A residence permit in Turkey is the key to a legal long-term stay in the country. A tourist visa allows you to stay in Turkey for up to 60 days without leaving the country and up to 90 days within a six-month period. If your plans include a longer stay, whether for vacation or immigration purposes, a residence permit becomes necessary.
What is Ikamet?
Ikamet is a document that grants the right to a long-term stay in Turkey. It is a plastic card, the validity of which can vary from 6 months to 2 years. Ikamet opens access to many benefits, including:
- Healthcare: You can receive medical treatment in Turkish hospitals with insurance.
- Cars: The possibility of obtaining a local driver’s license and buying a car.
- Education: Enrolling a child in a state school.
Bases for obtaining an Ikamet
Family reunification: If your close relative is a legal resident of Turkey or has citizenship, you can apply for a residence permit based on family reunification.
Education: A student residence permit is issued for up to one year with the possibility of extension until the end of studies.
Tourism: For a long stay in the country as a tourist (more than 3 months), it is necessary to rent a place to live and apply for a residence permit.
Business and investment: When purchasing real estate, a residence permit is issued for a period of 6 months to 2 years. Property owners, having lived in Turkey for 5 years, can apply for citizenship. A residence permit can also be issued for the whole family.
Types of residence permits
Tourist Ikamet: This type of residence permit is issued on the basis of a housing lease agreement. The residence permit period coincides with the lease term – from 6 months to 1 year.
Residence permit based on real estate: When purchasing real estate, a residence permit is issued for a period of 6 months to 2 years, with the possibility of obtaining Turkish citizenship after 5 years of residence. Ikamet application procedure
Ikamet application is carried out at the General Directorate of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey (İçişleri Bakanlığı Göç İdaresi Genel Müdürlüğü). Waiting time can vary from a week to several months.
Required documents for initial submission:
- Passport (copy of the page with the photo and the page with the stamp on entry into Turkey).
- Application for a residence permit (signed personally or by his legal representative).
- 2 biometric photos + an electronic photo.
- Tax number in Turkey.
- Certificate of address (Numarataj) (issued by the city administration).
- TAPU (document of ownership) or a notarized lease agreement.
- Mandatory medical insurance (issued at the visa center).
- Documents confirming kinship, if the residence permit is issued for the whole family (marriage and birth certificates).
- All documents must be apostilled to have legal force.
Documents such as marriage certificate and income certificate must be apostilled.
Residence permit in Turkey provides many opportunities and advantages for those planning a long stay in the country. Invento Invest is ready to offer comprehensive assistance in obtaining a residence permit, including consultations and support in collecting all the necessary documents. If you are considering buying real estate in Turkey and obtaining a residence permit, we are ready to help you in this process, providing high-quality support at every stage.
