Under normal circumstances, the duration of your stay in Turkey depends on the type and duration of your visa. Of course, without the right to do any business and educational activities. If you intend to stay in Turkey for longer time, you can apply for a one-year residence permit if you have the necessary conditions. At the end of the one-year period, it is possible to apply for an extension of your stay and continue to be present in this country by submitting documents that show that you have the necessary conditions to continue your presence in this country. For information on the conditions of residence in Turkey, join us. How to get a short-term residence permit in Turkey (Kimlik)? – The necessary documents for obtaining a residence permit for the first year and how to extend it under pandemic situation.

What is “Kimlik”?

The word “Kimlik” in Turkish is synonymous with “identity”. It is called a Turkish residence card. After accepting the application documents for residing and living in Turkey for foreigners, the Turkish Immigration Office gives them a card called “Kimlik”. And having this card means that you are a resident of Turkey. (Note that this does not mean Turkish citizenship and has no privileges to receive a Turkish passport) You need to know that with this card, you will only have a residence and living permit in Turkey and you will not be allowed to work in Turkey. If you want to work in this country, you must get a work permit. However, obtaining a work permit in this country requires this residence card or “Kimlik”. If 6 months have passed since a person resided in Turkey and this residence was due to the purchase or rental of property, you can work in this country by obtaining the necessary permits. Types of short-term residence permits in Turkey and methods of obtaining it. There are certain ways in which the Turkish government provides residence permit for those who intend to stay in Turkey for a longer period of time (1 year), if they have the conditions and documents, to be benefited from the legal right to reside in Turkey. The followings are the methods and conditions for receiving a one-year residency: • Touristic residence in Turkey by renting a house. • Short-term residence in Turkey by buying a property. • Residence in Turkey through company registration. • Residence in Turkey by obtaining a work permit. • Studental residence in Turkey (by participating in training courses). • Staying in Turkey through making investment. • Residence through marriage and birth

Touristic residence in Turkey by renting a house.

If before this renting a house was the easiest way to get a residence permit in Turkey, now, according to the new laws and restrictions that have been imposed on all foreign nationals since February 15, 2022, this method will no longer be easy for everyone. According to these new rules, you can receive a short-term stay only for a period of 6 months through renting a house, and after the end of this period, depending on the circumstances, you can extend your stay only for another period of 6 months. Another very important condition is that for each person applying for residence, you must deposit an amount of about 40,000 liras in your bank account in Turkey, and you cannot withdraw this amount until the end of your stay. Of course, note that from this money you can spend an amount during the month, but at the end of the month you have to re-deposit the amount you have withdrawn into the account. The amount is not fixed and is different for each nationality and will be announced to the applicant on the day of the interview by an expert from the Immigration Office. The very important point is that the possibility of rejecting the residence application in this way is very high and even with the completeness of the documents, it may still not be accepted by the Turkish Immigration Office and the applicant will be forced to leave Turkey within ten days and it will NOT be possible to reapply for residency within six months.

Steps and documents required to receive first 6-month residence by renting a house:

