Turkish residence permit

Six main types: (1) Short-term residence permit, the most common path, covering tourism, property ownership, business, medical treatment, and language courses; valid up to 2 years and renewable. (2) Family residence permit for the spouse and children under 18 of a primary card holder. (3) Student residence permit for foreigners enrolled at a Turkish university. (4) Work residence permit linked to a valid work permit. (5) Long-term residence permit after 8 years of continuous legal residence. (6) Humanitarian residence permit in special circumstances. We advise on the right type based on your specific situation.

USD 200,000 minimum for a residential property anywhere in Turkey. The property must be residential (not commercial), valued at USD 200,000+ in an official valuation report, and the registered address must be in a district open to foreign residence registration. Note: the CBI threshold is much higher (USD 400,000+) and is a different program, do not confuse the two.

As of 2026 the closed districts include Esenyurt, Fatih, Küçükçekmece, Başakşehir, Bağcılar, Avcılar, Bahçelievler, Sultangazi, Esenler, and Zeytinburnu. If your registered address is in one of these districts, the residence permit will be rejected. We check the current closed-district list before any property purchase or rental lease, the official list is updated 2 to 3 times per year by the Directorate of Migration Management.

In 2026 the standard Istanbul timeline is: appointment booking 1 to 3 weeks after e-ikamet submission, then 4 to 8 weeks from appointment to physical card. Total: typically 6 to 10 weeks from start to having the card in hand. The legal maximum review period is 90 days. We file the e-ikamet application immediately after your arrival in Turkey and secure the earliest available appointment slot.

Yes. Once you hold a valid residence permit, your spouse and minor children (under 18) can apply for a family residence permit. Each receives their own card, valid for the same period as your card or up to 3 years. Apostilled marriage certificate and apostilled birth certificates for children are required. We file the family applications in parallel with your main file so the entire household is processed together.

You have the right to file an administrative appeal before the Turkish Administrative Court within 60 days of the rejection notification. Common rejection grounds include closed-district addresses, insufficient income proof, non-compliant insurance, or incomplete documentation. We coordinate the appeal with an independent Turkish lawyer (including, where appropriate, our partner Kaan Karanfiloğlu acting in his individual professional capacity), who files the appeal under power of attorney with the full supporting evidence we have assembled. Many foreign nationals lose this right by missing the 60-day window; do not delay if you receive a rejection.