Short-Term Residence Permit Documents in Turkey
“What are the Documents of Short-Term Residence Permit in Turkey? (ikamet)” Before telling about the documents , it should be noted that here are 14 types of short-term residence permits. No matter which type of residence permit we apply for among short-term residence permit types, there are common documents for all of them, and additional documents are needed according to the type of residence permit to which we will apply for short-term residence permit applications.
Short term residents permit documents, Tourizm ikamet documents, In this article, first of all we will explain to you the common documents required for each short-term residence permit , and then the documents required for all kinds of short-term residence permits will be examined separately.
We will explain all details and when you apply residence permit in Turkey which details are important, what you should be careful about? When you read until the end of the article, you will understand what you will need to apply for a residence permit, and what kind of process is waiting for you.
You can also read our article about short-term residence permit.
Documents Required for Short-Term Residence Permit
1- Residence Permit Application Form Printout
2- Passport or copy of Document Used as Passport
3- Two (2) Biometric Photographs
4- Statement of Having Sufficient and Regular Financial Possibilities for the Period of Stay
5- Documents/Receipts Showing Payment of Residence Fee and Card Fee
6- Health insurance
7- Document showing that it is registered in the Address Registration System (you dont need this on first application)
8- Document showing the place of stay (notarized lease contract, see below)
9- UETS (Need to go PTT offices and ask them personally UETS address (After 15.04.2024)
Now let’s start, we will explain them to you:
1-Residence Permit Application Form
It must be signed by the foreigner and/or his legal representative
The residence permit application in Turkey is first made online and then the necessary documents are physically prepared and give to the immigration office at the appointment time. We can learn the time of appointment and date from the residence permit application form(first page), which is printed after the online application.
Residence permit application form is the form that people will obtain after they apply online at https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. After the online application is made, it must be printed from the printer and must be signed and placed among the application documents. This form usually consists of 3 pages and people should sign the signature section at the bottom of the first page.
Below are examples of residence permit application forms.
2-Passport
Passport or copy of Document Used as Passport
In addition, it is not necessary to photocopy the pages with entry and exit information in extension applications. A photocopy of your residence permit card must be taken for extension applications. In addition, if the application is made with a lawyer, the lawyer must also put a photocopy of his/her identity card together with the power of attorney in my application documents.
In addition, the original passport must be with you at the time of appointment.
3-Photographs
Two (2) biometric photographs. When you go to a photographer, it will be in your best interest to take the photo digitally while the photo is taken. Because when applying for a residence permit through the E-residency system, a digital photo must be uploaded to the system. In this respect, while taking a physical photo, ask the photographer to send you a digital copy of the photo via e-mail/whatsapp.
Photos can be up to 6 months old. The background must be white.
4-Financial Possibilities
Statement of Having Sufficient and Regular Financial Possibilities for The Period of Stay
At the beginning of the residence permit, an application is made by filling out a form online at https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. In this form, which we have filled out online,we are saying in there our financal situations. And this saying is enough.
İn this form(Residence Permit Application Form) is sufficient for you about our financial means and for all short-term residence permits.It is sufficient for us to provide information in this form. We do not need to add additional documents such as bank account documents and account statements into our application documents. If the immigration office asks for extra documents related to our declaration, then we need to give documents about our financial situations. But the declaration we made in the form at the first stage is sufficient for us.
There is an “information on income” section on the 2nd page of the residence permit application form. You can see what the income statement section looks like from the example below.
5-Receipts Showing Payment of “Residence tax” and “Card tax”
Documents/Receipts Showing Payment of “Residence tax” and “Card tax”
There are two items that we have to pay in this field.
1) Residence tax: beetween 800- 2500 Turkish Liras. (The fees differ according to the citizens of the countries)
2) Residence Permit Card Fee -it is 810 Türkish Liras in 2025
Residence permit can be paid in two ways.
*Online payment (you can watch the video by clicking the link and learn how you can pay )
*Payment by going to the tax office
Note: If you want detailed information on this subject, please read the related article. ***How is the residence permit fee paid?***
As a result of online payment, a payment receipt is created by the system and this payment receipt should be printed out and placed in the documents.
If the payment is made in person by going to the tax office(vergi dairesi) , the payment receipt from the tax office should be kept and included in the file submitted to the immigration office on the appointment day.
Examples of the tax payment receipts:
6-Health İnsurance
Normally, health insurance pages are approximately 15 pages. However, it is sufficient to put the first 5 pages of the health policy you have taken out (including information such as policy number, insured information, validity period) between the residence permit application documents. It is sufficient to take a colour printout of the health insurances made online.
How to make health insurance for foreigners?
At this point, it is important that the duration of our health insurance is the duration of the desired residence permit. If the duration of the health insurance is less than the duration of the residence permit, our residence permit application will be rejected.
Example: During the online application for a residence permit, the desired residence permit start date and end date are selected. Health insurance must be taken to cover these dates. If our residence permit date is between 18.11.2024-18.11.2025, then you can have a 1-year foreign health insurance in this date range. As BaltaşGlobal, we have the health insurance of the people who apply to us from the health insurance agencies we have contracted with. However, you can reach many insurance agencies by typing foreign health insurance in google and you can get your health insurance online.
After getting health insurance online, you can get your health insurance policy in PDF and use it in your application. You do not need a wet signed insurance policy.
7-Address Registration System
Document showing that it is registered in the Address Registration System – Yerleşim yeri belgesi – Certificate of Settlement
What will be explained under this heading is only related to the document required for EXTENSION APPLICATIONS and TRANSITION APPLICATIONS.
This document is required if you are applying for a residence permit extension or transition. If you are applying for a residence permit for the first time, then you need to show a letter of commitment or a house lease. In short, this requirement is only fulfilled if you are registered in the address registration system.
Documents requested for extension applications that you are registered in the address registration system;
1- If you rented a house/flat in your own name
* Certificate of Settlement (Yerleşim yeri belgesi) -. must be new dated.
* Invoice in your own name – electricity, water or natural gas (must have been received within the last two months)
2-If you have a residence permit with someone else’s commitment
*Certificate of Settlement – in your name (Yerleşim yeri belgesi) -. must be new dated.
*Commitment Letter-taahhütname
*Invoice in the name of the person giving the letter of commitment – electricity, water or natural gas (must have been received within the last two months)
Note: Electricity, water, natural gas subscription contracts are also valid for new subscribers
The name of the document referred to here is the ‘settlement certificate’ obtained through e-devlet
How to get a certificate of settlement?
The certificate of settlement(yerleşim ueri belgesi) can be obtained through the e-government system or by going to the provincial / district population directorates in person.
You can understand how to get a certificate of settlement by reading our related article; https://www.baltasglobal.com/en/certificate-of-settlement-for-foreigners/
Example of “yerleşim yeri belgesi” – Address Registration System Official Document. You can use documents where take from e devlet directly after take print. this document have some official number.
8-Document showing the place of stay
You have to show your place of stay to the immigration administration. There are several methods to prove the place of stay, you can use them by choosing the one that suits you best.
a) Your own home
If you have a house of your own, a copy of the deed is sufficient. At the time of the appointment, the original title deed must be taken with you.
b) Rental contract from notary
If you are staying in an apartment with a rental agreement, a notarized copy of the rental agreement. If you are staying in places such as hotels, hostels, dormitories, signed documents proving your stay in these places.
Important note: The lease agreement must be made at a notary public. Provincial immigration administration cannot accept rental agreements approved by a notary public. If you are staying in places such as hotels, hostels, dormitories, signed documents proving your stay in these places.
Correct Rental Contract Example
Important Note: In the lease agreements made by the notary public, the photocopies of the lessor’s identity card and the passport copy of the lessor must be on the back of the rental agreement.
