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Work Residence Permit in Turkey



Work Residence Permit in Turkey


The work residence permit is the only official residence permit in Turkey that allows you to work legally, without falling into illegal aspects regarding the employment of foreigners in Turkey.



The most important questions residents in Turkey have about the work residence permit (work permit):

Question

What is the difference between a work residence permit and a work permit?

Answer:

In theory, there is no real difference. The work residence permit (ikamet) is one whose original basis is a work visa or a tourist residence permit that has been converted into a work residence permit. The work permit (izin), on the other hand, is one whose original basis is a Kimlik (temporary protection ID) — whether for Syrians or any other nationality holding a refugee Kimlik within Turkish territory — and the work permit is treated the same as the refugee Kimlik in terms of movement and travel within Turkey only, without leaving the country's borders.

Question

Some general information about the work residence permit — where can you apply for it, what are the requirements, and how does it differ from other types of residence permits?

Answer:

First, to avoid repetition and confusion between a work permit and a work residence permit: when we say "work residence permit" here, it means that wherever "residence" and "permit" appear, there is no difference between them.


Question:

Where do you apply for a work residence permit or work permit in Turkey?

Answer:

The application for a work residence permit or work permit is made through the company you work for, handled by the company's accountant or financial advisor. All procedures are done online, without paper applications, and once the work residence permit or work permit is issued, it is sent to the company's address, not to your home address, as is the case with other types of residence permits.


Question:

How is the online application for a work residence permit submitted?

Answer:

The application for a work residence permit is submitted through two main sections. The first is preparing the company's data using the E-İMZA (electronic signature), which involves registering the workplace or company — what is known as workplace registration. It is important to make sure all the information is 100% accurate and correct. Any error can lead to the rejection of work residence permits later on.

Question:

What documents are required to apply for a work residence permit or work permit?

Answer:

The required documents are divided into two main sections:

Section One: From the Applicant (the Employee)

  1. A biometric photo, soft electronic copy (jpg)

  2. Passport, soft electronic copy (pdf)

  3. The Turkish residence permit, the Kimlik, or the reference number — which can be obtained from the Turkish embassy in the country you wish to apply from — as a soft electronic copy in (pdf) format

  4. The most recent educational certificate, translated into Turkish and notarized, soft electronic copy (pdf)

  5. If the employee is married, the spouse's details are required, matching the passport

  6. Copies of the employment contract, signed by both parties — the employee and the company

  7. Note: the tourist residence permit, or whichever type of residence you wish to convert into a work residence permit, must be valid for at least 6 months (in a few rare cases, this condition is overlooked)

  8. The length of time the employee has been present in Turkey is required, in number of years or months

  9. Details of your education — which university, your major, and what profession you practiced before working at the company

  10. Contact information in Turkey — an email address and a Turkish phone number


Section Two: From the Company Submitting the Work Residence Permit (Work Permit) Application


  1. The electronic signature, known as (e-imza)

  2. The tax plate, soft copy (pdf)

  3. The commercial registry and the trade gazette, soft copy (pdf)

  4. The Balance Sheet (Bilanço), which must be obtained from the company's accountant or financial advisor

  5. The company's Social Security registration number (SGK Sicil Numarası)

Note: work residence permits or work permits cannot be issued for a company's employees if the manager/business owner, if a foreigner, does not themselves hold a work residence permit — this must be noted.

  1. Additional documents may be requested during the work residence permit application, so the application must be followed up on daily. If any additional documents are requested and not submitted within a specified time period, the application will be rejected.


The Most Important Notes from Hallak Services Company

After the work residence permit is approved, a message appears requesting payment of the work residence permit fees. After taking a screenshot or a printed copy, you can pay the fees at government banks, for example Ziraat Bank, or at the tax offices, and then wait for the residence permit to arrive at the company's address.


You must confirm with the accountant or financial advisor that the company's address is unified — whether in the commercial registry, the tax office, or social security. If it is not consistent, the work permit procedures cannot proceed.


When applying for a work permit (for holders of a refugee Kimlik), having 5 Turkish citizen employees is not a requirement in most cases.


The business owner or company owner obtains a work permit for the first time without being required to have Turkish employees. However, if the foreign company owner holds a short-term residence permit and then applies for a work residence permit, at renewal they will be asked to have 5 Turkish citizen employees. To avoid application mistakes, you can contact Hallak Company to get an ideally handled application.


 
 
 

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