If your residence permit has already expired, unfortunately, you cannot apply for a new residence permit while staying in Türkiye.
You need to leave the country and re-enter. This process is commonly known as a visa run*. After re-entering Türkiye, your tourist stay period will begin again, allowing you to submit a new residence permit application during that period.
* Citizens of certain nationalities are required to obtain a visa before entering Türkiye.
If your residence permit application was previously rejected, you may submit a new application provided that you still have valid tourist days remaining.
For example, if your tourist residence permit application was rejected, you may apply for another type of residence permit, such as a student residence permit, within your remaining tourist stay period.
However, you can reapply for a tourist residence permit only after six months have passed since the date of rejection.
If your tourist stay period has already expired, you must leave Turkiye and apply for another type of visa through the Turkish Consulate in your home country. Once your visa is issued, you may return to Turkiye and apply for a residence permit.
To apply for a residence permit in Turkiye, you must have health insurance issued by a licensed Turkish insurance company.
Accepted options include:
- Health insurance valid in Turkiye;
- Policies covering at least one year or the requested residence permit period;
- Private health insurance (Özel Sağlık Sigortası) or GSS (General Health Insurance – rarely used).
Important:
- Foreign or travel insurance policies issued outside Turkiye are not accepted.
- Students usually require a special student health insurance policy.
- A new policy is also required when extending a residence permit.
If you need assistance with health insurance and the residence permit application process, the ESG Consulting team will support you at every stage.
According to Turkish law, residence permit applications may take up to 90 days from the date the documents are submitted to the Immigration Office. In practice, processing times may vary depending on the region and the workload of the system.
In general, the process is as follows:
- Document preparation: 1–5 days, depending on the type of residence permit and your personal situation.
- Appointment and submission of documents: from a few days up to two weeks, depending on the city.
- Review and issuance of the residence permit card: up to 90 calendar days by law, although the process is often completed sooner.
Important: Each case is unique. In some regions, the process may be processed more quickly, while in others they may take closer to the maximum estimated timeframe.
If you would like to complete the process correctly and without unnecessary bureaucracy, the ESG Consulting team is ready to assist you at every stage, from document preparation to receiving your residence permit card.
To complete your address registration, you need to book an appointment and apply to the Immigration Office (Göç İdaresi).
You may register your address if:
- You have a valid passport and residence permit;
- You live in an area open to foreign residents.
What documents are required?
The required documents vary depending on whether you are renting a property or living with a sponsor.
If you are renting:
- A notarized rental agreement;
- A utility bill (electricity, water, or natural gas) issued in your name.
If you are staying with a sponsor:
- The sponsor must be officially registered at the address (verified through e-Devlet);
- A utility bill for the address.
If you are unsure where to start, the ESG Consulting team will help you complete the address registration process smoothly and efficiently.
Many foreigners have questions regarding the status of their residence permit. Fortunately, checking it is very simple through the e-Devlet system.
Simply search for:
"ikamet izni sorgulama"
The system will display all current information regarding your residence permit, including whether it is active, its expiration date, and any existing restrictions.
Check your status regularly and enjoy peace of mind.
First choose a legal ground: property, study, family, treatment, business, etc. Then complete the e-İkamet form, pay the fees and submit documents to the migration office on the appointment date. File before your authorised stay in Turkey ends.
The address, phone and email on the form must be correct. Bring originals and copies. The office may ask for extra documents. Filing is not a guarantee of approval.
File the extension on e-İkamet and show that the residence ground still exists. After the form, follow the system’s instructions on documents and the migration-office visit.
Health insurance must cover the full requested period. Address registration and other papers must be current. If the ground has changed, you may need a switch to another permit type, not a simple extension.
Typically: the form; copies of passport and current permit; 4 biometric photos; health insurance; proof of income; address registration and housing document; payment receipts; a UETS address; documents proving the permit ground.
All documents must be valid on the filing date. Papers issued outside Turkey may need apostille or legalisation and a sworn Turkish translation. Keep originals with you even if copies are submitted. The office may ask for more information.
The exact list depends on the permit type and is generated after you complete the form. Official document list
You may file no earlier than 60 days before expiry and must file before the last day of validity. Do not wait until the last day; technical issues can occur.
If you file on time, processing may continue after the card expires. Keep the filing proof and payment receipts. Filing after expiry may not count as a normal extension and extra fees may apply for the overstay. Official explanation
The official name is a long-term residence permit. You usually need at least 8 years of continuous residence, no social assistance in the last 3 years, stable income and health insurance, and no public-order threat. Student-permit time counts at half; other suitable permits count in full.
