Residence Permit in Turkey: Types, Application and Renewal

Last updated: 8 October 2026. This page was rewritten from scratch based on the current texts of Law No. 6458 and its Uygulama Yönetmeliği (Implementing Regulation) on mevzuat.gov.tr, the residence FAQ page of the Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı (Presidency of Migration Management, PMM) and the e-İkamet document lists.

An ikamet izni (residence permit; in everyday Turkish also called oturma izni or oturum) is the permit a foreigner must obtain to stay in Turkey longer than their visa or visa exemption allows, or longer than 90 days, under Art. 19/1 of the 6458 sayılı Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu (Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, YUKK). As a rule, the application is made to the Turkish consulate in the country where the foreigner is (Art. 21/1); if you are in Turkey, you can apply through e-İkamet to the il göç idaresi müdürlüğü (Provincial Directorate of Migration Management) in the cases listed in Art. 22. To extend an existing permit, the application window opens 60 days before the permit expires, and in all cases the application must be filed before it runs out (Art. 24/2).

Who needs a residence permit in Turkey, and who is exempt?

If you will stay in Turkey longer than 90 days or longer than your visa allows, you need a residence permit; shorter visits are covered by a visa or a visa exemption. A permit obtained from abroad becomes invalid if it is not used within six months (Art. 19/1; Regulation Art. 19/5).

The Law exempts certain foreigners from obtaining a residence permit. In the order of Art. 20/1, they are:

• those who arrive with a visa or visa-free for up to ninety days, for the duration of the visa or exemption;
• holders of a Vatansız Kişi Kimlik Belgesi (Stateless Person Identity Document);
• diplomatic and consular officers serving in Turkey, and those members of their families notified by the Dışişleri Bakanlığı (Ministry of Foreign Affairs);
• staff working at the Turkish representations of international organisations whose status has been determined by agreement;
• those exempted from residence permits under agreements to which Turkey is a party;
• persons covered by Article 28 of the 5901 sayılı Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu (Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901), i.e. those who were Turkish citizens by birth and left Turkish citizenship with an exit permit, and their descendants up to the third degree;
• holders of an international protection applicant or status holder identity document; these documents already replace a residence permit (Art. 76/4, Art. 83/2).

A person whose diplomatic post, job at an international organisation or treaty-based exemption has ended but who will remain in Turkey must apply to the valilik (governorship) within ten days at the latest (Art. 20/2). A valid work permit also counts as a residence permit (Art. 27/1); a work permit holder does not obtain a separate residence permit document, provided the residence permit fee is paid, but the expiry date of the work permit is also the expiry date of the residence permit (Regulation Art. 25/1, Art. 25/3).

Types of residence permits in Turkey: which one fits your situation

The right type depends on why you are staying in Turkey: a residence permit is tied to the purpose of stay and is issued separately for each foreigner (Art. 23/1). The Law lists six types of residence permit (Art. 30/1); a work permit is based on a separate law but replaces a residence permit. The table below takes you from your situation to the permit, and from the permit to the detailed guide.

The periods in the table are taken from the Law. The current text of the Regulation, however, uses the wording "for a maximum of one year at a time" for short-term permits (Art. 28/1) and "for a maximum of two years at a time" for family permits (Art. 27/1-b). The PMM states that short-term permits can as a rule be granted for a maximum of two years and that determining the period is at the administration's discretion; in other words, the period you request may not always be granted as requested.

