term residence permits in Turkey?

Well, depending on the reasons for staying in the country, then there are other types of short-term residence permits. In this case, we can find

• scientific research
• establish business or commercial connections
• participate in training programs
• education, family
• tourism purposes
• medical treatment

There are a few others, but the main ones are this. The ones mostly foreigners apply to are education, family, especially those married to a Turkish citizen, and tourism.

What documents do I need to apply for a residence permit?

As well, depending on the type of short residence permit you will apply to, there are certain documents that will be requested. We are mentioning them one by one. But also there are some documents that will be common in all the resident type permits. And just a few will change, according to the specific type of ikamet you are applying to.

Requested documents (common)

• Residence Permit Application Form (must be signed by foreigner and/or his/her legal representative.)

• Photocopy of passport or passport substitute document (pages containing identity information and photo and pages processed) (The original document must be presented on the appointment day.
• Four (4) pcs biometric photos (must have been taken within the last 6 months, against a white background and biometric)
• Statement on having sufficient and regular financial means throughout the stay (shall be stated in the Application Form. Administration may request supporting documents from applicant.)
• Documents/receipts for the payment of residence permit fee and card fee
• Valid health insurance (Insurance period must cover the duration of the intended residence permit. One of the following document is considered sufficient):
  • E-signed/signed and stamped/sealed document to be obtained from provincial social security units which states that the foreigner is benefiting from the health services in Turkey within the scope of bilateral social security agreements
  • E-signed/signed and stamped/sealed provision document to be obtained from the Social Security Institution-SGK (Provision documents to be obtained from SGK must cover both the sponsor and family members for family residence permits.)
  • E-signed/signed and stamped/sealed document regarding the application made to the Social Security Institution to become a general health insurance holder
  • Private health insurance (Please submit the signed and stamped/sealed original of your insurance policy during application!)
• Document showing the registration in the Address Registration System(In case of registration in the address registration system)

  E-signed/signed and stamped/sealed “Residence Document” to be obtained from provincial/district directorates of registry or e-government system (www.turkiye.gov.tr)

• Document of Residence

  (One of the following document is considered sufficient.)

  • If you are staying in your own home, a photocopy of the title deed; ("residence document" is sufficient for extension applications.)
  • If you are staying in a rental house on a rental agreement, a notarized copy of your rental agreement;
  • If you are staying at a hotel, etc. proof of your stay in these places;
  • If you are staying in a student dormitory, e-signed/signed and sealed/stamped document showing that you are staying in the dormitory.
  • If you are staying in a third person’s residence, the notarized undertaking of the host (if the host is married, also the notarized undertaking of the spouse)

Documents according to the reasons of short term residence permit stay

Explanations

For children

- If the mother and father could not be determined from passport or passport substitute document or national identity card, a certified birth certificate shall be requested.

- In the absence of either mother or father, a certified deed of consent shall be requested. (In case of death of one of the parents, the other spouse must submit a certified death certificate.)

- In case of divorce, a certified custody document of the child shall be requested.

(These documents must be e-signed/signed and sealed/stamped if obtained from Turkish authorities; they must have a notarized Turkish translation and an Apostille if obtained from abroad. It is required to be a citizen of a country which is a party to the Apostille Convention; or if there is no Apostille on the document even if the country is a party, the documents in question are required to be approved by the relevant country authorities (approval by the consulate/embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Turkish Authorities authorized on this issue).

- If the foreigner in question is under eighteen years old, a certified deed of consent by mother/father abroad or legal representative, and a notarized undertaking by real or legal persons in Turkey provided that it is specified in the deed of consent

For transfer applications

Photocopy of the previous residence permit document shall be attached to application document. (The original document shall be submitted to the administration on the appointment day)

How long is the ikamet valid for?

For tourism purposes are given for a maximum one year. In the case of a residence permit for family purposes, it can be issued for up to three years. for this one you also need to consider the validity of your passport. If your passport still has two years validity and you apply for a three year permit, then they will only give you two years.

What's the fee I need to pay for a residence permit?

At the moment we are not quite sure about the exact prices because also we cannot see them displayed on the website until you have already filled in the form and generated the appointment. Then you can see the fee. But in my case, I have just applied recently to renew my residence permit as a family member for three years. It showed me almost 1800 liras. So we will say most of us should expect to pay between 1000 to 2000 Turkish liras. Remember that every certain time the prices also increase. So please do not rely on this content for the prices. Maybe next year, the fees will be different.

Where and how can I apply for the residence permits?

The official website for it is this one, e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr. It's quite easy doing it on your own. You do not need somebody else to do it for you, but if you want to get the help of an expert, you can also do it, just please make sure to do it with somebody reliable. There are so many people advertising their services on Facebook pages, but trust me, many of those are scammers. We have known many cases of people and also friends of mine that have been cheated and scammed. They take their money and you never hear from them ever again. Just make sure to find a good reliable agency to help you out with all the process you need. Now let's show you step by step what the system looks like and how to fill it in this screen. Recorded was taken during the time when we applied for my personal residence permits.

Pre-registration Form

On the first screen, we are going to fill it in with our personal information, our name, our passport number, and also they will request our mother and father's name. Also make sure to have in hand the address where you're going to be living in because you are going to put it there. Remember that the ikamet the physical card will arrive at that address. You are going to need your biometrical photos because you need to put it there as well as you can see from my screen also, when I was applying for my own residence permit, I had to upload it onto the system. And also you need to have by then the health insurance that must cover for the time that you are requesting the ikamet, residence permit for because you are going to need to put that information into the system.

If you start making an application for a residence permit, you are required to complete your application up to 30 days. Otherwise, your uncompleted application will be automatically canceled by the system at the end of the allowed period and you will be required to apply again as a first time / transfer application.

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Once you have finished filling in all of this form onto the system, now it's time for you to print it out. And also you, you're going to sign it and you will take that one into your interview. And also, as we mentioned before, it will be really good. If you can keep an extra photo of it on your phone, that way, if you're going out and your visa expired already, and maybe they might check you or you need to travel within Turkey you can show that and you can prove that way that you have started the process for your residence permits. So this is pretty much what you have to know about the residence permit and how to apply for it on your own.

It’s not too difficult but you need to make sure to have all of your documents ready to take them to the interview appointment. If you have any question on the topic just feel free to comment below we’ll try to answer you as quickly as possible.