How to extend your Turkish residence permit (Ikamet)

A Turkish residence permit is a document that allows foreign citizens to legally reside in the country for a long period of time, as well as to enter and leave its territory without any restrictions.

Turkish ikamet is issued upon presentation of compelling reasons. After the initial residence permit expires, the status can be extended. Extension of a short-term residence permit is mandatory for those who would like to continue to live legally in the Republic of Turkey, regardless of the type of the current permit - family, investment, student or work.

To successfully extend a Turkish residence permit, it is important to navigate the stages of registration and the requirements for applicants. But first things first. In our expert publication, we will consider what steps need to be taken to renew a Turkish residence permit.

Contents of the article:

1. Brief summary
2. How do I know when my Ikamet expires?
3. What types of residence permits need to be renewed?
4. Conditions for filing an application for extension of ikamet
5. What documents are needed to extend a Turkish residence permit?
   • Documents for children
6. How to apply for a residence permit extension in Turkey
   • How to fill out a questionnaire on the website correctly
   • What to do after submitting an application
7. Costs for Renewing a Residence Permit in Turkey
8. In what cases can a foreigner be denied an extension?
   • Is it possible to challenge the refusal to extend a residence permit and how to do it?

Brief summary

Foreigners in Turkey are required to renew all types of residence permits except long-term (unlimited) residence permits.

An application for extension of Turkish residence permit can be submitted two months before the expiration date of the current residence permit.

It is possible to apply for an extension of a Turkish residence permit after its expiration. But it should be remembered that immediately after the expiration of the validity period, the ikamet card will become invalid and the foreigner must immediately leave the country. This means that he will have to wait for a decision on the extension of the residence permit outside the Republic of Turkey.

Failure to extend a residence permit means that a foreign citizen must leave Turkey within 10 days from the date of expiration of the previous permit or receipt of an official notification of refusal. If a foreigner stays in Turkey longer than the period stipulated by law, an overstay occurs, i.e. an overstay.

How do I know when my Ikamet expires?

You can find out when your Turkish residence permit expires using the following methods:

1. Look at the plastic ikamet ID card, where in addition to a photo, personal data, type of residence permit, the date of issue and expiration date are indicated.
2. Go to the website tckimlik.nvi.gov.tr by following the link https://tckimlik.nvi.gov.tr/Modul/YabanciKimlikNoDogrula , where you can enter your ID card number and personal data in the special lines - the system will provide information about the current status of your residence permit.
3. Through the e-Devlet system, for those registered on the government services portal.

What types of residence permits need to be renewed?

According to the current laws of Turkey, the following types of residence permits can be extended:

• short-term residence permit;
• family residence permit;
• Residence permit for students;
• Residence permit for humanitarian reasons and victims of human trafficking.

As for the long-term residence permit, it is issued after 8 years of continuous residence in the republic, and this residence permit is already unlimited (permanent), that is, there is no need to renew it.

Conditions for filing an application for extension of ikamet

It is important for foreign residents in the Republic of Turkey to take care of the extension of the ikamet card in advance.

As we have already noted earlier, a Turkish residence permit is issued for a strictly limited period of time - most often for a year or two. As soon as the initial residence permit expires, the foreign resident must either leave the Republic of Turkey or renew the permit. If a foreigner continues to stay in the country illegally, he will be fined and then deported. In addition, such violations of migration laws will often lead to a refusal to approve a new ikamet or Turkish citizenship in the future.

It is better to apply for a residence permit extension in advance - 60 days before the expiration date of the current ID card. If it is not possible to extend the residence permit for one reason or another, the current card is automatically cancelled and the applicant is required to leave the country. According to the current visa regime, a foreigner has the opportunity to return to Turkey and apply for another type of residence permit or after 6 months for an ikamet, which was refused.

In addition, the resident must justify the need to extend the residence permit. Among the compelling arguments are:

• residential property ownership;
• studying at universities in Turkey;
• language school, advanced training courses;
• running your own commercial activities;
• official work;
• patient status of one of the Turkish clinics;
• humanitarian grounds, etc.

