Foreigners who intend to extend their stay in Turkey after the time limit specified in their visa or the ones who require a visa exemption for their entry and exit into or from Turkey must obtain a residence permit.
There exist many different types of residence permit from short term residence permits to long term residence permits. However, the most common permits applied by the foreigners is the short term one. For short-term residence permits, foreigners who own real estate in Turkey or intend to make business connections or establish a business in Turkey must provide the necessary documentation to the relevant Provincial Directorate of Migration Management after submitting an application through the e-residence system.
In principle, short-term residence permits are issued for a maximum of 2 years. However, foreigners who intend to invest in Turkey in the amounts and scopes determined by the Council of Ministers, may be granted up to a 5-year short-term residence permit along with their spouse and children. Furthermore, these investors may also consider applying for acquisition of Turkish citizenship or a long-term residence permit.
Obtainment of a Turkish citizenship is addressed in another article by Kutadgu & Arsın.
Please do not hesitate to contact us, should you have further queries regarding the obtainment of a residence permit in Turkey or Turkish citizenship.