1- 4×6 photos biometric photos (4 pcs) You can refer to any of the photographers in your city and say that you need a biometric photo to get a residence permit; they know the specifications and number of photos. Just be careful. Do not forget to get the photos file via email from the photographer. 2- Filling out the interview appointment form and get it printed: To complete the appointment form (interview appointment) you should visit the website of the Turkish Immigration Office at www.e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr. And carefully enter the relevant information separately for yourself and each family members. After completing the appointment form, the time of the interview at Immigration Office will be determined for you. 3- Registration of the rent contract in the notary public office (Noter): In Turkey, notaries are called “Noter”. You must register your rent contract with one of these offices. To do this, you need to have your passport (translated to Turkish) and house rent contract. Note that each family member needs a separate rent contract. For this reason, when registering a rent in “Noter”, you must adjust the number of the contracts based on the number of family members. The cost of registration in “Noter” is about 100 lira for each copy. It should be noted that from 2022, the presence of the landlord in the notary offices with identification documents is mandatory. 4- Getting “Numarataj” (official address statement) for the rented house from the municipality. To get the official address statement of the house you have rented, you must go to the municipality of your place of residence with a) the copy of the tittle deed, b) the message of receiving the interview time determined by the immigration office and 3) your identification documents. Note that a separate “Numarataj” sheet is required for each family member. 5- Providing health insurance People applying for residency in Turkey must obtain health insurance or “Sigorta” for themselves and their family members. Health insurance companies for foreigners, which are accepted by the Turkish Immigration Office, each offer different coverage conditions under the contract and the cost of health insurance depends on the age of the applicants and the type of insurance and coverage conditions. For instance insurance cost for a person over 30 years old will be about 900 lira for one-year. The presence of the applicant is not necessary to get insurance and you only need an address in Turkey and passport details. After obtaining the insurance, the printout of the insurance form, which is printed on the letterhead of the relevant company and stamped on all its forms, must be delivered to the Immigration Office on the day of the interview. 6- Get your Tax Number The Tax Number in Turkey or “Vergi Numarasi” is a 10-digit code that you can for various purposes, including buying property, buying and selling cars, obtaining a residence permit in Turkey, obtaining a work permit, opening a bank account, doing financial and administrative affairs, Company registration and etc. From now on your payments will be made under this Number. To obtain Tax Number for yourself and your family members, you can proceed in one of the following ways: • Visit your city tax office in person and complete the relevant form with personal information and residence address. • Visit the website https://ivd.gib.gov.tr and complete your details. 7- Paying residence tax and the cost of issuing the “Kimlik” card To obtain a residence permit in Turkey, you must pay a fee as a tax. This amount is $ 40 for people under 18 and $ 80 for people over 18, which is calculated based on the daily rate of the dollar and is listed on the appointment form along with the cost of issuing a “Kimlik” card. You can pay these fees at the tax office. 8- Interviews with officers at the Turkish Immigration Office On the date and time set for you, you have to go to your city’s Immigration Office and put all your documents in a special pink folder that you have to prepare already and go to the relevant officer and be interviewed. The documents that you must have in your file, except for 4 pieces of photos and notarized rent contract, address registration, tax and the cost of issuing the card deposit slips, health insurance, must include the original passport and a copy of the first page, and the page stamped with the last date of entry into Turkey (for each applicant), if you also intend to obtain residence for your family members, the original and a copy of the official translation of the marriage certificate, the original and a copy of the official translation of the children’s identity card . (Note that the necessary translations must have been made either in Your Country and sealed with the seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary and the Apostille, or at your country’s Consulate in Turkey). 9- Bank receipt of the deposited amount At the date of the interview and if your documents are not defective, the Immigration Expert will determine the exact amount you have to deposit in your bank account for each person, after which you must deposit the money into your account and the bank receipt. Return to Immigration Expert for registration. If your documents and conditions are confirmed, after about 10 days, your card will be issued and sent to your address by post. If your application for residency is rejected for reasons such as a second year tourist extension, a fake rent contract, invalid health insurance, etc., you will not be able to reapply for the same method of residence for up to 6 months, and you will receive a letter of deport. They give you a 10-day deadline to leave Turkey during this period, and when you leave, if you stay in Turkey longer than the validity of your initial visa, you will be fined for extra staying in Turkey. The cost of a 6-mounth touristic stay in Turkey On average, the total costs you have to pay to obtain or extend a 6-mounth tourist stay in Turkey will be as follows. These costs are not fixed and may vary depending on the age of the applicant. The AlanyaHomes team experts will be with you throughout the residency obtaining process. $ 250 for a 6-month residency $ 200 for 6-month extension

