The Process to Get Residency in Turkey

Long term residency is surprisingly simple to get in Turkey.  But it does require some legwork.  Accomplishing this requires 4 stages, but the main ingredient in the whole process is a rental contract.  With a rental contract you can become a resident of Turkey as a tourist.

1. Secure a rental contract.  This is the main ingredient in being able to get residency.  You must secure a minimum one year rental contract.  Most are willing to do this with a foreigner

2. Get your tax number.  This is not only recommended when getting your residency, but you will be able to open a bank account.  Something that will come in handy later.
3. Purchase medical insurance. This can be done when you apply.
4. Apply online for a residency appointment.
5. Attend your residency appointment.

In this article we will discuss points 3 to 5.  For 1 and 2, please follow the links provided above.

I would recommend that you use an agent to do the online application.  Especially if you do not speak Turkish.  It will cost you about 10 USD and will be done right.  Now on to steps 3 and 4.

Apply online for a residency appointment and get insurance

There are many agencies that will do this for you.  My friends and I have found this one to be the most effective and easy.  They will also provide the necessary insurance at a good price.  I would recommend the one located here.  This is a picture of it.

What to bring:

• Your passport with the stamp in it clearly showing your date of entry.
• Your entry visa.
• About 120 USD.
• A signed rental accommodation contract for a minimum of 1 year.
• Your tax number.

The process will take about 20 minutes and you will be given 1 year of medical insurance and an appointment date to meet with immigration.  The process is simple.  This particular agency is really up to date on what immigration is asking for since they follow up after your appointment to see how it went.  The requirements can change depending on the timing of your appointment.  And now to step five.

Attend your residency appointment

When the day arrives for your appointment, this is also a relatively simple process. But it requires you have all the right documentation:

1. Your passport.
2. Your entry visa.
3. One years medical insurance.
4. Your original rental contract for 1 year and a notarized copy of it.
5. Marriage certificate.  For most westerners, this is not required.  But in some cases, they even ask for it apostlilled from the embassy. If you have children, this may be required.

In my experience, here are the questions they are the most interested in:

1. Why are you here in Turkey?
2. How will you be supporting yourself?

Have good and honest answers for each. This article mainly follows the route of being in Turkey as a tourist so question one will be in line with that.  Question two mainly brings to light if you are receiving any monetary compensation from Turkey.  In other words, are you working in Turkey?  This would require a special visa.  But if you teach English online or have income coming from another country, this is perfectly acceptable.

If all goes well, you may get one or two years residency.  

Antalya Money Strategy: Cash or Credit Card?

Both cash and credit cards are accepted throughout Antalya.  But credit cards are not used extensively.  So cash in the local currency, Lira, is essential.  For example, taxis and small vendors do not accept credit cards. 

Most find that for a short stay (shorter than 3 months) it is best just to withdraw from bank machines or just bring some cash to a money exchange place.

Where can I exchange my money?

There are money exchange centers throughout Antalya.  It is better to bring Euros or Dollars, but other currencies can be excepted depending on the change office.

It is best not to change your money at the airport.  The exchange rate is not good.  There is a place that has a reputation for having the best rates.  It is located here.  Below is a picture of it.

What sort of bank machines are there to get cash?

Bank machines are located throughout Antalya, but the banks may not be the same as you are used to dealing with.  Here are some of the bank machines commonly found throughout the city.

If you are staying for any length of time in Antalya, you may decide to open a bank account.  If you decide to do so, follow the instructions here.

How to Apply for a Visa to Visit Antalya

Applying and obtaining a tourist visa to visit Antalya, Turkey is easy and can be done online in a matter of minutes.  The important thing is to do it through the official Turkey government website and not through private companies.

All visas are valid for a period of 90 days.  But the type of visa (single or multiple entry) as well as the cost depend on the type of passport you use.

Here is what you will need before you begin the online application process:

• Your passport
• A validity date in your passport in excess of 6 months from the date you enter Turkey

Many websites will tell you that there are other requirements such as hotel reservations or a bank statement showing you have enough money to stay.  From my experience (I am Canadian) and the experience of many of my friends (American, European) this is not required.  They do not even ask for these things when entering.

In my own experience, for the last 10 or so times entering Turkey, I haven't even been asked a single question.  The same can be said for my friends.  So if you are coming from North America, or any European country, I would not worry about this.

Here are the steps to get a visa:


1.  Go to the official Turkish Visa website.  You can access it here.  You will see the photo below.

2. Choose the link on the upper left that says, "Apply Now".  You will be taken to the page below.  Enter your credentials.

TIP: If you hold more than one passport, then entry fee can change.  If you would like to see a price list of the visa fees which were established in 2014 but are still valid through 2019, here they are.

3. Adjust your arrival date.  This date must be on or precede your entry date.  You will now find out the cost and type of Visa whether single or multiple entry.  In the case below, I selected Canadian as my nationality.