Key differences between the permit types

• Short-term: The Law limits this permit to the purposes listed in Art. 31/1; tourism, home ownership, setting up a business and medical treatment are the most commonly used. A permit for a Turkish language course is granted at most twice (Art. 31/3), and a permit for someone who has completed higher education in Turkey is granted once and for a maximum of one year (Art. 31/4). For an application based on a home, the property must be a residence and be used for that purpose (Regulation Art. 28/3); the Ministry determines the qualifications and value of the property to be taken as a basis (Art. 31/6).
• Family: May be granted to the foreign spouse, and to the minor and dependent children, of a Turkish citizen, of persons covered by Article 28 of Law No. 5901, of a foreigner holding a residence permit, or of a refugee or subsidiary protection holder (Art. 34/1). A child staying on this permit can attend primary and secondary education until the age of 18 without obtaining a separate student permit (Art. 34/4).
• Student: Granted to students in higher education; for primary and secondary education, it may be granted for one year at a time to a child whose care and expenses are covered by someone, with the consent of the parent or guardian (Art. 38/1-2). A student permit does not give parents or other relatives a right of residence (Art. 38/3); according to the PMM, this permit is not granted for special-student status, open education or distance learning.
• Long-term: Granted by the governorship for an indefinite period to those who have stayed in Turkey on residence permits for at least eight years without interruption, or who meet the conditions set by the Ministry (Art. 42/1). Holders of humanitarian permits, and refugees, conditional refugees, subsidiary protection holders and persons under temporary protection, cannot switch to this permit (Art. 42/2).
• Humanitarian: May be granted by the governorship with the approval of the Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı (Presidency of Migration Management, called Genel Müdürlük in the Law), without the conditions of the other permits being required (Art. 46/1). The cases are listed exhaustively in Art. 46/1; the best interests of the child, the impossibility of carrying out departure despite a sınır dışı etme kararı (deportation order), and recourse to the courts against a deportation order are among them. When the conditions that made the permit necessary cease, the permit is cancelled and not extended (Art. 47).
• Victim of human trafficking: Granted by the governorship for 30 days to allow a recovery and reflection period; the conditions of the other permits are not required (Art. 48). If the victim's safety, health or special circumstances require it, it can be extended for periods of six months each, but the total cannot exceed three years (Art. 49/1).

The visa and the subsequent residence steps for remote workers planning to come on a digital nomad visa are explained separately on the digital nomad visa and residence permit page.

Where to apply: Turkish consulate or provincial migration office

The Law's default rule is the consulate application: the foreigner applies to the Turkish consulate in the country of which they are a citizen or where they are legally present (Art. 21/1). The consulate forwards the file with its opinion to the PMM, and the application is concluded within 90 days at the latest (Art. 21/4-5). A foreigner who arrives with a permit obtained from a consulate must register in the adres kayıt sistemi (address registration system) within 20 working days of entry at the latest (Art. 26/2).

Applying from inside Turkey to the governorship, that is, to the provincial migration office, is the exception. Art. 22/1 opens this route in the following cases:

• where there is a decision or request of judicial or administrative authorities;
• where it is not reasonable or possible for the foreigner to leave Turkey;
• for long-term, student, humanitarian and victim of human trafficking residence permits;
• when switching from a family residence permit to a short-term residence permit;
• for a child born in Turkey to a mother or father holding a residence permit in Turkey;
• when switching to a permit matching the new purpose of stay because the reason for the current permit has ended or changed;
• for the application under Art. 20/2 of diplomatic and international organisation staff whose exemption has ended;
• when those who have completed higher education in Turkey switch to a short-term permit.

The Regulation provides that applications may also be received electronically (Art. 19/4); an application from inside Turkey is started through the e-İkamet system. The PMM's short-term document list separately mentions those who entered visa-free and are applying for the first time within their legal period of stay. The application must be made before your legal period of stay ends; applications from those who have exceeded their visa, visa exemption or residence period by up to ten days are also accepted (Regulation Art. 21/2).

How to get a residence permit in Turkey: e-İkamet application step by step

The first application, popularly called an oturum application, consists of four tasks: filling in the e-İkamet form, paying the fee and the card cost, submitting the file on the appointment day, and waiting for the decision. According to the PMM, once the application is approved, the residence permit card is sent to the address you declared on the form.

