A residence permit allows a foreign national to stay in Türkiye longer than the period allowed by their visa or visa exemption. Under Article 19 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection (YUKK), foreign nationals who will stay longer than their visa or visa exemption, or longer than ninety days, must obtain a residence permit. A permit that is not used within six months becomes invalid.
The type of permit depends on the purpose of the person's stay in Türkiye. Applying for the wrong type can lead to refusal even for someone who meets the conditions. Before applying, therefore, you should have a documented answer to the question "why am I here and how long will I stay?".
Types of residence permit
YUKK Art. 30 lists six types of residence permit. In practice, the first four are the most common.
Short-term residence permit
This permit is granted for the purposes listed in YUKK Art. 31, such as scientific research, establishing business connections or a business, in-service training, tourism, medical treatment, Turkish language courses and owning property in Türkiye. It is issued for up to two years at a time. For certain groups specified in the Law, such as foreign investors and citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, this period may be up to five years.
For applications based on property ownership, the property may be required to be residential and to meet minimum value thresholds set in the implementing regulation. Since these thresholds change over time, the current amount should be checked in the official information of the Presidency of Migration Management before applying. Spending more than one hundred and twenty days in total abroad within the last year may lead to non-renewal or cancellation of a short-term permit (YUKK Art. 33(2) and the Implementing Regulation of the Law).
Family residence permit
This permit is granted to the foreign spouse, minor children and dependent adult children of Turkish citizens, of foreign nationals holding certain types of residence permit, and of persons with refugee or subsidiary protection status (YUKK Art. 34). It is issued for up to three years at a time and may not exceed the duration of the sponsor's residence permit.
The sponsor must meet conditions such as a monthly income of not less than the minimum wage and not less than one third of the minimum wage per family member; housing suitable for the size of the family; health insurance covering all family members; no conviction for offences against family order within the five years before the application; and having resided in Türkiye on a residence permit for at least one year (YUKK Art. 35). The one-year residence requirement does not apply to certain sponsors, such as foreign nationals present for scientific research or with a work permit, Blue Card holders and foreign nationals married to Turkish citizens, and it does not apply where the sponsor is a Turkish citizen. For foreign nationals married to Turkish citizens, whether the marriage is genuine may be investigated separately; if it emerges that the marriage was entered into solely to obtain a permit, the permit is cancelled. For citizenship applications based on marriage to a Turkish citizen, see the Turkish Citizenship by Marriage page.
Student residence permit
This permit is granted to foreign nationals who will study for an associate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree at a higher education institution in Türkiye (YUKK Art. 38). Student residence is one of the types of residence that do not count towards the five-year period in a general-route citizenship application; students planning to settle long-term should be aware of this from the start.
Long-term residence permit
This permit is granted to foreign nationals who have resided in Türkiye on permits without interruption for at least eight years (YUKK Art. 42). The applicant must not have received social assistance in the last three years, must have sufficient and regular income and valid health insurance, and must not pose a threat to public order or public security (YUKK Art. 43). The long-term permit has no expiry date and gives its holder a status close to the rights granted to Turkish citizens, with exceptions such as the right to vote and stand for election and to enter public service. The Law also provides that holders of humanitarian residence permits and persons under international or temporary protection cannot transfer to a long-term residence permit.
Humanitarian and human trafficking victim permits
A humanitarian residence permit is granted with the approval of the Presidency of Migration Management in the cases listed in YUKK Art. 46, such as where the best interests of a child require it or where a foreign national cannot leave Türkiye despite a deportation order. A foreign national who is strongly suspected of being a victim of human trafficking may be granted a residence permit valid for thirty days (YUKK Art. 48).
Where and how to apply
The rule in the Law is that the first application is made to the Turkish consulate in the country of which the foreign national is a citizen or where they are lawfully present (YUKK Art. 21). First applications from within Türkiye are limited to the exceptional cases listed in YUKK Art. 22; in practice, however, applications within Türkiye for short-term, family and student permits are widely accepted through the e-İkamet system. After the application form is completed, an appointment is given and the documents are submitted to the provincial directorate of migration management. An interview is held where necessary, and if the application is approved, the card is sent to the applicant's address.
The passport must be valid for at least sixty days longer than the requested residence period. The residence permit is likewise issued to expire at least sixty days before the passport (YUKK Art. 23).
Although it varies with the type of application, the file usually includes:
- e-İkamet application form and biometric photographs
- Original passport and a copy
- Health insurance valid in Türkiye
- Document showing the address of residence (notarised lease, title deed or letter of undertaking)
- Documents showing sufficient financial means for the duration of the stay
- Documents showing the purpose of the application (student certificate, marriage certificate, title deed, invitation letter, etc.)
- Receipt showing payment of the residence permit fee and card fee
Fees and card charges are updated every year and may vary depending on the applicant's nationality; current amounts should be checked in the announcements of the Presidency of Migration Management. Documents issued by foreign authorities must bear an apostille or consular legalisation and be translated by a sworn translator.
