Long-Term Residence Permit: Indefinite Residence Status in Turkey

Long-Term Residence Permit for Foreigners in Turkey

For foreigners who have lived in Turkey for an extended period, the long-term residence permit provides an indefinite status, different from temporary permits. This permit type is regulated by Articles 42 to 45 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection and Articles 40 to 43 of the related regulation. Therefore, the long-term residence permit is a right specifically defined by law.

The main characteristic of the long-term residence permit is that it is issued indefinitely. In this respect, it differs from residence permits that need to be renewed at regular intervals. However, being indefinite does not mean that everyone can directly transition to this status. Application conditions include the foreigner's residence history in Turkey, income status, health insurance, and evaluation in terms of public order.

Who Can Apply for Long-Term Residence Permit?

According to information from the Presidency of Migration Management, long-term residence permits can be issued to foreigners who have resided in Turkey continuously for at least eight years with a residence permit. The critical phrase here is having stayed 'with a residence permit'. Not every period spent in Turkey is included in the long-term residence permit calculation in the same way; the evaluation is made based on residence permit periods specified in the legislation.

There is a special rule regarding student residence permits in calculating the eight-year period: Half of the student residence permit period mentioned in Article 38 of the Law is taken into account; while other residence permits are counted in full. For example, a person who has been in Turkey for many years with a student residence permit should not assume that the entire duration will be included in the eight-year calculation. Before applying, the residence history must be evaluated according to this rule. In processes starting from student status, proper execution of E-İkamet Application steps is also important for the readability of subsequent residence history.

Long-term residence permit is not only dependent on the eight-year residence condition. This permit type can also be considered for foreigners who meet the conditions determined by the Migration Policies Board. This board is a structure that determines the country's migration policies and can make exceptional decisions in special cases. In this case, the permit can be issued by governorships with the Ministry's approval.

Who Cannot Transition to Long-Term Residence Permit?

The legislation does not grant the right to transition to long-term residence permit for certain groups of foreigners. Refugees, conditional refugees and secondary protection status holders; humanitarian residence permit holders and foreigners provided with temporary protection cannot transition to long-term residence permit. This distinction shows that staying in Turkey for a long time alone does not create the right to a long-term residence permit. The legal status under which the person is present in Turkey is evaluated separately.

It would be incomplete to consider the application only based on the total years spent in Turkey. The type of residence history, the nature of the status, and whether the right of transition is granted in the legislation should be considered together. To understand the general framework of different statuses, Types of Residence Permits in Turkey should also be evaluated together.

Conditions Required for Long-Term Residence Permit

For a long-term residence permit to be issued, the foreigner must meet the conditions specified in Article 43 of the Law. The first of these is having lived in Turkey continuously for at least eight years with a residence permit. This condition forms the basis of the application; however, it is not sufficient alone.

Another condition is not having received social assistance in the last three years. This condition shows that the applicant can sustain their livelihood in Turkey without relying on public social assistance. Additionally, the foreigner must have sufficient and regular income to support themselves and their family, if any. The income condition covers not only the applicant but also the livelihood of family members if living with family is involved.

Having valid health insurance is also among the long-term residence permit conditions. Health insurance is used to evaluate whether the foreigner is secured in terms of health expenses during their residence in Turkey.

Finally, the applicant must not pose a threat in terms of public order or public security. It is stated that exceptional evaluation can be made in this regard for foreigners deemed appropriate by the Migration Policies Board. Apart from this, the general rule is that the person to be granted a long-term residence permit should not pose a risk in terms of public order and public security.

How is the Application Evaluated?

Long-term residence permits can be issued by governorships with the Ministry's approval. This statement shows that the application should not be viewed merely as a local administrative procedure. During the evaluation process, both whether the conditions listed in the law are met and the examination to be conducted by the administration through authorized authorities are considered.

The applicant's residence history is examined, especially regarding the continuous eight-year condition. The fact that half of the periods spent with student residence permits and all of other residence permits are taken into account can be decisive here. Therefore, for a foreigner considering a long-term residence permit, it is first necessary to clarify what types of permits their current residence history consists of.

The application process is initiated through the e-ikamet system. Required documents (passport, residence permit card, proof of income, health insurance policy, criminal record, etc.) are submitted through the system or by appointment to the relevant Provincial Directorate of Migration Management. The conditions required by the legislation in terms of documents also shape the content of the file. Conditions such as having sufficient and regular income, valid health insurance, not receiving social assistance, and continuous residence history are expected to be demonstrated during application. Incomplete or contradictory information can make the evaluation of the application difficult. It is important that the application file is compatible with the conditions required by law.

What Happens if the Application is Rejected?

In case of negative evaluation of the long-term residence permit application, the grounds for refusal are important for understanding in which condition the application was deemed insufficient. Refusal can stem from different areas such as continuous residence calculation, income adequacy, health insurance, or public order evaluation. Therefore, it is necessary to read the refusal decision not only as a result but together with its justification.

Before taking any new action, the applicant should separately check their current residence status and right to stay in Turkey. Since long-term residence permit is a separate status, the rejection of this application should not be evaluated independently of the person's current residence situation. In any case, the path to follow varies according to the content of the decision and the person's current legal situation. Regarding the duration and continuation of the current permit, Residence Permit Extension Process should also be reviewed separately.

Conclusion

Long-term residence permit is an important status for foreigners who have established settled life in Turkey. The application is not merely a simple time calculation. Conditions such as eight years of continuous residence, not receiving social assistance, sufficient and regular income, valid health insurance, and no risk in terms of public order are evaluated together. Therefore, when preparing for application, it should be carefully examined whether the person's residence history in Turkey complies with the calculation in the legislation, and whether income, health insurance and other conditions match the current situation. Long-term residence permit offers an indefinite residence status for foreigners who meet the conditions; the transition to this status is made in accordance with the legal framework announced by the Presidency of Migration Management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can be granted a long-term residence permit?

Long-term residence permits can be issued to foreigners who have resided in Turkey continuously for at least eight years with a residence permit. Additionally, this permit type can be considered for foreigners who meet the conditions determined by the Migration Policies Board with the Ministry's approval.

How is student residence permit included in the eight-year calculation?

Half of the student residence permit period is taken into account; while other residence permits are counted in full. Therefore, it would be incorrect for a person who has stayed with student residence for many years to assume that the entire duration would be included in the eight-year calculation.

Is eight years sufficient for long-term residence permit?

No. Having lived in Turkey continuously for at least eight years with a residence permit is the basic condition; however, not having received social assistance in the last three years, sufficient and regular income, valid health insurance, and no concerns in terms of public order are also evaluated together.

Refugees, conditional refugees and secondary protection status holders; humanitarian residence permit holders and foreigners provided with temporary protection cannot transition to long-term residence permit. Staying in Turkey for a long time alone does not create this right.

What should be considered if long-term residence permit application is rejected?

The grounds for refusal are important for understanding in which condition the application was deemed insufficient. Headings such as continuous residence calculation, income adequacy, health insurance, or public order evaluation should be examined separately.