What do you need to get a short-term residence permit in Turkey?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Under Law No. 6458 you need a stay purpose the law accepts (such as tourism, owning a home, or business), health insurance covering the permit period, enough regular means, housing that meets general standards, and your address. Your passport must be valid 60 days beyond the permit. Each permit lasts up to two years.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
Accepted purposes	Scientific research; owning real estate; business connections or setting up a business; in-service training; education under agreements or exchange programmes; tourism; medical treatment; a court or authority requiring you to stay; switching from a family permit; Turkish courses; programmes through public bodies; graduates of Turkish universities applying within six months; investors; TRNC citizens	Law 6458, art. 31(1)
Conditions	Supporting documents for your purpose; not falling under art. 7 (refusal of entry); housing that meets general health and safety standards; a criminal record certificate if requested; your address in Turkey	Law 6458, art. 32(1)
Health insurance and money	Art. 7(1)(c) brings in the art. 15(1) list, which includes having no valid health insurance for the stay and having no sufficient and regular means for the stay	Law 6458, arts. 7(1)(c), 15(1)(e), 15(1)(g)
Passport	Valid at least 60 days longer than the permit you ask for	Law 6458, art. 21(2); art. 23(1)
How long	At most two years each time; investors and TRNC citizens up to five years	Law 6458, art. 31(2), 31(5)
Refusal or cancellation	If a condition is not met or ends, if the permit is used for another purpose, or if there is a valid deportation or entry ban decision	Law 6458, art. 33(1)

What the law requires

The law lists the purposes that qualify for a short-term permit (art. 31). Tourism is one of them, and the Presidency of Migration Management’s guidance says that for tourism it looks at your travel plan: where, when and how long you will stay.

Art. 32 then sets the conditions: documents that support your purpose, housing that meets general health and safety standards, your address in Turkey, and a criminal record certificate if the authority asks for one. You must also not fall under art. 7. Through that article the law refers to art. 15(1), which covers a passport valid less than 60 days beyond the period requested, no valid health insurance for the stay, and no sufficient and regular means for the stay.

Documents the authority asks for

The e-İkamet document list for short-term permits names these common documents:

the residence permit application form, signed;
a copy of the passport (identity page and any visa), with the original at the appointment;
two biometric photos taken in the last six months, white background;
receipts for the residence permit fee and card fee (nationals of exempt countries pay only the card fee);
a receipt for the single-entry visa fee, for people who came visa-free and apply for the first time, and for people who overstayed, unless exempt;
valid health insurance covering the requested period;
a document or declaration showing sufficient and regular means for the stay;
address documents (for example a notarised rental contract, title deed, hotel booking with payment, or a notarised undertaking from the person you stay with).

Each purpose adds its own documents; for example, a title deed for property owners, or a travel plan for tourism.

How long a decision takes: at most 90 days (Law 6458, art. 21(5)).
Renewal: apply from 60 days before the permit expires and always before it expires (Law 6458, art. 24(2)).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.