The Presidency of Migration Management may close certain neighbourhoods where the proportion of foreign residents exceeds a set level to new residence permit applications and address registrations. As the list of closed neighbourhoods is updated periodically, foreign nationals applying on the basis of a property purchase or a lease should check the address in advance.
Renewal applications: watch the deadline
Renewal applications are made to the governorship, starting sixty days before the permit expires and in any case before it expires (YUKK Art. 24). A foreign national who applies for renewal in time may stay in Türkiye with the document issued to them until the application is decided. An application made after the expiry date is not treated as a renewal; the foreign national falls into overstay, and this may result in the residence period being treated as interrupted in a later citizenship application.
Changes such as a change of address, marital status or employment must also be reported within the time limits set by the Law. Failure to comply with reporting obligations can lead to consequences ranging from administrative fines to cancellation of the permit.
Refusal, non-renewal and cancellation
Refusal, non-renewal or cancellation of a residence permit is decided by the governorship and notified to the foreign national or their attorney (YUKK Art. 25). The decision must take into account the foreign national's family ties, length of stay in Türkiye, the situation in their country of origin and the best interests of any child. Common grounds for refusal are use of the permit for a purpose other than the one stated, statements inconsistent with the documents submitted, insufficient income, time spent abroad above the limit for short-term permits and addresses in closed neighbourhoods.
The Law does not provide a special objection body for these decisions. An annulment action may be filed before the administrative court within sixty days of notification under Article 7 of Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577, and a stay of execution may be requested together with the action. It is also possible to apply to the superior authority before filing an action (İYUK Art. 11). If a renewal application is refused, the foreign national must leave Türkiye within a certain period; deportation proceedings may be started against a foreign national who does not leave within that period. This process is described on the Deportation and Administrative Detention page.
Overstay and its consequences
Remaining in Türkiye after a permit has expired is an overstay. Depending on its length, fees and an administrative fine are collected on departure (YUKK Art. 102 and Fees Law No. 492). The longer the overstay, the greater the likelihood of an entry ban; a deportation order may also be issued against foreign nationals who exceed the duration of their residence permit by more than ten days without an acceptable excuse (YUKK Art. 54). The Law's provision on entry bans (YUKK Art. 9) provides that an entry ban may not be imposed on foreign nationals who leave voluntarily and pay their fine.
Our work in this area
We assist in determining the right type of permit, preparing the application file and following up the legalisation and translation of documents. We monitor renewal deadlines and the reporting of address and status changes, and we handle court proceedings against refusal, non-renewal and cancellation decisions. For those planning to work in Türkiye, the Work Permits for Foreign Nationals page, and for those considering long-term settlement, the Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship page may be relevant.
Main topics
- Short-term residence permit (YUKK Arts. 31–33)
- Family residence permit (YUKK Arts. 34–37)
- Student residence permit (YUKK Arts. 38–41)
- Long-term residence permit (YUKK Arts. 42–45)
- Humanitarian and human trafficking victim permits (YUKK Arts. 46–49)
- Renewal applications (YUKK Art. 24)
- Court actions against refusal, non-renewal and cancellation
Frequently asked questions
My residence permit is about to expire. When should I apply for renewal?
Under YUKK Art. 24, you can apply for renewal from sixty days before the permit expires, and in any case you must apply before it expires. An application made after expiry is not treated as a renewal and may have overstay consequences.
I have a work permit. Do I also need a residence permit?
Under YUKK Art. 27, a valid work permit replaces a residence permit. If the work permit ends or is cancelled, you need to obtain a suitable residence permit separately to continue staying in Türkiye.
Does time spent on a tourist residence permit count towards long-term residence?
A long-term residence permit requires eight years of uninterrupted residence on permits. Under the Law, half of the time spent on a student residence permit and all of the time spent on other permits, such as short-term and family residence, is taken into account. As time spent on a visa or visa exemption and long periods abroad affect the calculation, it is advisable to check your records before applying.
How long do I have to challenge a refusal of my residence permit?
An annulment action may be filed before the administrative court within sixty days of notification of the refusal. As the period you are given to leave Türkiye after a refusal may be shorter than the time limit for the action, a request for a stay of execution and the departure deadline should be considered together.
My address is in a neighbourhood closed to new residence applications. What can I do?
New residence permit applications and address registrations are not possible in closed neighbourhoods. Since different practices may apply to some applications, such as renewals of existing permits and family residence, your situation should be assessed separately according to the current announcements of the Presidency of Migration Management.
Legislation and sources
- Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection (in Turkish)
- Regulation on the Implementation of Law No. 6458 (in Turkish)
- Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577 (in Turkish)
- Presidency of Migration Management – Residence permits
- e-İkamet application system
The information on this page is general and does not constitute legal advice. As legislation may change, the current rules must be assessed separately for your particular situation.