It should be noted that the extension of the residence permit is possible if it continues to correspond to the purpose on the basis of which the initial ikamet was issued. So, if you have already completed your education at a university or have completed a language course, then you will not be able to extend your residence permit using the same basis. In order to live in Turkey, you will need to find another justification, that is, change one type of residence permit for another.

After 5 years, those who have settled in Turkey for permanent residence do not need to renew the ikamet card, but can immediately apply for citizenship. Or after 8 years of continuous renewal of the permit, it becomes possible to apply for a long-term residence permit in Turkey.

What documents are needed to extend a Turkish residence permit?

The documents required by a foreigner to extend a residence permit are practically no different from the list provided when applying for initial permits.

It is necessary to prepare in advance:

• foreign passport - original and copy;
• a paper version of the application form completed on the website of the Migration Service;
• a notarized copy of the previous residence permit;
• TIN is a tax number issued in Turkey;
• medical insurance policy - the insurance can be either private or public and must cover the entire period of validity of the requested ID card
• Bimetric photos - 4 pieces;
• a paid receipt for the state contribution to ikamet;
• birth certificates of children (if minor children are renewing their residence permit with you);
• marriage certificate;
• a bank statement showing the resident's stable financial position for residence under the permit;
• TAPU (for property owners);
• a long-term lease agreement, certified by a notary (to confirm the registration address);
• relevant documents confirming the place of work or study (for students and officially employed foreign citizens).

Additionally, you can attach several paid utility bills indicating your registration address.

All foreign documents are translated into Turkish by a licensed translator and certified by a notary.

Important! From April 2024, when renewing a temporary residence permit, foreigners must supplement the package of documents with the UETS number — the national electronic notification system. This innovation is regulated by the "Notification Law" No. 7201 and the "Regulation on Electronic Notification" No. 30617.

The UETS (Ulusal Elektronik Tebligat Sistemi) address is a unique 15-character number stored on the Turkish State Post (PTT — Posta ve Telgraf Teşkilatı) portal. All official messages, including refusals to extend the ikamet or its cancellation, will be sent to it.

Children under 18 years of age do not need to have a UETS address when extending their residence permit, as the addresses of their parents/guardians are used.

Obtaining UETS is possible:

• in RTT offices;
• on the RTT Internet portal e-tebligat , if you have an electronic signature.

Without this document, applications for extension of residence permit will not be processed!

Documents for children

Residence permits for minor children are extended together with their parents. Parents prepare:

• a copy of the child's passport;
• a copy of the current permit;
• printed electronic application form for a residence permit;
• information about the official place of residence;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• biometric photos - 4 pieces;
• apostilled birth certificate with a notarized translation into Turkish;
• a notarized permission to submit an application for a residence permit from the second parent, if only the father or mother will accompany the child to the rendezvous;
• marriage certificate or divorce certificate of parents.

How to apply for a residence permit extension in Turkey

In 2024, with the support of the Turkish authorities, a new registration system for visa issues, including residence permit extensions, was launched in the country - Göç Randevu Sistemi (GRS).

How will this help residence permit applicants?

Firstly, the innovation will significantly simplify the submission of applications for ikamet, since when filling out, all data will be pulled up automatically.

Secondly, the loss of documents and certificates is less likely.

Thirdly, the resident will be able to track all information, including the history of applications and the status of the application.

Registration and checking of the application status is possible on the website https://randevu.goc.gov.tr/ or through the e-government portal e-Devlet.

The procedure for extending a Turkish residence permit takes place in several stages:

• Submitting a residence permit extension application

A foreign citizen fills out an electronic form on the website of the Migration Service e-ikamet . Within two weeks, the applicant receives a message with the date of the rendezvous.

• Interview and submission of documents

At the appointed time, the applicant for the extension of the Turkish ikamet comes to the regional Migration Office to meet with an employee of the service. The interview can be conducted in English and Turkish, lasts about 30 minutes.

• Waiting for a decision on extending the Turkish residence permit

The application is usually reviewed within 3 months. Once approved, the resident receives a new ID card via courier at their residential address.

How to fill out a questionnaire on the website correctly

Filling out the form on the website of the Migration Service is quite simple:

Step 1: Select the required option on the start page - “I AM APPLYING FOR AN EXTENSION OF MY RESIDENCE PERMIT”.

