About Short-Term Residence Permits In Turkey
Short-Term Residence Permit in Turkey
Short-term residence permits are regulated in Articles 31 to 33 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection.
Short-term residence permits are also regulated in Articles 28 and 29 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection.
Who are the Foreigners Eligible for a Short-Term Residence Permit?
1-Foreigners coming for scientific research purposes;
Foreigners applying for a residence permit for this purpose are required to obtain a permit from the relevant institution or organization (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Energy, universities, etc.) if the scientific research is subject to a permit; if it is not subject to a permit, they are required to submit a statement regarding the subject of the research.
2-Foreigners who own real estate in Turkey;
If foreigners who own real estate apply for a residence permit, the real estate must be residential and used for this purpose. In addition, if family members have joint or co-ownership rights to the residence, they may also apply for a residence permit under this scope.
3-Foreigners who will establish commercial connections or businesses;
If foreigners who will establish commercial connections or businesses apply for a residence permit for more than three months, a letter of invitation or similar documents from the person or company they will contact may be requested.
4-Foreigners who will participate in in-service training programs;
Residence permits granted for this purpose are issued for the duration of the program based on the information and documents provided by the institution or organization providing the in-service training regarding the content, duration, and location of the training.
5-Foreigners coming for education or similar purposes within the framework of agreements to which the Republic of Turkey is a party or student exchange programs;
Foreigners applying for a residence permit for this purpose are required to submit information and documents obtained from the relevant institution.
The duration of the residence permit cannot exceed the duration of the education or similar purpose.
Students coming under student exchange programs (Erasmus, Mevlana, Farabi, etc.) who apply for general health insurance within three months from their initial registration date are not required to have health insurance. However, those who fail to apply within three months from the registration date and lose their right to general health insurance are required to obtain private health insurance.
6-Foreigners staying for tourism purposes;
The statements of foreigners applying for a residence permit for this purpose regarding their travel plans (such as where, when, and for how long they will stay in the country) are evaluated. If deemed necessary, they may be asked to provide information or documents.
7-Foreigners who will receive treatment provided they do not carry any diseases considered a threat to public health;
Foreigners coming to Turkey for this purpose are required to be admitted to public or private hospitals. Those who can prove that they have paid all treatment costs are not required to have health insurance.
Residence permits are arranged to be appropriate for the duration of treatment.
Foreigners whose accommodation, food, or health-related expenses are covered by the relevant public institutions and organizations during their treatment are not required to have valid health insurance, provided that their financial means are verified.
If necessary, information or documents regarding the foreigner’s treatment may be requested from the relevant hospital or public institution or organization.
Under existing Health Cooperation agreements, residence permit procedures for companions of foreigners coming to our country for treatment (unless the agreement contains a separate provision regarding companions) are carried out in accordance with general provisions.
Furthermore, according to Article 14 of the Additional Provisions of the Basic Law on Health Services No. 3359, the requirement for valid health insurance is not sought in residence permit applications from no more than two accompanying persons of foreigners coming to our country.
8- Foreigners who must remain in Turkey based on the request or decision of judicial or administrative authorities;
The duration of the residence permit issued for this purpose shall be determined taking into account the period specified in the decision or request.
9- Foreigners who will be transferred to a short-term residence permit if they lose their family residence permit conditions;
10- Foreigners who will attend Turkish language courses;
A residence permit may be granted to a foreigner who applies for a residence permit for this purpose and registers with an institution authorized to provide Turkish language courses (it must be licensed by the Ministry of National Education) for a maximum of two times.
If the course duration is less than one year, the residence permit duration cannot exceed the course duration. The institution providing the course is obliged to inform the provincial directorate of the foreigner’s start and continuation status in the course for the purpose of learning Turkish.
11-Foreigners who will participate in education, research, internships, and courses in Turkey through public institutions;
The residence permit issued for this purpose cannot exceed one year. Foreigners whose accommodation, food, or health-related expenses are covered by the relevant public institutions are not required to have financial means or valid health insurance. Information and documents may be requested from the institutions.
12-Foreign nationals who have completed their higher education in Turkey and apply within six months of their graduation date;
Foreign nationals applying for a residence permit for this purpose may be granted a residence permit valid for a maximum of one year, on a one-time basis, provided they apply within six months of their graduation date.
13-Those who do not work in Turkey but will make investments within the scope and amount specified by the Council of Ministers, along with their foreign spouse and their minor or dependent foreign children;
Foreigners applying for a residence permit for this purpose may be granted a residence permit for a maximum period of five years.
The amendment made to Law No. 6458 by Law No. 6735 on International Labor Force aims to encourage qualified foreigners who will contribute to the country’s economy and to facilitate residence permit procedures for foreigners.
14-Foreigners who are citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,
For this purpose, residence permits may be issued to foreigners applying for residence permits for periods of up to five years.
For how many years can a short-term residence permit be issued?
Short-term residence permits may be issued for periods of up to two years at a time, except for foreigners listed in items 13 and 14 above.
What are the conditions for a short-term residence permit?
In order for a short-term residence permit to be issued, foreigners must meet the conditions set out in Article 32 of the Law.
– Submit supporting information and documents regarding the purpose of their stay in Turkey,
– Not fall under the scope of Article 7 of the aforementioned Law,
– Have accommodation conditions that meet general health and safety standards,
– Upon request, submit a document showing their criminal record issued by the competent authorities of the country of which they are a citizen or in which they legally reside,
– Provide address information for their stay in Turkey.
What are the reasons for refusal, cancellation, or non-extension of a short-term residence permit?
– Failure to meet or loss of one or more of the conditions required for a short-term residence permit,
– Determination that the residence permit is being used for purposes other than those for which it was granted,
– If there is a valid decision to deport the person or prohibit their entry into the country,
– If there is a violation regarding the length of stay abroad,
in such cases, a short-term residence permit will not be granted, if already granted it will be canceled, and those that have expired will not be extended.