1. Choose the type and fill in the form. On e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr, the form is filled in and an appointment is booked using the option "İlk kez ikamet izni başvurusu yapıyorum" (I am applying for a residence permit for the first time). The appointment is free of charge; the PMM states clearly that it does not work with third persons or companies in procedures concerning foreigners.
2. Pay the fee and the card cost before the appointment. The amount due is calculated on e-İkamet once the application is completed. For the current tariff, exemptions and payment methods, see the residence permit fee and card cost page.
3. Prepare the documents according to the list on the form. The documents to be requested are determined by the PMM and published on its institutional website (Regulation Art. 21/1); the list specific to you appears on the application form and on the e-İkamet screen.
4. Submit the file on the appointment day. As a rule, the foreigner applies in person; a legal representative or a lawyer holding a power of attorney may also do so (Regulation Art. 21/4). Anyone who completes the application is given an ikamet izni müracaat belgesi (residence permit application certificate), and this document gives the right to remain in Turkey until the application is decided (Regulation Art. 21/8, Art. 21/9-ç).
5. Respond to a missing-document notice within 30 days. If the information and documents requested by the administration are not completed within thirty days of the notice, the application is removed from processing (Regulation Art. 22/1).
6. Wait for the decision. The application is concluded within 90 days at the latest; the period starts from the date the documents are submitted in full, and the foreigner is informed if it takes longer (Regulation Art. 22/2). You may be interviewed during the assessment (Regulation Art. 22/3).
7. Receive the card and register your address. A foreigner who obtains the permit from inside Turkey must register in the address registration system within 20 working days at the latest after the document is delivered to them (Regulation Art. 22/12).

Required documents for a Turkish residence permit

The common documents are the same for every type: a signed application form, passport, biometric photos, fee receipt, health insurance and proof of address. Type-specific documents (such as a marriage certificate, a student certificate or a title deed) are added to these. The table was compiled from the PMM's e-İkamet document lists dated 18 March 2025 and from the provisions of the Law and the Regulation.

Documents issued abroad, such as marriage or birth certificates or criminal records, are submitted with an apostille and a notarised Turkish translation; for documents from countries that are not party to the Apostille Convention, certification by that country's authorities and by the Turkish consulate is required. According to the PMM, insurance is not mandatory for applicants under 18 and over 65 in short-term and student permits; in a family permit, however, the sponsor must take out valid insurance covering all family members.

The documents added by type are detailed on the sub-pages: for a family permit, the marriage certificate, the sponsor's proof of income and criminal record; for an application based on a home, the tapu (title deed) and, on extension, a document showing that the title deed is still held; for long-term residence, a document showing that no social assistance has been received in the last three years.

Residence permit renewal in Turkey: when and how to apply

An application to extend a residence permit is made through e-İkamet to the provincial migration office from the day 60 days before the permit expires and, in any case, before the expiry date (Art. 24/2; Regulation Art. 21/5). The applicant is given a document free of charge; even if the permit period runs out, they can remain in Turkey with this document until a decision is made. Because the extended permit starts from the date the old permit expires, applying early does not cost you any time (Art. 24/3).

When can you apply for renewal?

The Law sets an application window: it opens 60 days before expiry and closes on the last day of the permit. For example, if your permit expires on 30 June, the window opens at the beginning of May and closes on 30 June. An application made after the expiry date is no longer an extension within the meaning of Art. 24. A long-term permit is indefinite and therefore not extended; all other permits are granted for a fixed period and extended according to the principles in Art. 24 (Regulation Art. 23/1-e).

There is one situation in which you do not have to wait for the window: if a new reason has arisen in addition to the reason for your current permit, you can either continue to stay on your current permit or request a new permit from the governorship without waiting for the 60-day period (Regulation Art. 26/3).

Renewal application step by step

1. Check the calendar, your passport and your insurance. The permit is issued 60 days shorter than the validity of the passport (Art. 23/1); if your passport is not valid until 60 days after the period you are requesting, either renew the passport first or request a shorter period. The insurance must also cover the entire period you request (Regulation Art. 22/13); the PMM states that for a two-year request, a 1+1-year policy or two-year general health insurance can be used.
2. Fill in the extension form on e-İkamet. The option "İkamet izni uzatma başvurusu yapıyorum" (I am applying for a residence permit extension) is used. According to the PMM, since 2 May 2019 there has been no postal procedure for extensions in any province and the appointment system applies; you must be present at the provincial migration office on the date and at the time stated on the form.
3. Get your application certificate and have it approved. In an extension application, the application certificate is generated automatically by the system and must be approved by the provincial migration office. While you wait for the decision, this document is the basis for your stay (Art. 24/2).
4. Pay the fee and the card cost before the appointment date. According to the PMM, the fee and the card cost must be paid before the appointment in all first, transfer and extension applications.
5. Add the documents specific to extension. According to the PMM's lists, address registration is mandatory in extension and transfer applications, and a UETS address document obtained from PTT central branches is required; for a permit obtained through a home, a document showing that the title deed is still held is added. If your address, marital status or the name in your passport changed during the permit period, this must have been notified within 20 working days (Regulation Art. 23/2).
6. Attend the appointment. If you do not attend the appointment, the application is not processed; if your legal period is still running you can book a new appointment, but if it has ended, action is taken for violation of the residence permit. If the appointment date falls after your permit expires, you are allowed to stay until the appointment day with the application form (PMM FAQ).
7. Wait for the new card. A new residence permit document is issued with each extension (Regulation Art. 23/1-f), and the new period starts from the expiry date of the old permit (Art. 24/3).

What happens if you miss the renewal deadline?

Once the period has expired, your stay becomes a violation. The Law regulates two situations in separate subparagraphs, and their consequences differ:

• Overstaying without applying at all (Art. 54/1-g): A deportation order is issued against a foreigner who, without an acceptable reason, violates the permit period by more than ten days from the expiry of the permit. The Regulation states that applications from inside Turkey are also accepted from those who have exceeded their residence period by up to ten days (Art. 21/2). A penalty fee is charged for the period of violation, and the application of anyone who does not pay a debt arising from a visa violation or from a previous permit is refused (Regulation Art. 22/10).
• Staying after an extension has been refused (Art. 54/1-j): A deportation order is issued against a foreigner whose extension application is refused and who does not leave Turkey within ten days. The document issued in the event of refusal or non-extension only allows a stay of up to ten days (Regulation Art. 22/11).

How the penalty fee is calculated and which periods are linked to the risk of an entry ban on departure are explained on the visa overstay penalty calculation and payment page.

Changing permit type on renewal: the transfer application

If your purpose of stay has changed, you do not request an extension in the old type; you file a geçiş başvurusu (transfer application) for a permit matching the new purpose. The PMM states that switching to a different type must be done as a transfer application, not as an extension; the Law also allows this application to be made from inside Turkey (Art. 22/1-ğ).

• If the reason on which your permit is based has ended (such as divorce, graduation or the end of a job), you apply to the governorship for a permit matching the new purpose within ten days of the date the reason ended, and you are given an application certificate. Your current permit is terminated as of the date the reason ceased (Regulation Art. 26/1-2).
• A graduating student's permit ends on the graduation date, and the ten-day period runs from that date (Regulation Art. 37/2). The Law also provides that a short-term permit may be granted to a graduate who applies within six months of graduation (Art. 31/1-i); to avoid a gap in your stay, the safe course is to go by the ten-day period.
• A residence application made within ten days by a foreigner whose work permit has been cancelled or has ended is decided under Art. 22 (Regulation Art. 21/6).
• If a student permit holder comes to meet the conditions of a family permit, a family permit is issued to them and they continue to benefit from the rights provided by the student permit (Regulation Art. 26/4).

In a case where the application of a foreigner seeking to switch from a family residence permit to a short-term permit was refused on the ground that they should have come with a visa matching the purpose, the Danıştay 10. Dairesi (10th Chamber of the Council of State) upheld the judgment annulling the decision. According to the Chamber, there was no legal obstacle to the foreigner applying to the governorship, and the administration had to examine on the merits whether the conditions for a short-term permit were met (Danıştay 10. D., E. 2016/594, K. 2021/4945, T. 20.10.2021).

Residence permit refused or cancelled: right to stay and court action

The refusal of an application made from inside Turkey, the non-extension of a permit or its cancellation is decided by the governorship and notified to the foreigner, their legal representative or their lawyer; the notification also states how the rights of objection can be exercised (Art. 25). When deciding, the governorship takes into account the foreigner's family ties in Turkey, length of residence, situation in the country of origin and the best interests of the child, and it may postpone the decision (Art. 25/1). In the event of postponement, a document is issued that grants a right to stay for one month and is extended monthly if necessary (Regulation Art. 22/18).

• Right to stay: The document issued in the event of refusal or non-extension allows a stay of no more than ten days (Regulation Art. 22/11). A deportation order is also issued against a foreigner whose permit is cancelled (Art. 54/1-f).
• Court with jurisdiction: The annulment action is heard by the idare mahkemesi (administrative court) (2576 sayılı Kanun, Law No. 2576, Art. 5/1-a); the competent court is the administrative court of the place where the governorship that took the decision is located (2577 sayılı İdari Yargılama Usulü Kanunu, Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577, İYUK Art. 32/1).
• Time limit for filing: The time limit is 60 days and starts on the day following the date of the written notification (İYUK Art. 7). This is a hak düşürücü süre (strict time bar): the court considers the time limit of its own motion at the preliminary examination and dismisses a case that was not filed in time (İYUK Art. 14/3-e, Art. 15/1-b).
• Procedure specific to short-term permits: In actions against the refusal and cancellation of a short-term permit, the file is complete once the defence is submitted or the time for the defence expires; if notification cannot be made to the address given, the period in İYUK Art. 26/3 is applied as two months; whether to hold a hearing is at the court's discretion (Art. 31/7, added in 2024 by 7533 sayılı Kanun, Law No. 7533).
• Enforcement: Filing a case does not by itself stop the decision from being enforced (İYUK Art. 27/1); for that, yürütmenin durdurulması (a stay of execution) must be requested separately.
• Reapplying: If a foreigner whose application was refused or whose permit was cancelled reapplies within six months, a new reason for the request is required (Regulation Art. 21/10). The PMM also states that after a refusal no application can be made for the same purpose of stay within six months, and that if the legal period is still running, an application can be made for a different purpose.

The steps to take in the first days after a refusal is notified are detailed in the guide on what to do when your residence permit is refused, and the grounds the administration relies on most often in the article on common refusal reasons in work and residence permit applications.

Can you lose your Turkish residence permit by staying abroad?

You can; the limit depends on the permit type. Except for compulsory public service, duty, education or health reasons, a short-term permit is cancelled when time abroad exceeds a total of 120 days in the last year, and a family permit when it exceeds a total of 180 days; a long-term permit is cancelled after more than one year of uninterrupted stay abroad.

Time abroad also matters in cumulative calculations. Under the Law, time abroad exceeding six months in total in one year, or one year in total within the last five years, counts as an interruption of residence, and the previous permit periods of a person with an interruption are not taken into account (Art. 28/1); in calculating uninterrupted residence, half of the student permit periods and all of the other permit periods are counted (Art. 28/2). The eight-year calculation is explained in the long-term guide, and the calculation for the citizenship requirement of "five years of uninterrupted residence counted back from the application date" (Law No. 5901 Art. 11/1-b) on the 5-year residence and time-abroad calculation page.

A foreigner whose permit has been cancelled because of time spent abroad does not have to present a new reason when requesting the same permit again. If they are in Turkey, they can apply within ten days of the notification of the cancellation; in that case, a single-entry visa fee and the residence fee for the period from the cancellation date to the application date, increased by one fold (that is, doubled), are charged (Regulation Art. 21/11-12). For a foreigner whose permit expires while abroad, the PMM states that residence permit applications are not yet accepted from abroad and that the application is made electronically after entering Turkey under the visa regime between the two countries.

In a case where a long-term application was refused on the ground that the applicant "stayed abroad for more than six months in one year", the first-instance court annulled the decision, stating that the interruption threshold in Art. 28 had not been exceeded and that the conditions in Art. 43 had not been examined; Danıştay 10. Dairesi upheld this judgment (E. 2016/13651, K. 2021/3225, T. 10.06.2021).