After 8 years the permit is not automatic; a separate application and approval are required. Humanitarian residence, temporary protection and some international-protection statuses do not lead to long-term residence. Holders have many rights similar to citizens but cannot vote, hold public office or be exempt from military service. Long-term residence conditions
A family permit may be granted to the foreign spouse, minor or dependent child of a Turkish citizen or of a foreigner with a suitable status. You must prove the family link, income, housing, health insurance and the sponsor’s conditions.
Each family member files separately and gets a separate card. If the sponsor is a foreigner, the family permit cannot last longer than the sponsor’s own stay. The office also checks that the family lives or intends to live together. The permit is issued for at most 3 years at a time and can be extended if the conditions still hold. Family residence conditions
There is no separate “marriage residence permit”. The foreign spouse applies for a family permit via e-İkamet. You need a marriage certificate, the spouses’ documents, and proof of address, income and health insurance.
A marriage abroad must be recognised and registered as required. The office may ask for proof of cohabitation or hold an interview. A marriage of convenience can lead to refusal or cancellation. Marriage alone does not guarantee approval.
Humanitarian residence is granted only in exceptional cases: the child’s best interests, inability to leave or be deported, an emergency, and other cases in the law. The governorate decides with Göç İdaresi. It is not a routine alternative to a tourist or other permit.
You cannot simply choose it as an easy way to stay; each file is assessed individually. The duration depends on the circumstances. If the ground disappears the permit may be cancelled or not extended; with another ground you may apply for a suitable permit. Humanitarian residence grounds
To end a permit early, file a written request with the provincial Göç İdaresi of your registered address. Keep a copy. Leaving Turkey does not always mean the permit is officially ended before the date on the card.
If you no longer need it, simply do not extend it; it ends on expiry. Cancellation does not grant a new visa-free stay. Without another legal status you may have to leave. If you have a new ground, first ask YİMER 157 about switching permit type.
If the application is complete and under review, file a withdrawal with the relevant migration office. Include the application number, passport details and contact data. Get confirmation that it was received.
An unfinished online file usually lapses when the system deadline expires. Missing the appointment without a valid reason means the application is treated as not filed. Withdrawal does not restore used visa-free days. Before withdrawing, check your lawful stay and whether you must leave.
The sponsor cannot cancel someone else’s card alone. They may notify Göç İdaresi of a change of circumstances; Göç İdaresi decides.
Divorce, death of the sponsor or loss of other conditions must be reported promptly. The office then checks whether the family permit still stands. With another legal ground you may apply to switch type. In some cases a move to short-term residence is allowed after divorce or death of the sponsor. Family residence rules
First obtain the official notice and read the reason. It should set out appeal routes, deadlines and your duties. Oral statements or third-party information do not replace the document.
You may challenge the decision through the proper procedure, preferably with an immigration lawyer. Gather evidence that the refusal ground was wrong or has been cured. If lawful stay has ended, follow the departure instructions in the notice.
As a rule you cannot re-apply for the same purpose of stay within 6 months of a refusal. If you still have lawful stay in Turkey, another genuine ground may be considered. Official guidance on refusals
Check status in the “Başvurumun sonucunu görmek istiyorum” section. You need the application number, phone or email, and the passport or foreign ID number. e-İkamet
Enter the data exactly as on the form. A long unchanged status is not itself a refusal. By law examination may take up to 90 days from submission of a complete file. After approval, card production and delivery take extra time.
The cost depends on nationality, duration and permit type. In 2026 the card fee is TRY 964; citizens of all countries pay this.
A state fee for the permit itself may also apply. It is calculated from nationality and requested duration; some nationalities are exempt. Health insurance, notary, translation, apostille and in some cases a single-entry visa fee may also apply.
The exact state fee is calculated by e-İkamet. Official 2026 tariffs
You first need an employer. The employer usually files the application through e-İzin.
If the foreigner holds a residence permit issued for at least 6 months, the application can be filed from Turkey. Without a residence permit, the foreigner applies at the Turkish consulate in their country of nationality, gets an application number and gives it to the employer. A first permit is usually issued for at most one year.
The employer files through e-İzin no earlier than 60 days before expiry and in any event before the last day of validity.
The first extension with the same employer may be up to two years; later extensions up to three years. Changing employer requires a new application. Official information
In 2026 a permit of up to one year costs:
- state fee — TRY 12,574.90
- card fee — TRY 964
The mandatory total is TRY 13,538.90. Longer permits cost more. Translation, notary and a work visa are extra. Current tariffs
Typically: passport copy, current work permit, employment contract, employer documents, a diploma or professional licence if the job requires it, and extra documents for the occupation or sector.