Residence in Turkey by buying a property

By buying a property with any amount and anywhere in Turkey, you can get a residence in this country. But this residence is not permanent, but the same one-year or two-year residence that must be extended after expiration. In order to receive permanent residence and Turkish citizenship, there is a condition for the purchase of a property, which is buying a property worth more than $ 250,000. If the property is purchased as a partnership, the names of the buyers must be included in the property title deed (called “Tapu” in Turkish) in order to give short-term residence to the owners. Attractions of buying a property in Turkey: The important point is what are the features in Turkey that attract a person to buy a house? Daily expenditures such as food, clothing, transportation, education, car, house, tax, internet and etc. in Turkey are much lower than in European and American countries. • Availability of sufficient high quality products and brands in Turkey. • Various recreation, entertainment and tourism centers throughout Turkey. • Access to the Black Sea coastal areas in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west of Turkey, various ski slopes, sports fields and etc. in Turkey. • Quick and easy property purchase procedure in Turkey for foreigners. • Existence of all kinds of houses and real estate, including apartments, complexes, beach and forest villas, etc. • Purchasing the property in installments while the property deed is in your name at the same time. • Easy access to public transportation system including subway, bus, plane and other vehicles. • Significant growth in property prices in Turkey in recent years, which has provided a good opportunity for investment. • The opportunity to invest properly by buying property and also the possibility of obtaining Turkish citizenship.

Things to keep in mind when buying a property in Turkey

• First you have to decide in which city you want to live? Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Ankara, Alanya and …? • Conditions and costs of living in that city. For example, staying in Istanbul will cost more than Antalya. • Is the place you choose coastal or in the city center? • How will be your access to shopping centers, medical centers, schools, kindergartens, sports facilities, subways, highways, airports, downtown, etc.? • What type of property are you considering? Apartment, villa, office or commercials? • What is the future of the property in terms of the possibility of future progress or ease of sale? • Know well the seller and authenticating identity and real estate documents. • Are there any restrictions on the property you purchased, such as the current owner’s mortgage and other creditors? • Be sure to complete the steps of registration and transfer of ownership in the registry office and in the presence of witnesses. • For the purchase of property and advice in this field, seek the help of experienced consultants from AlanyaHomes. J

Property Purchase Laws in Turkey

It is not possible for all foreigners to buy property in Turkey, and only a part of foreign immigrants can buy property in Turkey. Foreigners can buy up to 30 hectares of land in Turkey. In addition, the person who buys the vacant land will commit to defining and completing a construction project on the purchased land within 2 years. In each region, only 10% of the land can be purchased by foreigners. It should be noted that foreign nationals are not allowed to buy property in the military and security areas of Turkey.

Buy property in Turkey with installments

In many construction projects, it is possible to buy a house in installments or with a bank loan up to 80% of the amount. In this case the property deed will be mortgaged to the bank. Bank loans to buy a house in Turkey are usually for 5 years and the interest rate on these loans is very low, about 2%. Also, in many projects, you can buy your property without taking a loan from the bank and in installments directly to the building company.

Conditions for buying property in Turkey to obtain citizenship

1. The value of the purchased house must be at least 250.000 US dollars and this real value of the property must be approved by government experts and recorded in the property title deed. 2. The entire amount should be transferred to the seller’s account through the banking system. 3. Previous owners of the house up to the previous three hands should not be foreigners. 4. You do not have the right to sell the purchased property for 3 years to obtain citizenship. Providing these conditions, you can receive a Turkish passport within 3 months. You need to know that you do not have to buy only one property. You can buy several properties worth a total of $ 250,000.

Inheritance law in Turkey

The law of inheritance in Turkey for foreigners is that after the death of a person, all the property and assets of the deceased are divided among his first-degree families, and if the person has a will regarding the division of his property, the property will be divided in accordance with his will.