4. Enter your personal information.  There is only one strange question in this list - your mother and father's name.  Remember what you put in this field.  This comes in handy later in case you apply for residency or want to register your phone.  In my case, I only put their first names.  This was sufficient.

5. Next you will be asked to make payment.  This can be done with any credit card.

6. Download your visa.  You will need a printout when entering Turkey.  Whenever I have entered (even the first time on a new visa), I was never asked for it.  They simply swiped my passport and they could see my visa online.  But print it out just in case.

That's it.  In my experience, passport/customs is an easy process.  I have never been asked a question so I really have no idea of the agents speak English, but I imagine they do.  Have a safe trip to Antalya.  See you soon!

How to Open a Bank Account in Antalya

If you will be in Antalya for any length of time, there are definite benefits to opening a local bank account.  Foreigners CAN do this, and you don't need to be a permanent resident or a residence card to do so.  It's easy to do if you bring the necessary documents.  I like Akbank because it's app is feature rich and in English.  There are also customer service reps there that speak English. Therefore I will use this bank as an example but the instructions apply to any bank.

Why open a bank account in Antalya?

• You can register to pay with your phone on the local transit system.
• Foreign credit cards not always work, especially online and apps.
• Debit transactions are generally free
• You can pay bills with the bank's app
• You can make direct transfers to other account holders

What you will need.

• Passport
• Tax ID number (how to get one here)
• A local mobile phone number (how to get one here)
• Your local bills (optional)

TIP: Download the bank's app in advance.  You can get the customer service representative to set it up for you if you do.

Instructions:


1. Go to any major bank.  Akbank, Ziraat Bank, Isbank, Garanti Bank, Halkbank or Vakifbank.  Those are the major ones.  I tried to open an account at some of the smaller ones and they would not accept foreigners.  Below is the bank I deal with.  Here is a link to it's location - Akbank.  They have english speakers and the app is well setup for all the features a foreigner would need.

• TIP: If you open a bank account at the same bank as your landlord, then you can make direct transfers for payments.

2. Present your passport and tax ID number to the customer service representative. This is all the documentation you need at Akbank.  I'm not sure about other banks.  Ask for a new account and bank card.  You will be given an account in the local currency and may open another in Euro or USD.

3.  Present your local bills for automatic withdrawl (optional).  After the account is opened, you may ask them to automatically pay any local monthly bills you have.  They must register these bills in advance.  

4. Ask the customer service rep to help setup your app.  In my experience, the setup requires a little working knowledge of Turkish which I do not know.  Once it was setup in English I was good to go. I recommend you do the same.

• TIP: If you would like to use your card for purchases online in Turkey, you must activate the card for this purpose.  Ask the bank to give you the number to call and activate it.  After you leave the bank, call the number to activate. Don't worry, they speak english.

Congratulations! You can now pay your phone, water, electric and mobile phone bills through the app.  I cannot speak for other banks, but Akbank gives bill payments as a free service.  It will save you loads of time!

How to Get a Sim Card in Antalya

Getting a sim card in Antalya is relatively easy to do and cheap if you do it right.  You can be setup with a local plan and plenty of minutes in about a half hour. 

What you will need.

• An unlocked phone (you can check here with your IMEI).
• Your passport.

Here are the three main providers of cel phone plans in Antalya:

• Vodafone
• Turkcell
• Turk Telekom

There are smaller providers that are slightly cheaper, but if you want a reliable service that just works then I would recommend picking one of those three.  Turkcell has the best reputation in my circle of friends. Their prices are reasonable and in case you need support, their stores are everywhere.

The nice thing about Antalya is that it is a revolving door of tourists.  The more popular cel service providers in Antalya are used to this and it's not unusual for tourists to walk in speaking only a foreign language. 

I recommend following these steps:

1. Walk in to any Turkcell store.  But be sure it is a genuine Turkcell store.  Their are many other stores that sell sim cards, but will charge a premium.  See the picture below.  It must have the logo above the store shown in the picture below.

This is one of the larger Turkcell stores that always has someone who speaks English.

2. As for a prepaid plan.  You must provide your passport and an unlocked phone.  The sim card costs the equivalent of about 15 USD.

TIP: Purchasing your sim card at the airport will cost you about 25% more.  But is that really a surprise? Pay the local price Turks pay in the city.

3. Verify your internet works before leaving.  The reason is that sometimes foreign phones need their APN settings tweaked. The representative at the store will know.  Here they are in case you need them.

TIP: Your phone will only work for 120 days in this way.  You can return and monthly top up your plan, but beyond this, there is no guarantee that your phone will work.  Turkey will block your phone after this.  The reason is that they charge high tariffs on imported phones and they can ensure private people do not import them for resale.  But this can be overcome in another article I will publish.

