Residence permit in Turkey:

reasons for refusal and approval

Turkey is a chic resort country, which over the past few years, in addition to the status of one of the best centers of tourism, has established itself as a developed state with favorable conditions for living and investing in real estate. That is why every year thousands of foreign citizens apply for a residence permit and move to the Republic of Turkey for permanent residence.

Today, the topic of registration of a Turkish residence permit is one of the most popular and hot among foreign residents. Unfortunately, recently, there are often refusals to a residence permit.

The main reasons for refusal of a residence permit in Turkey

Refusal of a Turkish residence permit is regulated by Article 32 “On Foreigners and International Protection” of the Civil Code of the Republic of Turkey.

We highlight the main 7 reasons for the deviation in the residence permit of Turkey:

1. Submission of an incomplete set of documents or incorrectly filled out documents.

As a rule, it is this article that takes place when applying for a residence permit. Foreigners, having no experience, often do not submit all documents to the Migration Department. In particular, this applies to the purchase of a mandatory medical insurance policy or certificates confirming financial viability.

2. Inconsistency of the actual purpose of the residence permit stated in the questionnaire.

It is important to indicate the exact purpose of your stay (route) in Turkey and add it as an addition to the main package of documents.

3. Provision of forged documents.

The Migration Department carefully checks all submitted documents for a residence permit. If false information is revealed, the foreigner is guaranteed to be refused a residence permit in the territory of the Republic of Turkey.

4. Questionable reasons for entering Turkey.

It is important for the Turkish authorities to know where a foreign citizen will be while living in the country and what he will do. Therefore, if the migration officers have doubts about the purpose of the visit, the residence permit may be refused. For example, if you are going to live with your relatives who live in Turkey on the basis of a residence permit or citizenship, and you want to get a tourist residence permit, then you will need to attach an official invitation received from them, as well as a notarized long-term lease agreement. It is important for patients of Turkish clinics to supplement the list of documents for a residence permit with hotel armor and documents from the hospital.

5. Questionable reputation of the applicant.

We are talking about outstanding convictions. In this case, the foreigner must provide an extract on the absence of a criminal record.

6. Bad visa history.

If a foreigner has violated the migration rules of Turkey or other countries in the past, he may be denied a residence permit. In particular, if the facts of illegal residence in the country, untimely visa extension or refusal of a residence permit were recorded.

7. Financial insolvency.

A foreign citizen is obliged to confirm the availability of sufficient financial resources for living during the entire period of validity of the requested icamet. The amount is more than 11,400 TRY (≈393 EUR) per person per month. That is, when applying for an annual residence permit, a foreign citizen must have at least 204,000 TRY (≈7,035 EUR) on his account.

In practice, the most common reasons for rejections of a Turkish residence permit in 2023 are the lack of sufficient funds for living and the discrepancy between the actual purpose of the application specified in the application.

 

Bounce statistics in 2023

No new official quotas for the issuance of a certain number of residence permits have been announced by the Turkish government. Nevertheless, the Migration Service today strictly checks the grounds and documents for issuing ikamet cards regulates the number of foreigners living in the Republic of Turkey.

! FOR 2023, the number of foreigners officially residing in Turkey with a residence permit amounted to about 1,300,000 people.

So, according to the Migration Department, many foreign citizens use a tourist residence permit for other purposes. Foreigners have been living in Turkey for many years, extending their residence permit. As a result, this led to a significant increase in illegal migrant workers and competition for employment with Turks.

In addition, the Migration Service constantly monitors data on which citizens of which countries most often violate laws (including migration laws) while living in Turkey. As a result of the information received, appropriate adjustments are made to the migration policy.

For example, in 2023, Kazakhstanis, Kyrgyz and Uzbeks received the most refusals to obtain a residence permit. If there are good reasons, Ukrainians, Uighurs, Meskhetian Turks and other nationalities issue a permit without any obstacles.

Thus, the statistics of refusals in 2023 mostly concern a tourist residence permit. In this case, we recommend applying based on the real goals of living in the state. Or choose more reliable options for the design of the Icamet.

Refusal of a residence permit for Russians

Literally 3-5 years ago, in order to get a short-term residence permit, it was enough for Russians to sign a long-term apartment rental agreement in Turkey, get a medical insurance policy and, in some cases, show financial stability. But a year ago, the situation changed a lot when at the end of 2022, Russians began to receive massive refusals of residence permits.

Migration policy has noticeably tightened. On the part of the migration Service, there is a selective approach to approving applications for a tourist residence permit, although there are no official restrictions.

What happens in practice? The Migration Department, due to the sharp and massive influx of Russian-speaking citizens to Turkey after the February events, regulates the number of foreigners living in the state by changing the rules for issuing a residence permit.

To begin with, the government increased the investment threshold for obtaining Turkish citizenship from $ 250,000 to $ 400,000, and also introduced a requirement for the minimum cost of housing for obtaining a residence permit based on TAPU.

Due to the fact that these actions did not bring the desired result and the number of Russian-speaking migrants continued to increase rapidly. Then Turkey decided to tighten the rules for the initial registration of a tourist residence permit. Thus, at the end of 2022 /beginning of 2023, refusals of residence permits to Russians, in some Turkish cities, became massive.

Now there are also no official bans or changes in Turkey regarding the issuance of a tourist residence permit to Russians. But you should take into account all the requirements of the Migration Department and carefully prepare a package of documents.

Russians, as well as citizens of other countries, can get a residence permit on the basis of real estate ownership in Turkey without any difficulties.

TAPU – Certificate of ownership

How not to be refused a residence permit in Turkey?

The chances of approving the issuance of a residence permit are multiplied if you follow a few simple recommendations:

Be sure to check the literacy of filling out documents for the reliability of the entered data, errors or typos.
Think over the grounds for submitting an application and check their compliance with the migration legislation of Turkey.
Regardless of the type of Icamet, attach a certificate of financial solvency to the package of documents for the entire requested period of residence in Turkey.
Check if there are any outstanding loans or official debts.
If you are applying for a tourist residence permit, do not forget to supplement the documents with a rental contract valid for at least 1 year.
What should I do if I was refused a residence permit in Turkey?

Often, foreigners do not receive a refusal in the initial registration or in the extension of a residence permit in Turkey from the migration service staff immediately. The exception is the detection of errors in documents. In this case, you will be asked to correct the errors within a month and come to the rendezvous again. And there are a lot of such cases.

The official refusal to issue a Turkish residence permit is a document that must come to a foreigner at the specified residence address. That is, the transmission of information in an online format or by phone is not valid.

In addition, you can clarify the status of your application by going to your personal account on the official website of the Migration Department.

After receiving a refusal of a residence permit, you can:

Apply for a different type of icamet if your period of stay in Turkey has not expired. For example, if you received a refusal for a tourist residence permit, you can buy an apartment and apply for a residence permit by TAP.
important! Registration of a primary residence permit on a similar basis, on which there was a refusal, is possible only after 6 months.
If the visa-free days have come to an end, you need to leave Turkey within 10 days after receiving an official refusal. If this requirement is not met, the foreigner is charged a fine for overstay, the amount of which depends on which country you are a citizen of (about $ 14-50 per month). Illegal stay in the Republic of Turkey after 3 months is fraught with deportation.

Entry into the territory of the country is possible only after the renewal of visa-free days. If the visa-free regime allows, then you can return to the country again and apply for Ikamet.

Appeal against the refusal of a residence permit through the court through a lawyer.
Is it possible to appeal the refusal through the court?

After the official refusal to issue a residence permit in Turkey, a foreign citizen has the right to challenge the decision made by the Migration Department through the administrative court, filing a lawsuit within 60 days.

The official request to suspend the execution of the migration decision, submitted within 10 days, with its approval, makes it possible to stay in Turkey until the end of the trial.

How to file an appeal in case of refusal?

An appeal in case of refusal of a residence permit in Turkey is a series of sequential steps that are better entrusted to a qualified experienced specialist (lawyer or lawyer). Lawyers know how to properly challenge the decision of the Migration Department, competently file a lawsuit and represent your interests in court. Independent management of such complex cases is fraught with making wrong decisions and significantly increases the risks of rejection, as well as aggravating the situation of a foreign citizen.

Brief step-by-step instructions for filing an appeal:

•  Finding out the reason for the refusal.

It is important to receive a written notice of refusal of a residence permit, which indicates the reason. Analyzing the situation will help you prepare for further actions and prevent the repetition of mistakes.

• Challenging the refusal through the court.

An appeal of the decision is possible if you believe that you were refused by mistake or without legal grounds. Within 10 days, submit an application to suspend the decision of the Migration Department. Within 60 days, you need to collect documents and file an appeal to the court.

•  Waiting for a decision on the appeal process.

In practice, the duration of the trial may be delayed for up to 1 year. If the case wins in your favor, you will receive the requested residence permit and it will be much easier to extend it in the future.

How to get a residence permit in Turkey?

To successfully obtain a residence permit in Turkey, it is important to approach all stages of the procedure as responsibly as possible, namely:

Fill out an online application for ikamet on the website of the Migration Service or the “Centralized Rendezvous System”. A foreign citizen will need to enter the data in accordance with the electronic forms on the website. After that, the system will offer to choose the date of the interview.
Prepare a package of documents. The documents are prepared according to the list issued on the website of the migration service after filling out the questionnaire. It is important, regardless of the type of icamet, to prepare an extract from the deposit account, confirming your solvency. In addition, all copies of documents received at home are translated into Turkish and certified by a notary.
Purchase of health insurance.
Rendezvous at the Migration Office. The interview takes about 15-20 minutes. However, you can spend several hours waiting for your turn. If you do not know Turkish or English, you should invite a licensed translator with you.

Obtaining an Ikamet-a residence permit

Documents for obtaining a residence permit:

– Passport and its certified copy.
– Biometric photos — 4 pieces.
– The document confirming the place of residence is a notarized long—term apartment rental agreement or a certificate of ownership of Turkish real estate (TAPU).
– Turkish health insurance policy.
– Confirmation of financial solvency is an extract from a bank account.
– Certificate of no criminal record in Turkey.
– Receipts for payment of all fees and taxes for obtaining a residence permit and a plastic card.

It is important to keep in mind that the list of documents for a residence permit will vary depending on the grounds. For example, for a tourist ticket, you will need to attach a travel plan along the tourist route for the entire period of validity of the residence permit. If we are talking about obtaining a student residence permit, you need to provide supporting documents.

Minor children need a passport and a birth certificate with an Apostille stamp, translated into Turkish and notarized. A marriage certificate with a certified translation for families is also attached.

As a rule, applications for a residence permit are considered within 3 months. After the application is approved, the ikamet card is sent to the address specified in the questionnaire, about which the foreigner will receive a notification via SMS.

How can an investor obtain Turkish citizenship?

One of the legal ways to settle in Turkey for permanent residence quickly and without unnecessary bureaucratic delays is to participate in the government’s investment citizenship program. Investors can get a second passport in 6-8 months after submitting the documents. In addition, this type of citizenship gives the right to issue documents for the closest family members and does not require the declaration of assets and income received in another state.

Let’s consider the main investment options for obtaining Turkish citizenship:

1. Purchase of real estate.

The most profitable option for capitalizing your investment opportunities for obtaining Turkish citizenship is to purchase property in Turkey in the amount of $ 400,000 or more. Housing after purchase can be rented out and receive a stable income, and after 3 years it can be resold at a good price.

2. Investments in the amount of $ 500,000 or more.

Deposit in one of the Turkish banks, purchase of government bonds for profit. The investment return period is 3 years.

3. Creating jobs. A good option for businessmen is to create a company with at least 50 jobs for Turkish citizens for a period of 3 years or more.

The procedure for obtaining Turkish citizenship for investment:

• Purchase of real estate, which entitles a foreign citizen to apply for a second passport. In order to provide all the characteristics of the object and the nuances of the transaction, it is important to enlist the support of an experienced real estate agency.
• Obtaining a residence permit. To obtain citizenship, a foreign citizen must have a valid ikamet card. Such a residence permit does not oblige a foreigner to reside in Turkey and is issued specifically for participation in the investment citizenship program.
• Preparation of documents. It is necessary to collect a package of documents according to the list corresponding to the grounds for filing an application.
• Standard list of documents
• Passport and valid passport
• Passport photos for all family members applying for citizenship — 4 pieces each.
• Birth certificate.
• Residence permit.
• Marriage certificates, birth certificates of children (if minor family members also receive citizenship).
• Documents confirming investments in the Turkish economy.
• Receipts for payment of the state fee for registration.

I. Submission of an application for citizenship.

After making investments and collecting documents, a foreigner can submit documents. There are no additional difficult interviews and passing the exam for knowledge of the Turkish language is not provided.

II. Obtaining a Turkish passport.

As soon as the application is reviewed and approved, a second passport is issued to the foreigner. Turkish laws allow for second citizenship, meaning you don’t have to give up your first citizenship.

Examples of real estate for obtaining citizenship

Real estate that can be used to obtain Turkish citizenship must meet a number of conditions. Let’s talk about the main ones.

It is allowed to purchase an object from an individual or a legal entity. It can be one or several objects from the primary or secondary market, residential and commercial real estate or a land plot for construction with the status of “arsa”.

The price of real estate is from $ 400,000 USD. Moreover, this is the cost indicated in the TAPU and confirmed by the expert commission. The price of the object is necessarily prescribed in the official assessment. The certificate is issued on the eve of the conclusion of the purchase and sale transaction.

The mutual settlement between the buyer and the seller is carried out only in the national currency of Turkey — lira. That is, the equivalent of the real estate value is officially transferred by the buyer to the seller’s current account.

The conclusion of the transaction must be confirmed by the Ministry of Environment and Urban Development of the Republic of Turkey.

 

Resume

Refusal of a residence permit in Turkey is not a reason to give up. An unpleasant surprise can be turned in your favor by studying the reasons for the rejection and using other acceptable ways of obtaining a residence permit, or investing in Turkish real estate and applying for a second passport.

The key to successful registration of a residence permit or citizenship in Turkey when buying real estate is the support of our qualified specialists of the agency GURSOY HOMES.