Residence in Turkey through company registration

The third way to obtain or renew a residence permit is to register a company in Turkey. As you know, from the beginning of 2020, the extension of tourist residence will not be done for foreigners other than Europeans. Of course, it is better to register your company at least three months before the end of your touristic stay. It does not cost much. You can register a company in Turkey for less than $ 1000. According to Turkish law, you must register a company to start any kind of business. Setting up cafes and restaurants, hairdressers, tailors, etc. and even selling goods and services in Turkey all require company registration. In the following, we will explain the types of companies in Turkey and which company is suitable for which activity.

Types of companies in Turkey

In Turkey, you can register 7 types of companies, of which two types, sole proprietorship and LIMITED, are the most widely used types for residence.

• Sole Proprietorship in Turkey

This type of company, which has a limited articles of association and it is not possible to include any activity in it, can be registered by a person and receive a registration number and activity license. If your business is limited, we suggest registering this type of company because the registration of this company will be done in less than a few days and its cost will be in total about three thousand liras. It is also easier for the CEO to get a work permit.

• Limited Liability Company

If you want to start your own business in partnership with someone else, you need to register a limited company. The liability of the company’s debts depends on the share of the initial capital of each partner and the minimum capital for registering a limited company is 10 thousand liras.

Company registration steps and needed documents:

Registration of a company in Turkey takes about 3 to 5 working days and the registration process will be as follows: 1- Translation of partners’ passports. 2- Hiring a certified chartered accountant. 3- Preparing the company’s articles of association in Turkish. 4- Obtaining the tax number of the company’s shareholders from the tax office. 5- Filling out the special form for company registration in Turkey. 6- Refer to the Turkish Chamber of Commerce and complete the relevant forms. 7- Setting the commitment form (Chamber of Commerce). 8- Official registration of the CEO’s signature in the Civil Registry Office. 9- Official approval of the articles of association in the Civil Registry Office. 10- Opening a personal and company account to deposit the initial capital. 11- Achieving a quarter of the company’s capital in your account. 12- Printing the company registration in the official newspaper. 13- Preparing the office rent contract and announcing it to the tax office to send an inspector. 14- Obtaining the company tax number from the relevant office (in Turkish is called “Vergi Levhası”) 15- Obtaining the company registration card or the company commercial card. 16- Obtaining the license of commercial accountant notebook. accounting notebooks. The company documents must be registered in the central registry system (MERSİS) and some of the above documents must be sent to the business registration office. Note that all of the above steps are performed by the chartered accountant you hire and only the CEO and partners need to be present at the chamber of commerce for signing the documents.

Benefits of registering a company in Turkey

1- Receiving Turkish residency for the CEO and his wife and children 2- Receiving a work permit, this leads to Turkish citizenship and a passport after 5 years. 3- Opening a bank account in Turkey and using its benefits. 4- Starting your business and trade legally. 5- Obtaining a commercial card from chamber of commerce in Turkey. 6- Obtaining the domain for the company website with the national extension (.tr). The very important thing about getting a work permit (“Çalışma İzni” in Turkish) for the CEO is that you can only get your work permit under certain conditions without hiring Turkish personnel, and that depends entirely on how your articles of association are drafted. For example, for a company in which only 2 people are enough in the description of its activity, there is no need to hire Turkish and the CEO can apply for work permit. But for most companies, you have to hire at least 5 Turkish workers to get a work permit for each foreigner. AlanyaHomes can register any company for you in the shortest time and help you obtain a residence permit or official work permit for the CEO.

Corporate tax in Turkey

After registering a company, you must specify your tax payment period, which can be one month or three months. The company’s chartered accountant must then prepare and adjust your expense and income invoices. After reviewing the invoices, the company’s net profit will be determined and 20% of the income must be taxed.