How to Find an An Apartment Rental in Turkey

There are some things you should know about renting an apartment in Turkey.  I will use Antalya as an example, but the rules are the same through Turkey.

First of all, there are a couple of Turkish words you should know...

Emlak
This is a good Turkish word to know if you are looking to rent a property. An Emlak is simply the Turkish word that translates as "real estate agent".  While in many countries a real estate agent would only sell homes, here in Turkey they also rent homes.  They require 1 months commission (sometimes more) as a finders fee when you sign a contract.

Sahibinden
This is another good Turkish word to know.  It means "by owner".  If you want to avoid the hefty finders fee, this is the word you look for when renting.  There is the cost advantage of course, but you now lose the protection of having an agent make sure the contract is on the up and up.  For example, an Emlak will step in an mediate any problems with the contract.

What you will need:

1. A valid passport that has a valid visa (if required for your nationality)
2. Money to pay 1 months rent, plus 1 or 2 months damage deposit, plus about 1 months rental fee to the agent.

Finding an Apartment/Home to Rent

Method #1 - Walk Around the City

The best way to find a rental is to walk around the city and look for signs. Below are a couple of examples of signs you might see on a balcony or window.

Notice each of the signs have the word "KIRALiK"?  That is the Turkish word meaning "for rent". Another good word to know.  Another word you see might be "Satilik".  Unless you plan on buying the apartment, this place is not for you.

Call the number on the sign.  These are most often real estate agents.  If you are fortunate, they will speak some English and can show you the place.  They will also tell you how much it is and if it includes furniture etc.  Yes, apartment rentals can include furniture.

Method #2 - Hire the Service of an Emlak (Real estate agent)

An easier way to find a rental is to use the services of an Emlak (real estate agent).  Yes, they require a commission.  But they will do the legwork for you. They may even drive you around.  Here is an example of what you will see on the front of their store.  Notice the words "KiRALIK"

Every neighborhood, on almost every block, you will see these storefronts.  Ask about the for rent signs and ask to see them.

Method #3 - Online Search

There are a couple main sites with picture that locals as well as agents use to find rentals.  Each link below will take you to the city of Antalya, but you can navigate out of these.

https://www.emlakjet.com

https://www.sahibinden.com


Making a Contract

If you are applying for residency, there are some things you should know.  First of all you will need two things from the apartment owner:

1. A copy of the TAPU.  This is the title deed of the apartment.  It proves to immigration that you are renting a bonafide property.
2. A copy of their residency card.  Immigration requires this.

Questions to ask when you look at an apartment.
1. Am I required to have electricity and water connected?  Important question because you cannot do this until you get your residency.  Your landlord must do it.
2. Will you provide me with a copy of the title deed (Tapu) and residency card (ikamet)?
3. Will you make contract for one full year? (Required by immigration).

Questions to ask yourself while looking at the apartment:
1. Does it have air conditioners and appliances? These can be expensive.

As soon as you have a rental agreement signed, this is your ticket to start the immigration process.

How to Get Your Tax Number in Antalya, Turkey

Here are the steps to getting your Turkish tax number (or vergi numerasi) in Antalya turkey.  It costs you nothing and it is very simple to do. This tax number will be necessary for the following things:

• Applying for residency in Turkey
• Opening a bank account
• Obtaining a Turkish drivers license
• Purchasing a vehicle
• Purchasing property

Follow these steps and you will do everything required:

1. Go to the Antalya tax office.
Below is a picture of it.  The building says "Antalya Defterdarligi" on the front.  

And below is where it is located on google maps. Zoom out if necessary to get an idea of where it is.

And lastly, here is a link to it on google maps.

https://goo.gl/maps/3RwRbnxqtLD2

TIP:

Before going in, be sure to have a copy of your passport.  It is required to get your Turkish tax number.  Here is a place right across the street that is the cheapest.  Only 1/2 lira per copy. 

Here is a link to it's location:https://goo.gl/maps/axiCBdzS4Fr

2. Go in the front entrance and go through security.  

It's nothing to be concerned about.  Just your typical walk-through security.  It is a government building after all...

3. As you enter, stay to the right and go up the stairs.

Go up the stairs to the right and stay to the right.   You will see the following entrance:

Enter and go to the following spot below:

And here's a video of what you will see after security. Just follow the video.

4. Provide your information.  

You will need the following:
1. Your original passport
2. A copy of your passport
3. An address where you live

When you get to the place with the read square, just hand over your passport and the photocopy of your passport.  You will also be asked for the address where you live.  Most have an rental contract at this point, but if you don't, there's no need to fret.  Just provide an address of where you currently reside.

After the tax number is processed, you will be given a piece of paper with a tax number (it costs nothing)

5. Get the final stamp.

This document means nothing unless it is stamped.   You will be asked to go to another desk to get it stamped which is located almost beside the one who processed your tax number.

That's it!