Moving to Turkey in 2026: Step-by-Step Checklist for Foreigners

Moving to Türkiye involves a predictable chain of paperwork: a tax number, health insurance and an address come first, then a residence permit, address registration and access to e-Devlet, the state’s online services portal. Getting the order right saves repeat visits to offices. This checklist sets out each step as it stands in October 2026, with the fees and deadlines that most often catch newcomers out.

Key points

• Many foreign nationals can stay up to 90 days on a visa or visa exemption; staying beyond your permitted period requires a residence permit applied for before that period ends.
• A Turkish tax number is free and is needed for renting, buying property, opening a bank account and many contracts.
• The residence permit card fee is 964 lira in 2026, plus a separate permit fee that depends on nationality.
• Health insurance covering the whole permit period is generally required; foreigners can usually join the state GSS scheme after one year of residence.
• Phones brought from abroad work for 120 days before IMEI registration is needed; the 2026 fee is 54,258 lira.
• A foreign driving licence can generally be used for up to six months from entry, after which residents should convert it.

Rules and fees change, and individual circumstances differ. Treat this as general information and confirm your own case with the relevant office or a lawyer.

Before you travel

Check your entry rules and timing

Start by confirming how long you can stay on arrival. Many nationalities, including UK, US and Canadian citizens, can enter visa-free or with an e-visa for short stays, but the rules and passport validity requirements differ. Our guide to entry requirements for UK, US and Canadian travellers covers the details. The key point for movers is that a residence permit application must be submitted before your legal stay runs out. Overstaying can lead to fines, deportation and entry bans.

Gather documents from home

Some documents are much easier to obtain before you leave:

• Passport with plenty of validity remaining, plus copies.
• Birth and marriage certificates if family members will apply for permits, ideally apostilled and translated.
• Driving licence, and if possible an official record of when it was issued.
• Children’s school records and vaccination records.
• Proof of income or savings, such as bank statements or pension letters, which can support a permit application.
• Prescriptions and medical records for ongoing treatment.

Documents issued abroad usually need an apostille (or consular legalisation) and a sworn Turkish translation, often notarised, to be accepted by Turkish offices.

Decide where you will live

Your address drives almost everything that follows, from the residence permit to school places. Research neighbourhoods carefully, and remember that migration offices may refuse residence registrations in certain districts with high foreign populations. In mid-2026 most such neighbourhood restrictions were reported to have been lifted, but Istanbul’s Fatih and Esenyurt were still reported as restricted, so check the current position before signing a lease. For a city-by-city view of rents and prices, see our cost of living in Turkey guide and our comparison of where to buy property in Turkey.

Step 1: Get a Turkish tax number

A tax identification number (vergi kimlik numarası) is the first practical step for most newcomers. It is needed to rent a home, sign utility contracts, open a bank account, buy a car or property and pay certain fees.

• Online: the Revenue Administration (GİB) offers a “potential tax number” application for foreigners through its digital tax office at dijital.gib.gov.tr.
• In person: a tax office (vergi dairesi) can issue one on presentation of your passport; some offices also ask for a Turkish address or phone number.
• Cost: the number is issued free of charge.

Once you receive a residence permit, your foreigner identity number (beginning with 99) is linked to your tax record and is used as your identifier from then on.

Step 2: Arrange health insurance

Valid health insurance is generally required for short-term, family, student and long-term residence permits, and the policy must cover the entire period requested. A policy that ends early can result in a permit limited to the policy’s term.

• Private insurance from a Turkish insurer is the usual route for first applications. The policy must meet the minimum coverage set by official rules for residence permits, and names and passport details must match your application exactly.
• Bilateral social security agreements between Türkiye and some countries can provide cover; ask your home country’s social security authority.
• State insurance (GSS): foreigners who have lived in Türkiye for one year can usually apply to join the General Health Insurance scheme run by the Social Security Institution (SGK), provided they are not insured under another country’s law. Cover starts the day after the application, not automatically. The standard full-rate GSS premium for 2026 was reported at about 1,982 lira a month.
• Students who apply for GSS within three months of starting their studies are exempt from the one-year rule and pay a reduced premium.

Step 3: Find a home and sign a proper lease

For a residence permit you will need proof of address: a notarised rental contract, a title deed if you own property, or in some cases a hotel booking. Notarised leases are strongly preferred by migration offices. Before signing, check:

• That the landlord is the owner shown on the title deed, or has authority to let.
• That the property is suitable for residence registration in that neighbourhood.
• Deposit terms, aidat (building fees) and which utilities you must register in your name.
• The annual increase clause; for renewals the legal cap is the 12-month average CPI, which was 31.49% for October 2026 renewals, as covered in our rent cap report.

