Republic of Türkiye · residence general · Leads to settlement

Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit

By · Last reviewed:

Source check: all 6 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

Flexible residence permit covering property owners, business connections, tourism, study programmes, medical treatment and investment, issued by the Presidency of Migration Management.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyUp to one or two years per issuance, renewable.
Processing time
Indicative: residence-permit processing times are set by the Presidency of Migration Management; confirm current timeframes via e-ikamet.
Government fees
Indicative: residence-permit fee plus card fee, set by the Ministry and updated periodically; confirm current amounts on the official fee page.
Typical duration
Up to one or two years per issuance, renewable.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes

In short

As of 9 July 2026, the Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit for Republic of Türkiye is an unsponsored Turkey immigration route. Sources: official Republic of Türkiye government pages, reviewed 9 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/turkey/short-term-residence#answer

What is the Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit in Republic of Türkiye?

Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit is an unsponsored Turkey route. Indicative government fees are Indicative: residence-permit fee plus card fee, set by the Ministry and updated periodically; confirm current amounts on the official fee page; indicative processing time is Indicative: residence-permit processing times are set by the Presidency of Migration Management; confirm current timeframes via e-ikamet; typical duration is Up to one or two years per issuance, renewable. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Presidency of Migration Management (Türkiye) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

The short-term residence permit is the broadest residence category, granted for a maximum of one or two years at a time. It covers foreigners who own property in Türkiye, are establishing business or commercial connections, are attending educational, language or exchange programmes, are receiving medical treatment, are staying for tourism, or have made a qualifying investment. Applications are filed online through the e-ikamet system. Time held on a valid permit counts toward the eight years of continuous residence required for a long-term residence permit.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Identify qualifying purpose

    Confirm which short-term ground applies - property, study, tourism, medical, business, or investment.

  2. Apply via e-ikamet

    Lodge the initial application online through the Presidency of Migration Management e-ikamet system.

  3. Attend appointment and submit documents

    Provide the passport, purpose-specific evidence, and any required health insurance.

  4. Receive permit and renew

    On approval the card is issued for up to one or two years; renew before expiry to keep residence continuous.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use official Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit.

    Presidency of Migration Management (Türkiye) · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Does owning property in Turkey qualify me for residence?+

Property ownership is an explicit ground for a short-term residence permit. It does not by itself grant work rights or citizenship, but time held on a valid permit counts toward the eight years needed for long-term residence.

Can a short-term residence permit lead to settlement?+

Indirectly. Continuous residence on valid permits for at least eight years is the qualifying condition for a long-term residence permit, which grants near-equal rights to citizens except voting, military service, and public employment.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Turkey

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Presidency of Migration Management (Türkiye)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology