A short-term stay in Turkey is an ideal solution for those who wish to stay in Turkey for a period longer than what their visa or entry stamp allows. Its type varies according to the reason for staying mentioned in the residence application form, and it is mistakenly called a tourist residence because tourism is the most common reason for this residence.
The information on this page will help you find out the required documents and application steps in case you want to apply for residency for the first time, or to extend the current residency. In addition to a set of important notes that you should take into account.
Tourist accommodation details in Turkey
Documents required for tourist stay in Turkey
Residence application form (signed by the applicant or his legal representative)
The original copy of your passport (or travel document)
A copy of the passport (or travel document): the pages containing the applicant’s data + passport or document number + date of issuance and expiry of the passport or document + entry stamp and visa (Visa)
A tax number, you can get it for free from any tax department
4 colored personal photo on white background, no more than 6 months old
Valid health insurance covering the entire length of stay (click here to get the cost of the insurance contract, children under the age of 18 and the elderly over the age of 65 do not need health insurance)
If the applicant is under the age of 18:
A copy of the family book or family record extract must be submitted, translated by a sworn translator and certified by the notary public.
The application form shall state that the applicant is a minor, and the parents or legal guardian shall sign the application on behalf of the minor.
Address verification:
Resident with a lease contract: A copy of the lease contract signed by the applicant, certified by the notary public.
In the event that the applicant is not the tenant, a residence document issued by the Department of Souls to which the place of residence belongs must be estimated.
A copy of the application fee payment receipt
Steps to apply for tourist residence in Turkey
Extract all the required documents and prepare them before proceeding to the next step (except for the application form and receipt of payment of fees)
Fill out the application form on the Immigration Department’s website in the “first time” section.
The site will book an interview appointment at the earliest date, and the interview venue, date and time will appear on the page (keep this information, it is very important)
Print the application (the site will save the application as an electronic PDF file) You can print this file
Gather all the required documents together
Ensure that the documents are complete and that the form is signed by the applicant
Collect all documents in one workbook to present them together in the interview (and in the case of the applicants a family, a separate workbook must be prepared for each application)
At the interview, you can request a translator for free
After accepting the documents from the responsible employee, you will be required to pay the fees at the treasury office (in the same building). When you pay the amount, you will get a receipt from the treasury employee. Return this receipt to the first employee and he will give you a document that proves your application and makes your status legal until the residence card is issued
When do I receive the tourist residence card?
The residence card is issued and sent to the applicant’s address by PTT government mail within 30 to 60 days at most from the date of receipt of the documents and is valid for one or two years (depending on what is mentioned in the application).
Notes
Make sure to apply before your visa expires
The passport (or travel document) must be valid for more than 6 months
The interview date issued by the Immigration Department is a personal appointment for the applicant, and the date of the interview is very important
The minor applicant is accompanied by the parents or legal guardian
Payment of fees is exclusively in cash and local currency (bank transfers and credit cards are not accepted), so be sure to bring enough cash to pay the application fees for each family member
Make sure that your proof of application document is stamped by the Immigration Department before you leave
If the passport (or travel document) is valid for less than a year, the validity of the residence permit is the validity of the passport minus 60 days
In the event that the documents are not complete, the employee will inform you immediately, or if the Immigration Department requests additional documents after receiving the application, the applicant will be notified via an SMS text message. In both cases, the applicant will be given a period of 30 days to submit the additional documents
Some additional documents that may be requested by the Immigration Department
(For first time and extension requests)
A bank statement proving that the applicant owns at least $6,000 (or its equivalent) for one year of residence
A sworn translation of the passport (or travel document) with the legalization of the translated copy from the notary
A residence document issued by the Department of Souls to which the place of residence belongs.
A name detailing sheet for nationalities (Egyptian – Jordanian – Palestinian) to be extracted from the consulate of the applicant’s country