If you are buying instead, see our step-by-step guide to buying property in Turkey as a foreigner. You can browse current listings for sale in Turkey on Vartur.

Step 4: Apply for a residence permit

Applications are made online through the e-İkamet system run by the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi), followed by an in-person appointment at the provincial migration office.

Which permit?

The most common route for newcomers is a short-term residence permit, which covers purposes such as owning property, tourism, business connections, language courses and medical treatment. Each permit is normally granted for up to two years at a time. It does not give the right to work. Other permits include family, student and long-term residence permits; our explainer on residence permits for property owners and other routes sets out the options.

Typical documents

1. The application form completed and signed through e-İkamet.
2. Passport and copies.
3. Two recent biometric photographs on a white background.
4. Proof of address (notarised lease or title deed).
5. Health insurance covering the requested period.
6. A declaration or proof of sufficient financial means.
7. Receipts for the permit fee and card fee.

Fees

In 2026 the residence permit card fee is 964 lira for all nationalities. A separate permit fee is charged according to nationality under reciprocity rules, and citizens of a small number of countries are exempt from it. Payment is made through the Revenue Administration using the accrual number generated in e-İkamet. The Interior Ministry has warned that fees are never paid into private or company bank accounts and that there is no official “fast-track” charge.

Processing and renewal

Processing commonly takes several weeks and longer in busy provinces. The card is sent by post to your registered address. Renewals are submitted through e-İkamet within the final 60 days of the current permit, and a short-term permit can be cancelled if the holder spends more than 120 days outside Türkiye in a year, among other grounds. See our guide to renewing a residence permit in 2026 for timing and fees.

Step 5: Register your address

Once you have a residence permit, your address must be recorded in the national address-based population system at the local population directorate (nüfus müdürlüğü). Bring your passport, residence permit card and proof of the right to live at the property, such as the lease or title deed. Some provinces ask for extra documents.

When you move, you must report the new address within 20 working days. Failure to report can lead to fines and, in serious cases, cancellation of the permit, while registering a false address is treated as a serious violation. Your registered address is also used to allocate state school places. Our guide to address registration for foreigners covers the process in more detail.

Step 6: Open a bank account

Turkish banks set their own requirements for foreign customers, and practice differs between banks and even branches. Typical documents are:

• Passport.
• Turkish tax number.
• Residence permit, or in some banks the residence permit application receipt.
• Proof of address, such as a lease or utility bill.
• A Turkish mobile number.

Most banks require a branch visit for foreigners. Some are more flexible about opening accounts before a permit is issued, while others insist on a residence permit. Foreign currency accounts in dollars or euros can usually be opened alongside a lira account. Ask about transfer limits, card fees and how incoming international payments are handled before choosing a bank.

Step 7: Get an e-Devlet password

e-Devlet (turkiye.gov.tr) is the gateway to most public services: checking your address record, downloading documents, viewing tax and insurance records, booking appointments and registering a phone’s IMEI. Foreign residents log in with their 11-digit foreigner identity number, which begins with 99 and appears on the residence permit card.

To get a password, visit a PTT post office in person with your residence permit card and passport. You receive a sealed envelope with a temporary password and set a new one at your first login. A small fee is charged. Our step-by-step guide explains how foreign residents get an e-Devlet account.

Step 8: Register your phone (IMEI)

Phones bought abroad work on Turkish networks for 120 days without registration. After that, unregistered devices are blocked from calls, texts and mobile data, though Wi-Fi still works. To keep using a foreign phone with a Turkish SIM, you must pay the IMEI registration fee and register the device.

• Fee: 54,258 lira in 2026.
• How: pay at a tax office, through a bank or online, quoting the IMEI (dial *#06# to find it), then register via e-Devlet or at a mobile operator store with your receipt, passport and phone.
• Alternative: many newcomers find it cheaper to buy a phone in Türkiye, which is already registered.

Full details are in our IMEI registration guide.

Step 9: Sort out driving

Foreign nationals can generally drive on a valid foreign licence for up to six months from their date of entry. Residents who intend to drive longer should convert to a Turkish licence at a population directorate, booking an appointment through randevu.nvi.gov.tr or the ALO 199 line.

Commonly requested documents include the original licence and a notarised Turkish translation, passport and residence permit, a “fit to drive” medical report, a biometric photograph, proof of blood group, an education certificate and fee receipts. According to a 2026 law-firm guide, fees for a standard car (B class) licence total roughly 8,870 lira, and the foreign licence is surrendered on conversion. Licences from countries party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic can usually be converted without a test, while others may require a driving course and exams. Fees are updated each year, so confirm current figures with the population directorate.

If you will drive regularly, also read our guide to HGS motorway and bridge tolls, and check seasonal winter tyre rules if you drive a commercial vehicle.