Address registration, moving to another city and closed neighbourhoods

A residence permit is tied to your address: registration in the address registration system is mandatory within 20 working days of entry for a consulate permit, and within 20 working days of delivery of the document for a permit obtained inside Turkey (Art. 26/2; Regulation Art. 22/12). A change of address, of marital status, or of the name or surname in the passport must also be notified to the governorship within 20 working days (Regulation Art. 23/2); the PMM requires the same 20-working-day notification for a change of passport.

A foreigner who moves to another province applies for a new permit in the province they moved to within 20 working days at the latest; if the type does not change, a new document is issued, but no fee is charged again for the period already paid for (Regulation Art. 23/3). For a move within the same province, it is enough to notify the new address within 20 working days, and you continue to stay with your current card. For the consequences of failing to notify, see the page on not notifying the PMM of a change of address.

The PMM has the authority to make arrangements concerning the provinces in which residence permits may be granted for reasons of public order or public security (Regulation Art. 21/15). The current status of the kapalı mahalleler (neighbourhoods closed to new residence registration) and what to watch out for when choosing an address are on the closed neighbourhood restriction page. If the card is lost, stolen or worn out, it is reissued; the document cost is charged in full and the fee at half (Regulation Art. 23/4). If your passport has also been lost, how to update your record is explained in the lost passport guide.

If your residence permit has expired or you are overstaying

If you continue to stay in Turkey after your permit has expired, the situation is no longer a matter of extension. First clarify three things: by how many days you have exceeded the period (the ten-day threshold in Art. 54/1-g), whether a refusal, cancellation or deportation order has been notified to you, and whether you have any unpaid fee or fine debt.

A comparison of voluntary departure, a new application and the entry ban options is on the page with the roadmap for foreigners staying illegally in Turkey, and whether a permit can be obtained while in irregular status is discussed in the article on residence permits for people in irregular status.

Common mistakes in applications and renewals

• Leaving the renewal to the last week. The appointment day may fall after your permit expires; the application form protects you until the appointment day, but if you do not attend the appointment, violation proceedings begin.
• Covering a changed purpose with an extension. For changes of reason such as divorce, graduation or the end of a job, a transfer application rather than an extension is required, and the ten-day period runs.
• Neglecting address registration and UETS. Address registration is mandatory for extensions and transfers; your card is also sent to the address you declared on the form.
• Paying an intermediary. Appointments are free of charge and the PMM does not work with third persons; only your legal representative or your lawyer holding a power of attorney can apply on your behalf.
• Mistaking a residence permit for a work permit. As the PMM's document lists point out, a residence permit does not give the right to work; a deportation order is issued against a foreigner found to be working without a work permit (Art. 54/1-ğ).

Legal basis and sources

• 6458 sayılı Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu (Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection), Art. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 38, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 54, 76, 83 — mevzuat.gov.tr
• Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanununun Uygulanmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik (Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection), Art. 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 37, 39 — mevzuat.gov.tr
• 2577 sayılı İdari Yargılama Usulü Kanunu (Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577), Art. 7, 14, 15, 27, 32 — mevzuat.gov.tr
• 2576 sayılı Bölge İdare Mahkemeleri, İdare Mahkemeleri ve Vergi Mahkemelerinin Kuruluşu ve Görevleri Hakkında Kanun (Law No. 2576 on the Establishment and Duties of Regional Administrative Courts, Administrative Courts and Tax Courts), Art. 5 — mevzuat.gov.tr
• 5901 sayılı Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu (Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901), Art. 11 — mevzuat.gov.tr
• Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı (Presidency of Migration Management), İkamet — Sıkça Sorulan Sorular (Residence — Frequently Asked Questions) — goc.gov.tr
• Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı, Kısa Dönem İkamet İzni Başvurularında İstenen Belgeler (Documents Required for Short-Term Residence Permit Applications) (18.03.2025) — e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr
• Danıştay 10. Daire, E. 2016/594, K. 2021/4945, T. 20.10.2021
• Danıştay 10. Daire, E. 2016/13651, K. 2021/3225, T. 10.06.2021