Dask policy and copy of the title deed of the rented place
The dask (compulsory earthquake insurance) policy of the rented flat and a copy of the title deed should be placed in the file.
A document that homeowners must have. Request this document from your landlord and if you are asked for money for this document, do not give it to your landlord.
c) Staying with a third person
If you want to stay with a third person, the third person must have a notarised commitment. If the third person is married, his/her spouse’s commitment is also required. Example of a foreign guest commitment letter?
In case of staying with a third person, it is necessary to submit one of the current dated electricity, water, natural gas invoices on behalf of the person who makes the commitment. The subscription contract is also valid for new subscribers.
Pay Attention to Closed Neighbourhoods When Specifying Address for Residence Permit
Closed Areas for Residence and adress in Turkey : https://www.baltasglobal.com/en/closed-addresses-for-foreigners/
Important !!!
Within the scope of the fight against irregular migration throughout Turkey, some neighbourhoods in some provinces cannot be shown as addresses in residence permit applications, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has declared some neighbourhoods as closed neighbourhoods in this context. With the decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, applications made from closed neighbourhoods will be rejected.
Foreign guest commitment letter sample:
9-UETS electronic adress
ONLY REQUIRED FOR EXTENSION OR TRANSFER APPLICATIONS
As of April 15, 2024, foreigners are required to submit their UETS addresses, which they will obtain from PTT directorates, among the documents they will submit in their residence permit extension applications.
Example of the UETS electronic adress:
Do you have any questions? Please feel free to contact us from the contact section. Your questions are answered confidentially and quickly.
Closed Addresses İstanbul 2025
In Turkey, the state administration closed addresses in some regions due to the density of immigrants. In some parts of Istanbul, foreigners cant rent flats and cannot use these flats as a basis for a residence permit (İkamet).You need to check closed districts of istanbul and then you can rent a flat.
For more detailed explanations: https://www.baltasglobal.com/en/closed-addresses-for-foreigners/
Announcement: In addition, at 19.10.2022, the Immigration Administration(göç idaresi) published a new announcement in addition to the list listed above, and made some districts in Istanbul completely closed to residence permits.
Which places are closed in Istanbul?
İmmigration administration(Göç İdaresi) announcement dated 19.10.2022. Residence permit applications made by showing the address of the
2025 Updated list (update date is 13.03.2025)
*Avcılar
*Bahçelievler
*Bağcılar
*Başakşehir
*Esenler
*Esenyurt
*Fatih
*Küçükçekmece
*Sultangazi
*Zeytinburnu
districts in the province of Istanbul will be rejected. Since the districts related to the interior ministry’s decision have reached a high rate in terms of the number of immigrants, foreigners who will apply for a residence permit must show an address outside of the closed neighborhoods.
Short-Term Residence Permit Documents by Purpose of Stay (additional documents)
Anyone who wants to apply for a Short Term residence permit has to prepare the common documents we have mentioned above. In addition to the above common documents, you need to prepare the following additional documents according to the residence permit you will apply for.
There are 14 types of short-term residence permits in total.
1) Those who will come for scientific research
*First of all, those who will apply for a residence permit for this purpose must have a visa in accordance with their purpose.
* Document showing the duration and place of the research to be conducted. (Must be signed, stamped and sealed)
2) Those Who Own Immovable Property in Turkey
*Copy of title deed
3) They will establish a commercial connection or business
*Invitation letter to be received from individuals or companies.
*Notarized company activity certificate
*Notarized tax plate of company
*Notarized trade registry gazette of company
*Notarized signature circular of company
4) Those Who Will Attend In-Service Training
* Submission of the document showing the duration and place of the training
5) Those who come through bilateral agreements or through student exchange programs
*Education certificate to be obtained from the institution where the training will be held
6) Residence permit for tourism purposes
There is no need for an additional document for those who will apply for a residence permit for tourism purposes. It is sufficient to provide the above common documents. However, if requested by the administration(göç idaresi), the following documents must be submitted to the administration.
*Travel plans and accommodation information on request.
* In some cases, family residence permit conditions cannot be met and an application is made for a short-term residence permit. In these cases, individuals are evaluated under the condition of residence permit for tourism purposes.
YUKK regulation, article 28 – (10) “… Residence permit requests other than the short-term residence permit application types listed are considered as requests for tourism purposes.”
In this respect, those who will apply for a short-term residence permit without meeting the family residence permit requirement will apply for a residence permit for tourism purposes, and in this case, in addition to the common documents;
* Marriage certificate or a photocopy of the document showing that you are married (The original of the document should be with you on the appointment day)
* While it is sufficient for documents received from Turkish authorities to be signed or stamped
* Notarized translations must be made for documents received from foreign authorities, and the translated documents must be annotated with an Apostille.
7) They Will Be Treated
*Document to be taken from the hospital where he/she was treated, showing that the treatment continues and the document showing the duration of the treatment.
*The document taken from the hospital must be signed by the chief doctor and doctor and must be stamped or sealed.
8) Request of Administrative Authorities
Request document to be obtained from administrative authorities.
In this document to be obtained from the administrative authorities, there should be a letter stating that the foreign person should stay in Turkey.
9) Decision of Administrative Authorities
Administrative authorities may decide that the foreign person should stay in Turkey.
In case of such a decision, the decision must be attached to the file.
10) Request of Judicial Authorities
An e-signed or stamped document to be obtained from the judicial authorities stating that the foreign person must stay in Turkey.
11) Decision of Judicial Authorities
An e-signed or stamped document to be obtained from the judicial authorities stating that the foreign person must stay in Turkey.
12) Those who have passed from Family Residence Permit to Short Term Residence Permit
* Copy of the old residence document and the original of the document.
* If the divorce has taken place and the transition to a short-term residence permit is made for this reason :
a) divorce court decision (it is necessary to have been married for 3 years)
b) If there has been a divorce on the grounds of domestic violence, then the 3-year requirement is not required, and the court decision revealing that you have been a victim of domestic violence.
* If the sponsor is dead, the sponsor’s death certificate. (If the death certificate is to be taken from abroad, an Apostille annotation is required.
13) Will Attend Turkish Learning Course
*Visa for purpose
*A document confirming the continuation of the education received from the institution authorized to provide Turkish language courses.
14) Those who want to stay in Turkey by applying within 6 months after completing their university education
*Copy of diploma or temporary graduation certificate.
15) Investors
*A certificate of conformity obtained from the relevant institution after investing in any of the relevant investment forms.
Completion of Missing Documents for Residence Permit
When you go to the immigration office on the residence permit appointment day, some of your documents may be missing. If you have missing documents on the first appointment day, your residence permit is not immediately rejected.
If you have a missing document, the provincial immigration officials will give you a paper showing your missing documents and ask for your deficiencies to be corrected within 30 days. If the deficiencies are not corrected within 30 days, the application is deemed to be withdrawn.
In case of missing documents, such a document will be given to you from the provincial immigration administration.
DOCUMENTS FOR CHILDREN
* If the parents of the children can be identified from their passports, the passport is sufficient, if not, certified birth certificates are requested.
* In the absence of one of the parents in the residence permit applications, the approved consent of the absent person is requested.
* If one of the spouses has died, a certified death certificate is required.
* In case of divorce, a certified custody document is required. If the above documents are given by the Turkish authorities, they must be e-signed or stamped and sealed, while the documents given by foreign government bodies must be Apostille annotated and translated into Turkish.
Lawyer Cihat BALTAŞ
Lawyer Cihat BALTAŞ graduated from Police College in 2006, Police Academy in 2010, Yalova Law Faculty in 2016 with a degree and has worked and specialised in foreign law throughout his professional life. Cihat BALTAŞ, who is currently working as a lawyer in Kadıköy, Istanbul, is the founder of BaltaşGlobal law and consultancy office.