Step 10: Enrol children in school

Children of foreigners with valid residence permits are entitled to attend state schools free of charge. Places are allocated largely according to the address in the population register, so complete address registration first. Typical documents are the residence permit, passport, previous school records and proof of address. Applications go through the school principal or the district national education directorate (ilçe milli eğitim müdürlüğü).

In October 2026 the Education Ministry instructed its units to remove technical obstacles that had blocked some foreign children from registering or transferring; see our report on easing school registration for foreign children. Many expatriate families instead choose private or international schools, which set their own admissions rules and fees.

Other things to arrange

• Utilities: register electricity, water and, where available, gas in your name using your tax number or foreigner ID number and lease. Ask the landlord for final meter readings.
• Work: a residence permit does not allow you to work. Employees need a work permit applied for through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, usually by the employer.
• Tax: if you become tax resident, your worldwide income may become taxable in Türkiye, depending on any double taxation treaty. Take professional advice before moving income or assets.
• Earthquake insurance: compulsory DASK insurance applies to most homes; owners should see our explainer on the costs of buying and owning a home.
• Public holidays: offices close on national holidays, which can delay appointments, so plan around them.
• Long-term plans: if you intend to stay permanently, look into long-term residence or the citizenship by investment rules.

A suggested order

1. Confirm your entry rules and the date your legal stay ends.
2. Obtain a tax number.
3. Buy health insurance that covers the permit period you will request.
4. Sign a notarised lease or complete your property purchase.
5. Apply for a residence permit on e-İkamet and attend the appointment.
6. Register your address once the permit is issued.
7. Open a bank account (some banks allow this earlier).
8. Get an e-Devlet password at PTT.
9. Register your phone’s IMEI before the 120 days run out, or buy a local phone.
10. Convert your driving licence within six months of entry if you will keep driving.
11. Enrol children in school.

Bottom line

Moving to Türkiye is manageable if you tackle the paperwork in order: tax number, insurance and address first, then the residence permit, address registration and e-Devlet. The deadlines that matter most are the end of your visa-free or visa period, 20 working days to report a change of address, 120 days for a foreign phone and six months for a foreign driving licence. Fees such as the 964-lira permit card and the 54,258-lira IMEI charge are set annually and will change in 2027. Rules can also shift with little notice, so check e-İkamet, GİB and the population directorate for the latest position, and speak to a lawyer if your circumstances are unusual. For budgeting, read our cost of living in Turkey guide, and if you are heading to the Turquoise Coast, our guide to living in Fethiye.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need first when moving to Turkey?

Most newcomers start with a Turkish tax number, health insurance and a notarised lease or title deed. These are needed for the residence permit application, which must be submitted before your legal stay ends.

How much does a Turkish residence permit cost in 2026?

The residence permit card fee is 964 lira in 2026. A separate permit fee is charged depending on nationality, and some nationalities are exempt from it.

How do I get a tax number in Turkey as a foreigner?

You can apply online through the Revenue Administration’s digital tax office for a potential tax number, or visit any tax office with your passport. The number is issued free of charge.

How long can I use a foreign phone in Turkey?

A phone from abroad works on Turkish networks for 120 days. After that it must be registered, with an IMEI fee of 54,258 lira in 2026, or it will be blocked from mobile services.

Can I drive in Turkey with a foreign licence?

Foreign nationals can generally drive on a valid foreign licence for up to six months from entry. Residents should then convert it to a Turkish licence at a population directorate.

When can foreigners join Turkish state health insurance?

Foreigners who have been resident for one year can usually apply to SGK to join the General Health Insurance (GSS) scheme, provided they are not insured under another country’s law. Students have a shorter route.

Last updated: 16 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds in Türkiye change often; check the latest official guidance or ask a licensed lawyer before you act.

Sources

• Potential tax number application for foreigners (Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı)
• e-İkamet residence permit application system (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı)
• Social Security Institution (SGK)
• 2026 residence permit fees and card fee (FFK Partner Hukuk)
• Short-term residence permit 2026: requirements and process (Öner Hukuk)
• Address notification for residence permit holders, 2026 guide (FFK Partner Hukuk)
• Health insurance obligations for foreigners: permits, private cover and GSS (Hukukçular Evi)
• 2026 GSS premium amounts (Ekonomist)
• 2026 IMEI registration fee set at 54,258 lira (Teknoblog)
• Converting a foreign driving licence to a Turkish licence (Harbiye Hukuk)
• Opening a Turkish bank account with a foreign passport, 2026 (Rehber Panda)
• How foreign residents get an e-Devlet account (Turkey Daily News)
• Renewing a residence permit in 2026 (Turkey Daily News)
• Education Ministry moves to ease school registration for foreign children (Turkey Daily News)

Photo: kallerna / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons