How to move to Turkey for permanent residence

For many people, this hospitable country, located in two parts of the world at once (Europe and Asia), is almost associated with an "earthly paradise". A mild climate that is easy to adapt to, comfortable beaches, a year-round harvest of fruits and vegetables, a minimum of bureaucratic procedures for entry – that is why our compatriots choose Turkey as a geographical location for permanent residence. And, indeed, in winter it is not cold, in spring and autumn it is not too hot, and the sunshine in summer is dominated by only a short period of time.

A little more than 85 million people live in the country. The average life expectancy for men is 70 years, and for women – 74 years. Turkey has a low overall demographic load, which reaches a percentage of 48.9 points. It means that the number of the working-age population here is twice as large as those who belong to socially vulnerable categories of citizens.

National composition of the population

Turkey is a country with a multinational composition. The share of indigenous people (Turks) varies from 70 to 77%. In second place in terms of number are the Kurds (19-20%). The remaining ethnic groups represent from 1 to 4% of the population (Albanians, Bosnians, Circassians and Zazas). It would seem that in such conditions it would be difficult for a relocant to adapt to the Muslim state. But Turkish citizens are very hospitable.

What about the cost of living? This issue is of no less interest than the legal formalities related to legalization in the country. Previously, Turkey was considered a "Klondike for a shopaholic" and a non-alternative place for a budget holiday according to the "All Inclusive" system. And what about present days? Of course, inflation, an increase in energy prices and other trends in the global economy provoked a rise in the price of the "food basket" in the Republic of Turkey. The cost of goods and services jumped significantly. But everything is known in comparison. Below are specific figures reflecting the cost of living in Turkey as of 2024. We will also consider the issue related to the peculiarities of migration.

Important nuances of stay

Many foreigners are exempt from having to apply for a visa to cross the Turkish border because tourism is very developed in the country. Without an entry permit, foreigners can stay in Turkey not longer than 2 months, then the relocant has the right to leave the country and re-enter it, which gives an additional month of residence without a visa. In total, tourists can stay in the country without an entry permit in the Republic for no more than 90 days within six months.

According to the information on the Internet portal of the Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs, the authorities have the right to decide on deportation if a foreign guest has overdue a visa for more than 10 days. But, in practice, penalties are applied to the offender, the amount of which is determined on an individual basis.

If the relocant has overstayed his/her visa for more than 3 months, in addition to paying a fine, he/she will be prohibited from re-entering the country for a period of 30 days. The longer the offender does not apply for a document confirming his/her legal stay in Turkey, the longer the ban on re-crossing the border will be. For example, if it turns out that the offender has been in the country without a visa for 3 years, the authorities will not only decide on deportation, but also will not allow to enter Turkey for the next 5 years.

When planning the trip, make sure that the passport is valid for at least another 4 months from the moment of the border crossing.

Current options for immigration to Turkey in 2024

The procedure for moving for permanent residence to Turkey includes intermediate stages. Initially, you will need to register the status of a temporary resident. The residence permit card (ikamet) is issued for both short-term and long-term periods. As part of naturalization, you can become a permanent resident (not to be confused with citizenship) after 8 years of residence with a temporary residence permit. Below are the most popular ways to move to permanent residence in Turkey.

Moving to permanent residence for investment

Those who are ready to invest personal capital in the Turkish economy can apply for citizenship in an accelerated format (from 6 to 9 months). Local authorities offer a variety of investment formats, from buying a home to opening a deposit with a local bank. For example, to obtain permanent residence in the Muslim state, you can purchase an apartment worth at least $0.4 million.

An alternative option is to open a deposit in a Turkish bank in the amount of $0.5 million or more. Also, the investor has the right to open his own business, but with the condition that at least 50 jobs will be created. You can also purchase units of an investment fund worth $0.5 million. All variations of capital investment in the Turkish economy are subject to return, but not earlier than 3 years from the date of transactions.

Investor requirements

Candidates who do not have a criminal past can apply for permanent residence. At the time of registration of permanent resident status, the candidate should not have opened court proceedings. In addition, he/she must confirm the legal nature of the sources of income that are invested in a particular project. The applicant is obliged to confirm the absence of diseases that pose a danger to the local population (tuberculosis, HIV).

Deportation and visa irregularities are also reasons for refusing permanent resident status in exchange for investment.

Permanent residence by marriage

The creation of a family with a Turkish citizen provides the relocant with the right to obtain permanent residence. But documents can be submitted only after 3 years of living in an official marriage. It should not have signs of fictitiousness.

During the period of joint farming, the applicant is obliged to strictly comply with the legislation protecting public order and national security.

The status of a resident is not affected by the fact that the spouses live in the territory of the Turkish state or are outside it. After the dissolution of the marriage, the relocant retains permanent residence in the country. The status registration procedure itself can last from 1 to 3 years.

By the naturalization program

The owners of the ikamet have the right to apply for permanent residence after 8 years of residence in the Republic. During the specified period, the relocant should not have a criminal record and violations of tax legislation.

Also, a candidate for permanent residence in Turkey is obliged to confirm the availability of financial guarantees for living in the Muslim state (not lower than the local minimum wage – $578 per month).

Family reunification

If there are close relatives living in the Turkish state, the relocant is also entitled to apply for permanent resident status. It will be necessary to document the relationship with the spouse, parents or children who have citizenship in the country.

Representatives of the receiving party must prove that they have sufficient funds to provide a relative - relocant. The relocant will receive the status of a permanent resident on the specified basis, provided that he has been continuously residing in the territory of the Turkish state for 8 years.

