Visas & residence permits

Tourist visas are issued on arrival in Turkey or for longer stays you can apply for residency.

Tourist Visas

If you’re visiting Turkey for short periods then you only need a tourist visa, which is issued on arrival for £10 and is valid for three months. Many people who want to stay longer simply leave and re-enter the country on a new tourist visa – the easiest way is a day-trip to one of the Greek islands. It is possible to leave and re-enter the country in this way as many times as you wish.

Residence Permits

If you plan to stay for longer you can apply for a residence permit at the local police headquarters, which usually takes 3-8 weeks. If you don’t own a property or work in Turkey you can get a “tourist” Residence Permit, which is valid for 6-12 months and costs about £135 for 6 months, plus about £30 for the permit book. You must prove you have savings of at least US$1,800. If you own a property, work or have been living in the country for more than 5 years you can apply for a full permit, which is valid for up to 5 years. This currently costs about £200 for 1 year or £960 for 5 years, plus £30 for the permit book. Fees vary for other nationalities and may be subject to change.

A residence permit entitles you to live in the country but not work. To import furniture you need a residence permit to avoid paying import duty.