The employer uploads files in e-İzin. The exact list is generated by the system. Official document list
If the employment contract ends, the employer must file in e-İzin under “İzin Sonrası İşlemler — İzin Sonlandırma Talebi” within 15 days.
For an independent or indefinite permit the foreigner files the notice. When the permit is cancelled, the linked right to stay also ends unless the person holds a separate residence permit.
Check status in the e-İzin account, the official enquiry system, or the email used in the application. After approval, card delivery can be tracked in e-İzin or via PTT.
A complete application should be examined within 30 days. If extra documents are requested, the clock restarts after they are uploaded. After approval, card production and delivery take extra time. Official explanation
Yes, you can apply to a Turkish bank. Banks usually ask for a passport, foreign ID number, work permit, address and proof of income.
The bank decides. It may set a low limit or ask for a payroll account, deposit or guarantor. A work permit does not guarantee a card.
The foreigner may work legally, reside in Turkey while the permit is valid, use SGK social and health insurance, receive pay, leave and other labour rights, and join a union.
A standard permit is tied to a specific employer and role. Changing company requires a new permit. Social-security information
There is no separate official “work residence permit”. People usually mean a work permit that also authorises residence in Turkey.
If the permit is cancelled or expires, the right to stay ends unless the person holds another valid residence permit. Göç İdaresi explanation
Vacancies can be found on İŞKUR, Kariyer.net, LinkedIn, Yenibiriş and Secretcv. Direct applications to international firms, hotels, clinics, language schools and tourism businesses also help.
Before taking a job, confirm that the employer will apply for a work permit. Some occupations in Turkey are reserved for citizens.
You first choose a legal ground: Turkish origin, marriage, long-term residence, investment, adoption or exceptional service. Then you collect documents and file an application. Meeting the conditions lets you apply; it does not guarantee citizenship.
You may apply after three years of marriage to a Turkish citizen, if the marriage is still ongoing. The spouses must live as a family. The applicant must not have conduct incompatible with the marriage, or public-order / national-security issues. Marriage alone does not grant citizenship automatically.
You must meet one of the following:
- buy real estate of at least USD 400,000 and not sell it for three years
- contribute at least USD 500,000 to company capital
- hold at least USD 500,000 in a Turkish bank for three years
- hold government bonds or investment-fund units of at least USD 500,000 for three years
- pay at least USD 500,000 into the private pension system for three years
- create at least 50 jobs
The relevant public authority must confirm the investment. Then a suitable residence permit is issued and a citizenship application is filed. Official conditions
You may renounce citizenship with official permission. In exceptional cases set by law, the state may also terminate citizenship.
If citizenship was obtained through false statements, forged documents or concealment of material facts, the grant may be cancelled. Official information
In Turkey the application is filed at the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship where you are registered. Abroad it is filed at a Turkish consulate.
You typically need an application form, passport, birth certificate, civil-status documents, photos, a valid residence permit and evidence of the legal ground. Foreign documents usually need apostille or consular legalisation and a sworn Turkish translation. Applications by post are not accepted.
You usually need: five years of continuous residence in Turkey; an intention to live there permanently; sufficient Turkish; income or a profession; no disease that endangers public health; and no public-order or national-security bar.
Meeting the requirements does not mean citizenship is granted automatically. The authorities decide.
A residence permit alone does not confer citizenship. For the general route you must live in Turkey for five years on a suitable legal basis and meet the naturalisation conditions.
Time spent outside Turkey in those five years should usually not exceed six months in total. Not every permit type counts; a tourist residence permit by itself does not show an intention to live in Turkey permanently.
For citizenship by investment you must buy property worth at least USD 400,000 in total. A three-year sale restriction is entered in the land registry.
After the compliance certificate is issued, a suitable residence permit can be obtained and a citizenship application filed. Property below USD 400,000 does not qualify for citizenship by investment.
Yes. Turkish law allows multiple citizenship. You usually do not have to give up a previous nationality unless the other country’s law requires it.
Acquisition or loss of a second nationality must be registered with the Turkish authorities. Information on multiple citizenship
There is no separate citizenship programme for students. A student must use a general ground: naturalisation, marriage, investment or another route in the law.
For naturalisation after studies you usually need a status that shows an intention to live in Turkey, such as a work permit. After that switch, time on a student residence permit may be counted. The decision is individual.