City Change with Residence Permit: Application and Appointment Tracking

City Change Process with Residence Permit

A residence permit is a mandatory document for foreigners who will stay in Turkey longer than the period granted by visa or visa exemption or more than ninety days. City change is not merely a matter of 'moving house', but directly affects which province the person will live in Turkey, in which province their application will be tracked, and their contact with the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.

According to the current statement of the Presidency of Migration Management, residence permit applications (initial, extension and transition) are received online through the e-İkamet system. After completing the application, it is necessary to be present at the provincial/district migration management directorate in the province where one wishes to live on the appointment day determined by the system. In this framework, the basic question for a foreigner changing cities is whether the new place of residence is compatible with the current application or permit process.

City change does not mean automatic renewal of the residence permit card or change of residence type. However, the province of residence is important in terms of where the application will be tracked. If there is incompatibility between the old city and the new city during the application or appointment phase, it should be separately evaluated which Provincial Directorate of Migration Management the file will be processed under.

Current Residence Permit Type and City Change

Six types of residence permits are regulated in Article 30 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection. Therefore, when evaluating city change, not only the province moved to but also the type of residence permit the person holds is important. The reason on which each residence type is based (education, family, short-term, etc.) can be related to the person's situation in the new city.

The residence permit type does not automatically transform into another type just because the city has changed. For example, moving to another province with an existing residence permit is not considered a 'change of residence type' by itself. If a type change is required, this must be done through e-İkamet under the relevant application type.

There is a separate situation for work permit holders. According to the statement of the Presidency of Migration Management, a work permit substitutes for a residence permit. A foreigner with a work permit has the right to stay in Turkey during the permit period without obtaining a separate residence permit. Therefore, in evaluating city changes for people with work permits, residence permit procedures and work permit status should be separated from each other.

In Which Province Are Applications and Appointments Tracked?

Residence permit applications are made online through the e-İkamet system. The Presidency of Migration Management states that residence permit applications of foreigners are received by the governorship of the province where they wish to reside until the application phase from the consulates provided for in the law is realized. This means that the application is conducted in connection with the province where the person wants to live.

In initial and transition applications, the foreigner must make their application through the e-İkamet system and apply to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in the province where they are located with the requested documents on the appointment date and time given to them. After completing the application, it is expected to be present at the relevant provincial/district migration management directorate on the appointment day determined by the system.

The appointment issue is particularly critical in city changes. Foreigners who are not present at the provincial/district migration management directorate on the appointment day without a valid excuse are considered as if they never applied. Therefore, if the moving plan coincides with the appointment date, acting without clarifying which province the file will be tracked in may create risks for the application.

The same procedure applies to extension applications. Extension applications must be made from sixty days before the expiration of the residence permit period and in any case before the residence permit period expires. City change does not eliminate this period; even if the person has moved to a new province, the expiration date of the current residence permit continues to be decisive for the application schedule.

Required Documents in City Change

Documents related to city change may vary according to the type of application and the person's situation. In the general statement of the Presidency of Migration Management, it is stated that a residence permit is issued if the foreigner makes a request, applies with the requested documents and meets the conditions for the requested residence permit type. Therefore, it should not be assumed that a single standard document list will produce the same result for everyone.

In initial and transition applications, it is necessary to go to the appointment with the requested documents. Since the e-İkamet system provides document guidance according to the application type, it is important to check the information created in the system and the requested documents before the appointment.

The accompaniment practice in residence permit applications has been abolished. Each foreigner's application and permit document is arranged separately. This situation is important for people who change cities as a family; moving family members to the same address does not mean that applications will be evaluated as a single file. Each person is handled within the framework of their own residence status and application conditions.

Importance of Address Notification

A residence permit is related to the foreigner's right to live in a specific place in Turkey. Therefore, there must be harmony between the province where the person actually lives and the province declared during the application. When a city change is made, tracking the residence permit process through the correct province and keeping the address information to be used in official notifications current is important for tracking the application.

The address issue is not limited to where the card will be sent. The appointment province, the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management where the application will be evaluated, and the administration's contact with the person are connected to the same information set. If the person made their application in one province and started living in another province, how this will be reflected in the application file should be checked separately.

Information can be obtained through the Foreigners Communication Center (YİMER) for questions and problems regarding residence permits. YİMER can be reached from within the country at 157, and from abroad at +90 312 157 11 22. Especially if there are doubts about the appointment province, application type or tracking after moving, getting confirmation from the official information channel can prevent wrong procedures.

Is Health Insurance Re-evaluated in City Change?

Health insurance is one of the elements evaluated according to the person's situation and application type in residence permit applications. However, it cannot be said that changing cities alone automatically invalidates insurance. What is decisive here is the application type, the scope of the insurance and the documents requested by the administration on a file-specific basis.

If the current residence permit continues during city change, the person should check the relationship between the duration and scope of the insurance policy and the residence permit process. If an extension or transition application will be made, the documents requested by the e-İkamet system and the relevant Provincial Directorate of Migration Management are taken as basis. When other information in the application file changes, health insurance may also be expected to appear current and suitable for the application in the file.

Practical Steps in City Change

• The period on the current residence permit card should be checked before changing cities.
• If the residence permit expiration date is approaching, the extension application must be made from sixty days before the expiration of the period and in any case before the period expires.
• If moving is planned while the application is ongoing, the province specified in the e-İkamet application, appointment location and actual living address should be evaluated together.
• If an appointment has been given, not attending the appointment without a valid excuse will result in the application being considered as never made.

Applications can be made personally by the foreigner or through a legal representative or lawyer. However, if the administration deems it necessary, it may request the foreigner to be present during the application.

City change is an issue that seems minor in the residence permit process but can directly affect the tracking of the file. Before starting to live in the new province, e-İkamet application information, appointment province, permit period and extension schedule if any should be checked together. Thus, the moving and residence permit process proceed without disconnecting from each other.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing cities with a residence permit automatically renew the residence card?

No. City change does not in all cases mean automatic renewal of the residence permit card or change of residence type. However, the new province may be important in terms of where the application will be tracked.

When changing cities, in which province are applications and appointments tracked?

Residence permit applications are made through e-İkamet and are conducted in connection with the province where the person wants to live. It is expected to be present at the relevant provincial/district migration management directorate determined by the system on the appointment day.

What happens if I am out of the city on the appointment day?

Foreigners who are not present at the provincial/district migration management directorate on the appointment day without a valid excuse are considered as if they never applied. The administration may request information and documents in determining valid excuses.

Does city change automatically invalidate health insurance?

It cannot be said that changing cities alone automatically invalidates insurance. The application type, scope of insurance and documents requested by the administration on a file-specific basis are decisive.