Entrepreneur visa routes in Republic of Türkiye
Thinking about Republic of Türkiye as a place to work? Below are the 2 Republic of Türkiye visa routes that most commonly fit entrepreneurs, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: startup founder, business owner, company director.
What this means for entrepreneurs
Of the 2 Republic of Türkiye routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs, 0 need a sponsoring employer and 2 do not, 2 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Entrepreneurs are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into Republic of Türkiye overall is the Turkey Work Permit (employer-sponsored); it is not specific to entrepreneurs but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Occupation salary-floor answer
Entrepreneur salary floor in Republic of Türkiye
Verified 9 July 2026
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
Turkey Turquoise Card eligibility
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Entrepreneur: visa vs licensing timeline in Republic of Türkiye
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
Turkey Turquoise Card is the representative route for this profession page. It does not require an employer sponsor and is mapped as leading to settlement.
Source: Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Turquoise Card - 9 July 2026
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
No salary, fee or processing figure is currently available for this route in the verified figure layer.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Establish eligibility under the professional, investor, researcher, or cultural/sports grounds.
Source: Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Turquoise Card - 9 July 2026
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
No separate licence line modelled
After route fit is clear
This profession category is usually driven by offer, salary, qualification and route fit rather than a separate professional-registration clock. Still confirm the official route source before filing.
Source: Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Turquoise Card - 9 July 2026
Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses Republic of Türkiye's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- Presidency of Migration Management
Presidency of Migration Management (Türkiye) - verified
- Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Turquoise Card
Directorate General of International Labour Force - verified
- Presidency of Migration Management - Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship
Presidency of Migration Management (Türkiye) - verified
Routes that fit entrepreneurs
Turkey Turquoise Card
Special status conferring the rights of an indefinite work permit on highly qualified professionals, investors, researchers, and cultural figures, after a three-year transition period.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Provisional three-year transition period, then indefinite on successful conversion.
Turkey Citizenship by Investment
Exceptional acquisition of Turkish citizenship for foreigners making a qualifying investment, including real estate of at least USD 400,000 with a three-year no-sale restriction.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Citizenship, subject to a three-year no-sale restriction on the qualifying property.
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit entrepreneurs moving to Republic of Türkiye?+
Republic of Türkiye has 2 routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs: Turkey Turquoise Card, Turkey Citizenship by Investment. The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do entrepreneurs need a job offer to move to Republic of Türkiye?+
Not always. 2 of the 2 matched Republic of Türkiye routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the Turkey Turquoise Card), while 0 need a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can entrepreneurs settle permanently in Republic of Türkiye?+
Yes. 2 of the 2 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
What salary do entrepreneurs need in Republic of Türkiye?+
Turkey Turquoise Card does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Turquoise Card, verified 9 July 2026.