Published on 6 July 2026 · Written by Attorney Cem Arda Tepe, registered at Istanbul Bar
The Göç İdaresi (Immigration Authority) provides detailed lists of documents required for short term residence permit applications on their website. However, these lists do not govern the procedural steps for obtaining these documents, the specific requirements related to their format and contents, or the up to date practices of Göç İdaresi. Since immigration in Turkey is a very challenging area the Göç İdaresi often changes its policies, but these are often not reflected in their guidelines displayed on the internet which date back to 2016. That is why this guide provides a comprehensive guide based on our latest cases and experience throughout the years.
The workload of Göç İdaresi is heavy. In addition, it receives many forged documents submitted by organised networks on a daily basis, which often make their way to Turkish media when law enforcement targets such activities. Göç İdaresi's reaction to manage such a workload requires applicants to understand their up-to-date approach. On the other hand, as of May 2026, our experience in the field shows us that the Göç İdaresi is going through an extensive effort to reorganise itself to become more efficient. With these developments and the guidance provided in this article, we believe that foreigners can carry out the application process in the most flawless way possible.
Note that this article is prepared from a practical point of view to cover technical points relating to the residence permit application process. It intends to complement our most comprehensive guide on short term residence permits in Turkey, which covers the overall framework that governs residence permit related procedures and the relevant matters foreigners must consider.
Common Documents Required for All Types of Short Term Residence Permits
Notarised Passport Translation
The main document for residence permit applications is a copy of the applicant's passport. The copy must be notarised at a Turkish notary.
Copy of the Passport Page with Entry Stamp
The second essential document for residence applications in Turkey is a copy of the applicant's passport page with the most recent entry stamp for Turkey.
Insurance Document
Private Insurance from Turkey
The insurance requirement for a residence permit can be fulfilled in different ways, such as having SGK or private health insurance. Below, we are sharing sample costs for private insurance as of 2026 from our most recent case. Please note that insurance costs may vary based on the agency. Those under 15 and over 75 are not required to provide insurance.
- 2-year-old insurance for a 51-year-old woman: 2.000,00 TL
- 2-year-old insurance for a 61-year-old man: 3.300,00 TL
One key issue that often arises when submitting an insurance document is that officers at the Immigration Office may require the entire policy documents with original signatures. A simple policy document may have dozens of pages, making it a hurdle to print out in full. However, our experience with the Immigration Authorities across Turkey shows that this is a matter the officers do not take lightly.
In our most recent two cases, the Immigration Authority had contradicting requests from us regarding the pages of the policy that we were submitting on behalf of our clients. The Pendik Immigration office returned the full 29-page insurance print out we prepared. Later within the same month, we submitted only the 2 first pages of the policy at the Kumkapı Immigration Authority. This time the Immigration Authority requested us to also submit the 3rd and 4th pages. On the other hand, the online lists of the Immigration Office only states that the 1st page is required. That is why, it is important to reiterate that the best approach is to have all the pages since it is hard to predict what the specific request will be at each submission. On a second note, it is important that the page that states that the policy is for residence permit is submitted.
Registering Domestic Insurance Under Bilateral Agreements
Applicants do not need a private insurance or be registered with SGK (social security institution in Turkey) directly to fulfil the requirement to provide an insurance policy. Citizens of certain countries can benefit from the official recognition of their domestic insurance in Turkey (see the official note on this by SGK). This is possible for certain countries which have bilateral treaties with Turkey ensuring that their citizens can mutually access respective insurance systems in these countries. For example, German citizens can benefit from a bilateral insurance agreement entered by Germany and Turkey.
The procedure to register the home country insurance in Turkey requires the applicant to submit the relevant domestic insurance document to the SGK office in their city. The documents to be submitted at the SGK office may be required to have original signature and stamp. Once SGK issues the document that shows that you are eligible for insurance, you will need to submit that document alongside your application at the Göç İdaresi.
Practical advice: The above procedure can take unnecessary energy and time due to the bureaucratic inefficiencies. That is why we can arrange a private insurance for a relatively low fee and with practically no delay. Please contact us if you would like us to get a quote for you from third party insurers.
Criminal Record Document
A criminal record document can be obtained at the court houses or through e-devlet. To obtain from the courthouse, an attorney can be assigned with a power of attorney. To obtain from e-devlet, the foreigner must already have a residence permit in Turkey, and two-factor authentication must be active.
Rental Contract for Tourism and Other Short Term Residence Purposes
This is perhaps one of the most critical documents in a residency application. Unless the applicant will stay in a property owned by them or with someone else who is practically sponsoring them, they will need to submit a notarised rental contract to support their application. Turkish notaries have a template for rental contracts that will be submitted to the Göç İdaresi. Applicants may request to use this at the notary. Both the tenant and the landlord must attend the notary stage. An interpreter is also required for tenants who cannot speak Turkish. The process at the notary should not take longer than 30–45 minutes outside of peak hours.
Invoices Which Show That Official Fees Are Paid
It is relatively straightforward to pay the residence application and card fee through the GİB payment system using the Tahakkuk number produced upon submitting the online application form. On the other hand, the single entry visa exemption fee requires a somewhat more complex route to complete the payment. Both invoices must be submitted together with your application.
The process for the Single Entry Visa Exemption Fee is also paid through GİB. However, the specific page for it must be found and the details of the foreigner must be entered correctly. Note that this is not a requirement for all nationalities. Under certain circumstances, certain nationalities will pay this fee. For example, a German citizen who travelled to Turkey for tourism purposes and within the framework provided by the 90-day out of 180-day visa exemption rule for German citizens will require to pay the Single Entry Visa Exemption Fee when applying for a tourism purposed short term residence. The up-to-date Single Entry Visa Exemption Fee is currently around 9,600 TL for such an applicant as of May 2026.
Documents Demonstrating Sufficient Income
Foreigners must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds for living in Turkey. Bank statements for the past 3 months prior to the application date may demonstrate sufficient income but the Immigration Authority has the discretion for requiring other documents.
Bank statements that will be submitted to the Immigration Authority can be from a foreign bank or a Turkish bank. Bank statements from Turkish banks must be signed and stamped by the authorised person at the relevant branch and the signature circular should be attached. Foreign bank statements must be notarised and apostilled. Our law firm can obtain notarisation and apostille for your documents under 48 hours. Contact us for further details regarding apostille and notarisation requirements by Turkish authorities.
Documents Required for Property Ownership-Based Residence Permit
Numerataj Belgesi
The numarataj belgesi must be obtained from the municipality where the property is located. This is the district municipality, not the city-level municipality. The process requires you or your legal representative to attend the municipality's planning and projects department. You will be charged a 2,500 TL fee according to the current official fees per numerataj belgesi. The numerataj belgesi no longer includes a signature or stamp. It now has an electronic signature and a barcode that proves that the document is original.
An important detail is to ensure that both applicants receive separate numerataj documents if the property is jointly owned and each owner applies for a residence permit, even if they are married. Furthermore, if the property is jointly owned, the other person on the title deed must sign the petition to receive the numarataj belgesi.
Quick tip: you can also register your phone ID when obtaining the numarataj belgesi at the municipality to pay property-related taxes at the municipality level through the municipality website, since the regular GİB vergi dairesi website may not provide this service for local municipalities. This will save you from having to visit the municipality to pay taxes in person. Our experience shows that this is a practical step for foreigners who manage property and legally reside abroad and are not residing in Turkey most of the year, despite owning a property and even having a residence permit.
Property Ownership and Valuation Documents
For applications that might require a property value determination report from an expert, webtapu is also the platform to obtain it. This document will be required for those who obtained their property-based residence permit before the 2023 legislative changes. Old rules apply to their case; that is why they still require a valuation report. A sample, up-to-date cost for an expert report on property value for a 70-square-metre flat in Istanbul is currently around 35,000 TL, based on the most recent case we handled.
Even though the application for a property valuation report is made online through webtapu, the valuation expert must visit the property in person to prepare his report. This is usually a very straightforward procedure that involves taking photos and video of the property and the building from the street, which should not take more than 10–15 minutes.
Each residency application and related matter must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to learn more about the above topics, please contact us to book a consultation with one of our expert lawyers.
