Written by Attorney Cem Arda Tepe, registered at Istanbul Bar
Some essential documents that are required for first-time applications are also required for renewal applications:
- Private or public insurance (those who are below or above a certain age are exempt, as explained in our guide on documents required for residence permit applications)
- Income documents (signed and stamped bank statements or salary documents)
- For property ownership-based applications, an additional document that is required for renewals is Tapu Devam Belgesi, which can be obtained from webtapu
Below, you can find detailed explanations of some of the documents that may require familiarity with specific procedures to be able to obtain them.
Address Registration Documents (Yerleşim Yeri Belgesi)
Yerleşim Yeri Belgesi, the document that shows the applicant's residence when renewing their application, can be obtained from e-devlet. For property renewal applicants, this must be their residential property, which they purchased for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit. It is mandatory for applicants to reside in the property they purchased for residence.
A very specific issue can arise regarding the Yerleşim Yeri Belgesi for those under 18 years old. Normally, Turkish citizens can obtain this document through e-devlet for their underage children or 1st degree relatives; however, this is not possible in the case of foreigners. Foreigners must visit the Nüfus Müdürlüğü to obtain a yerleşim yeri belgesi for children. They must visit the Public Registry, where their records are kept, and where they reside.
The process for obtaining a document such as the yerleşim yeri belgesi is not very straightforward. First of all, an appointment is required before visiting the Nüfus Müdürlüğü. The appointment is made under the category of "other issues related to nüfus işleri". Turkish citizens can normally make appointments online via https://randevu.nvi.gov.tr/ or through their e-devlet. However, using this link may not be possible for foreigners. Furthermore, even e-devlet may be limited for foreign residents in Turkey. The final option in such a case is to call 199. The Turkish phone line for the Nüfus Müdürlüğü is relatively efficient. It usually does not take more than a few minutes to connect with an agent on the line. Foreigners can choose English or Arabic. It is also possible to call on behalf of a foreigner and speak with a Turkish-speaking agent to make the process smoother. In such a case, the foreign resident should be able to express their consent in Turkish before the call proceeds.
Accessing Documents on E-devlet for Renewal Applications
The criminal record document and other documents that are required by the Immigration Authority in certain short term residency applications can be obtained from e-devlet by those who already have a residence permit in Turkey. However, two-factor authentication must be enabled to obtain such documents from e-devlet. Indeed, this can be an obstacle for other digital government services, too. To activate two-factor authentication, you must have an email address and a mobile number registered with your e-devlet account. This can be done online if the foreigner has an e-signature. Otherwise, they must visit a PTT branch in person to activate two-factor authentication.
UETS Requirement for Renewals
The Turkish state is pioneering in the digital services it provides, and one of the leading platforms it introduces is the UETS, which is the national electronic notification system. This system is generally optional, but it is mandatory in certain areas, for example, for lawyers. It allows the recipient to receive legal notifications from the court or other persons or organisations without physical delivery. Having a UETS address is now mandatory for foreigners holding a residence permit in Turkey who want to renew it. We highly recommend monitoring UETS accounts carefully and continuously to avoid any legal consequences that could be avoided if acted on early.
The UETS address can be obtained from PTT branches (the individual application form that needs to be submitted can be found on the PTT forms page).
In addition, foreigners are required to submit this liability document for their UETS application: the UETS Yükümlülük Belgesi, available from Göç İdaresi in Turkish, English, German, Arabic, Persian, and Pashto.
If the person applies through a legal representative, a different form must be signed — the legal representative application form, also on the same PTT forms page. Finally, the same page provides the information update form to change UETS account details. This may be required when you need to update your email or phone contact details. It is very important that your contact information is up to date, since you are liable for legal notices sent to your UETS address.
This new UETS requirement was introduced on 15 April 2024, and by now, many foreigners must have already obtained it. For those who are renewing for the first time, it is often overlooked, leading to unnecessary and frustrating delays (see the official announcement).
Please refer here for guidance on how to use the UETS.
One final issue to consider before submitting the UETS address is the Immigration Authorities' past practice requiring a signed version of the UETS address document obtained from PTT. In our most recent experience, PTT officials told us that they informed the Immigration Office that signatures and stamps cannot be provided at PTT. Therefore, this requirement may have different applications at the moment.
Utility Bills to Further Support Accommodation (not required for Property Ownership Route)
Foreigners may need to submit utility bills to support their application with residence documents. Companies such as EnerjiSa (energy supplier for Istanbul's Asian side) provide contracts that can be submitted to the Immigration Authority. However, providing bills can sometimes be a little difficult when a foreigner is renewing their application and has not occupied their Turkish home despite holding a Turkish residence permit. Turkish companies are not allowed to issue invoices for 0 TL. When the residence is unoccupied, recent invoices may not be available, and the applicant may need to submit their contract along with older utility bills.
Foreigners can also provide a landline registered under their residence address in Turkey. This may be an easier route because waiting times for physical appointments at companies such as Boğaziçi Elektrik (Istanbul's European side supplier) are notoriously long. In a recent case, a client needed to wait 3 hours to be able to register her name.
Practical advice: Bring the original rental contract, not a copy, to the relevant energy supplier or mobile company. They will need to check the original to be able to register your name for the property.
When creating the contract with the utility company, make sure you provide your personal contact information so you can access the invoices in the future. Foreigners who apply through agents may miss this and then need to go through an additional administrative step in subsequent applications.
The Göç İdaresi's current policy does not accept utility bills older than 3 months.
The best course of action to provide relevant utility bills is to obtain a landline for your residence. This would help you avoid the busy electricity or other companies and potentially skip the lines that may take up to three hours. You can obtain a landline at Türk Telekom's headquarters and other service providers. You must take your rental contract with you. Note that you will also need your residence permit number, so you can only follow this route for renewal applications.
Renewing Residence Permit Based on Property Ownership
Another document that is required specifically for renewal applications is for property-based residences. The Immigration Offices require the Tapu Devam Belgesi rather than the numarataj belgesi for renewals. This document can be obtained from webtapu. Even though the Immigration Authority policy regarding numarataj belgesi did not require it at renewal applications, this policy is subject to change, and it is best practice to keep it in the application folder. Here, the Immigration Authority states that the numarataj belgesi is required for first-time applicants based on property ownership, implying that it won't be required in subsequent renewals. Then again, it is difficult to expect a uniform application of this policy across Immigration Offices, and it is recommended to provide the numarataj belgesi even in the subsequent applications.
A crucial difference in the renewal of property-based residence is that a title deed must be submitted rather than a numarataj belgesi at this stage. Numarataj belgesi is required at first application, but for renewal, the title deed continuation document can be obtained through webtapu. As discussed above, we still recommend that the numarataj belgesi be submitted for renewal applications, even though the İkamet official website states that it is required for the first application.
As shown in this guide, the application process for a residence permit in Turkey can become very technical. Limited timeframes for submitting your application and documents, and the lack of transparency on the side of the immigration authorities regarding the process can make it costly in terms of valuable time and energy. Contact us if you prefer to receive assistance from our experienced lawyers, who can ensure that the process is completed in the most swift and smooth manner.