Step 2: on the page that opens, click on the appropriate option:

• "I would like to apply for an extension."
• "I would like to continue with the application for extension."
• "I want to see the result of my application / print the registration form."

Step 3: in the login form that opens, enter the following data: last name, first name, country of permanent residence, number of foreign identity card, residence permit card and its series, email address and phone number. Also at this stage, you will need to select a method of contacting you, enter the verification code from the picture and click the "Continue" button.

Step 4: In the next block, fill in the information about your address in Turkey and education (optional field).

Step 5: Fill in your income and health insurance details. Check the information you enter - it must match what is stated in the documents!

Step 6: After this, you need to choose the right purpose and period of your stay in Turkey. And in this case, the validity period of the requested residence permit cannot exceed the validity period of the health insurance.

Final step: After entering all the data, you confirm the application and immediately save the document to your computer.

What to do after submitting an application

Once the application has been submitted, foreigners are not allowed to leave the Republic of Turkey until they have an appointment with the Immigration Office.

Once the interview is completed, with a receipt showing payment of the state fee and an application for a residence permit, you can leave the republic, but for no more than 15 days. Turkish laws require residency applicants awaiting the issuance of an ID card to notify the Migration Department of their departure.

Costs for Renewing a Residence Permit in Turkey

The costs of extending a Turkish residence permit include:

• The fee for issuing an Ikamet card is 565 TRY.
• State annual fee for residence permit — the cost depends on citizenship and the validity period of the ikamet. On average, it is about 5-25 USD for the first month of residence and 0.5-5 USD for each subsequent month.
• Medical insurance - prices are individual, determined by age and coverage, approximately 3,000 TRY per year.
• Notary and translator services — the cost depends on the region, volume, and complexity of the work. Notary — about 450 TRY for certification of a one-page document, and translator — from 10 USD per 1,000 words.

In what cases can a foreigner be denied an extension?

Refusals to issue a Turkish residence permit are most often justified by:

• Submission of not all required documents or identification of errors in documents.
• Submitting forged documents. All papers are carefully checked by the Turkish Migration Service.
• The purpose of extending a residence permit is questionable. Authorized bodies must clearly understand the basis for issuing a new permit.
• Insufficient financial security of the applicant. An important condition for a successful extension of ikamet is a sufficient amount of money in the bank account (at least 1.5 times the minimum wage for each month of residence). In addition, it is taken into account whether the foreigner has received any social benefits over the past three years.
• Bad visa history. It is quite possible to be denied a residence permit extension if the applicant has violated immigration rules not only in Turkey but also in other countries.

If the extension of the residence permit is denied, the non-resident is sent an official notice to their address of residence. After receiving it, they must leave Turkey within 10 calendar days, otherwise an overstay occurs, which entails a fine, deportation from the country and a temporary ban on entry.

Is it possible to challenge the refusal to extend a residence permit and how to do it?

Foreign citizens who have been denied an extension of their Turkish residence permit have the opportunity to appeal the decision in the appellate court. The claim must be filed within 60 calendar days from the date of receipt of the official notification of refusal. If the applicant wants to continue to reside in the country during the trial, he/she must resolve the issue of suspending the Migration Service's verdict through the court within 10 days.

Important to know: such court proceedings in Turkey are quite complicated. Therefore, before filing an appeal, find out whether you have real reasons to challenge the decision of the immigration office. In addition, we recommend that you seek help from qualified lawyers who will help prepare documents and draw up an appeal, as well as accompany you at all stages of the trial.

As a rule, the appeal review lasts about a year. If the court decides in favor of the plaintiff, the Migration Department is obliged to issue him the residence permit he applied for.

Re-application for ikamet is possible immediately if another basis is chosen. The same residence permit that was refused can be applied for only after six months.

Any questions left? Contact the real estate agency Altop Real Estate. We will help you choose and purchase apartments in Turkey for profitable investments and successful issuance of a residence permit, and we also guarantee full support during the conclusion of the purchase and sale transaction and after it as part of the after-sales service.