• Residence in Turkey by obtaining a work permit

This is one of the best ways to stay in Turkey, because after 5 years of continuous work in Turkey, you can get Turkish citizenship and a Turkish passport. To do this, you must work legally in Turkey and obtain a work permit, which is called “Çalışma İzni” in Turkish. To find a job in Turkey, you must be fluent enough in Turkish language and have a professional skill in a business required in Turkey. The easiest and cheapest way to get a work permit in Turkey is to find a Turkish employer, and by being employed in a Turkish company, in addition to receiving a salary in accordance with the law of the Turkish Ministry of Labor, you will also be insured by your Turkish employer. And you do not need to pay insurance. In addition, you will be able to get a work permit by registering a company in Turkey and paying your company tax and insurance premiums. The amount of your insurance premium will vary according to your job, which is about 1500 to 2500 lira per month. You can also get a work permit by attending technical classes and getting a certificate in some jobs, even without having to work. For example, participating in home nursing courses and obtaining a certificate. This type of work permit costs less than registering a company, and you can only get your work permit by paying your monthly premium. After receiving the work permit, you will be given a work residence in Turkey, which will have many benefits, such as free medical insurance and etc.

Conditions for obtaining a work permit in Turkey

1- At least 6 months left from the touristic residence permit of the applicant. 2- Getting a tax number 3- Official request of the employer.. 4- A valid certificate or an international degree from a reputable institution. 5- Valid health insurance

Studental residence in Turkey (by participating in training courses)

It will be possible to obtain a studental permit in Turkey in two ways. The first is to enroll in a Turkish university and actually studying in a field. And the second, which is mostly used for extension of residence, is registration in Turkish language courses of universities and institutions. It costs about 4 thousand liras for one year. By registering in these courses, you can receive a one-year studental residence permit and also solve the problem of extending your stay. Who can apply for studental residence permit? • Foreigners who do not have a family residence permit and must study in middle (In Turkey first 4 year accepted as primary school, second 4 year called as middle school) and high school. (Does not apply to people under the age of 18, but those who have turned 18 and are in the middle and high school category must obtain a studental residence permit). • Students with postgraduate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, who are studying at a higher education institution in Turkey, can obtain a residence permit. • Foreigners who come to Turkey and receive training through government agencies and institutions will be allowed to stay during the training period. • Foreigners studying in Turkey (primary, secondary) and all their expenses are covered by another person or institute and with the legal consent of their parents can receive a residence permit for one year. Important points:

• Those who have studental residence are also granted residence permits for their spouse and children.
• If the study period is less than one year, the residence permit cannot be longer than the training period.
• Students must apply for Social Security Insurance (SGK) during the first three months of their first enrolment date, but if they do not apply in these three months, they must obtain private health insurance in Turkey.
• In Turkey, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and doctoral students can work with a work permit. However, students who are in the bachelor’s degree category can get a work permit from the second year.
• If “Tomer” classes (specialized course for teaching Turkish language) are held only under the supervision of the university, you can receive studental residence permit. Tumor classes will cost about $ 200 to pre-register. “Tomer” events are often based on 6-month tumor courses.

Reasons for rejection, cancellation and non-renewal of studental residence.

• Failure to realize the reasons for which the student residence permit was issued.
• If a person cannot continue his education.
• If a person uses his / her study residence for other purposes.
• If the student is deported from Turkey and has received the letter of non-entry into Turkey.

• Staying in Turkey through making investment

Another way to get a short stay in Turkey is to invest and even deposit in Turkish banks. If you have a bank account in a Turkish bank and your account has a turnover and deposit, you can present it to the Immigration Office and have a convincing reason to receive or extend your stay. In Turkey, you can open an international bank account without the need for residence. To invest in other sectors, you must submit your investment documents transparently and with valid documents.

• Residence through marriage and birth

To get a residence permit in Turkey when you marry a Turkish citizen, you will first receive a short-term residence permit, and after 3 years, if you continue living together, you can obtain Turkish citizenship. However, certain conditions, such as not having the criminal record of the person whom you are marrying, are required by the Turkish Security Service in order for you to be granted citizenship. For the birth of a child, Turkey is subject to the law of blood to grant citizenship. This means that the birth of your child in Turkey has no special privileges, and to receive citizenship, at least one parent must be a Turkish citizen in order for the child to be granted citizenship.