Life in Turkey. Economics for expats

Of course, everyone who plans to immigrate to Turkey is concerned about the traditional question: "Will I have enough money for life?" To answer it, you need to correlate the figures reflecting the potential level of income and expenses in the new location.

According to the analytical portal, the average salary in the Turkish capital varies from $1,300 to $1,600 (excluding taxes). Specialists who have a diploma from a prestigious European university receive approximately $2,000 for their work.

On average, foreigners engaged in unskilled labor are paid $600-700. Most of the employees are concentrated in the service segment (55.3%). About 19.7% of respondents are employed in the industrial sector, 17.7% in agriculture and 7.3% in construction. More than 3 million people over the age of 15 are considered unemployed in the country. These are the data of the Turkish Department of Statistics.

Well, now, let's consider expenses. To do this, we will analyze how much money will be required for food, household needs, entertainment, rental (purchase) of a car and housing (all information is presented in the tables below).

Food products

Household needs and entertainment

Transport services

Housing needs

A separate expense item for relocants is utility services. Every homeowner in Turkey pays the so-called “aidat” (monthly fee for the maintenance and upkeep of the surrounding area). The tariff is determined by the apartment owners. On average, the cost of "aidat" ranges from $30 to $82.

Electricity, water supply and heating are additionally paid for. One kWH of electricity costs from $0,033 to $0,066. For one cubic meter of water, the owner of Turkish real estate will have to pay from $0,14 to $0,22 (depending on the region). The fee for one cubic meter of gas is $0,11 – $0,13.

Compulsory property insurance

Please also note that Turkey has a mandatory real estate earthquake insurance program (DASK). Tariffs for the purchase of the policy are determined at the municipal level, and they depend on the design features of buildings and seismic forecasts from meteorological services.

Also, the owner of the property must pay the municipal tax on time (the amount of the fiscal fee is shown in the table below).

*Large locations include: Istanbul, Antalya, Erzurum, Sakarya, Adana, Konya, Gaziantep, Kocaeli, Eskisehir, Tekirdag, Trabzon, Izmir, Bursa, Denizli, Mugla.

Garbage collection tax

Another fiscal payment to the local budget is the garbage collection tax. It must be paid not only by the owners of real estate, but also by tenants. The rate of the "garbage tax" in the MKD is determined on the basis of water consumption. In large settlements, it is ₽ 1.8 per cubic meter, in small locations – ₽1.3. The amount of tax for commercial premises depends directly on the amount of garbage that accumulates as a result of business activities.

List of necessary documents for permanent residence in Turkey

To obtain the status of a permanent resident of the Turkish state, the relocator must submit:

• application (submitted no later than 6 months before the expiration of the residence permit);
• plastic ID card (ikamet);
• documents certifying the right to receive permanent residence (birth/marriage certificate/enterprise registration, securities purchase agreement, etc.);
• a certificate confirming the absence of diseases that pose a danger to society (HIV, tuberculosis);
• medical insurance policy; 
• a bank statement or a certificate of income confirming the availability of financial guarantees from the applicant;
• police clearance certificate;
• certificate confirming proficiency in the Turkish language (qualification level – not lower than A2);
• receipt of payment of the state duty.      

Basic requirements

An applicant for the status of a permanent resident of Turkey must meet the following requirements:

• no criminal record;
• financial reliability;
• no arrears of tax liabilities;
• legal origin of sources of income;
• absence of social diseases.

Refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as holders of an ikamet, which was issued in connection with the implementation of humanitarian missions, are not entitled to permanent residence in Turkey.

How to obtain citizenship

The status of a resident of Turkey is assigned upon birth when one or both parents of the child are citizens of the Muslim state.

If you do not have Turkish roots, then there are other options:

• You can become the owner of a "Turkish" passport through employment. A foreigner has the right to apply for citizenship 5 years after applying for a work permit in Turkey.
• An alternative way to obtain the status of a citizen of the Republic of Turkey is to invest capital in one of the segments of the national economy. Details are described above.
• Registration of marriage with a citizen of Turkey is another format of immigration to a country that is geographically located in two parts of the world – Europe and Asia. Citizenship documents can be submitted after 3 years from the date of registration of the family union.
• It is possible to obtain a "Turkish" passport under the naturalization program. It can be used by ikamet owners who have lived in the territory of the Muslim state for at least 5 years.
• Citizenship can also be obtained for special services to the country. The status on this basis is mainly received by cultural figures, athletes, representatives of the scientific community and highly qualified specialists. Such categories of applicants are issued a so-called Turquoise Card. Initially, the document is issued for 3 years, after which (in the absence of violations in the relocant) it is replaced by an analogue, which is valid for an indefinite period of time.

But still, the "turquoise card" cannot be considered a full-fledged alternative to the "Turkish" passport. Holders of the "Turquoise Card" are not liable for military service, do not have the right to vote in elections and cannot hold positions in the public administration system.

Advantage

It is noteworthy that in Turkey the status of a permanent resident (permanent residence) is an optional stage for obtaining citizenship, which can be neglected if desired. In addition, please note that obtaining a "Turkish" passport, in practice, will be faster than obtaining permanent residence. Citizenship can be acquired in 3-5 years, and permanent resident status in 8 years. And from the bureaucratic point of view, it is easier to immediately apply for "Turkish citizenship".

One more piece of good news! The holder of a "Turkish" passport is not obliged to renounce other citizenships. The Turkish passport is changed once every 10 years.