# Short-Term Tourist Residence Permit Renewal

Turkey is the only country in the world that grants this type of residence permit, due to the tremendous diversity of tourism in Turkey — one that cannot be covered within the relatively short duration of a tourist visa, given the many cities, regions, exhibitions, museums, islands, and mountains that are well worth visiting. So what are the requirements for obtaining a tourist residence permit?

You can begin the residence renewal process following the steps below, listed according to the table of contents:

- Online appointment

- Mandatory health insurance for residence in Turkey

- Tax number

- Certified passport translation

- Payment of tourist residence fees

- Personal photos

- Paper copies

- Rental contract

- Important note

**1. Online Appointment**

This can be obtained through the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management website.

Important notes (provided by Hallak Services Company to help you avoid mistakes when submitting your online appointment request):

- Pay close attention to the accuracy of the information in the application, starting with your first and last name matching your passport exactly. This is especially important for nationalities whose names are written in a compound, multi-part format — the names must be distributed between the "first name" and "last name" fields so that, when combined, they exactly match the name on your passport. Correcting a name after the residence permit has been issued is costly and very difficult, and will cause problems when opening bank accounts or dealing with the notary due to the mismatch.

- Use a recent biometric photo (less than 6 months old) — some residence applications have been rejected because of the photo.

- Declare your source of income and your ability to support yourself while living in Turkey, stating an accurate amount of income in Turkish lira and its source.

- Filling in the occupation/profession field correctly is very important.

- State the date you moved to your address in Turkey so that it matches the date on your rental contract as closely as possible, or the date of property ownership.

- Link your health insurance number and its date to the appointment request accurately (for this reason, you must obtain health insurance before starting the appointment procedure).

- Double-check that your passport number and its issue and expiry dates are entered correctly, or you will not be able to complete the application.

- Enter a valid Turkish phone number and a correct email address, or you will not be able to complete and follow up on your application later.

- Most important note: do not book a residence appointment before entering Turkish territory — whether this is your first residence application or a renewal. Booking an appointment before entering Turkish territory is a major reason for residence permit rejection. The Directorate of Migration's website offers three options: first-time application, meaning you are applying for the first time while holding a valid, unexpired visa; the second option is extension/renewal of residence, in case you already hold a residence permit and intend to renew it as the same type for a second time; and changing the type of residence, in case you hold a residence permit — for example, a tourist residence permit — and wish to change it to a family residence permit or another type.

2. Mandatory Health Insurance for Residence in Turkey

This is mandatory for individuals between the ages of 18 and 65. For those younger than 18 or older than 65, health insurance is not a requirement for obtaining residence; otherwise, it is required. To obtain health insurance, only 4 pieces of information are needed: a copy of the passport or residence permit, a detailed home address in Turkey, and the start date of the health insurance — preferably matching the date of the residence appointment application if this is a first-time application, or matching the expiry date of the current residence permit if it is a renewal. Insurance can be requested for a maximum of two years, with a signed undertaking for the remaining years stating that the applicant will renew the insurance. Health insurance prices vary by age and gender. To obtain health insurance, you can contact Hallak Services Company, which will provide you with insurance rates and the discounts available to us.

Hallak Services Company is an official agent and partner of dozens of private insurance companies. With Hallak Turkey, you will get the best prices and the best quality — yes, you are in the right place.

3. Tax Number

This is implicitly required in order to pay the residence fees mentioned later, and it can be obtained through the Tax Office's website. Hallak Services Company recommends paying close attention to the information and entering it correctly, matching your passport exactly, since correcting it later consumes a great deal of time and effort. After obtaining the tax number, you can save it on your phone or on paper, as you will need it later in many procedures until the residence permit is issued. You can also request the tax number through Hallak Services Company to obtain it correctly and without errors.

4. Certified Passport Translation

The notary in Turkey (known as "Noter") requires a translation and certification of the passport into Turkish, due to differences in naming conventions between the Turkish system and other countries. Hallak Services Company advises you to keep a copy of the translated and notarized passport, as you will need it in many subsequent transactions in Turkey. You can have your passport translated and certified through Hallak Services Company at the best prices.

5. Payment of Tourist Residence Fees

These fees/taxes are divided into three categories and vary depending on nationality, the requested residence duration (one year or less, or two years), and the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Turkish lira, since the fee is originally set in dollars and converted to Turkish lira at the time of payment.

Hallak Turkey breaks down these fee categories as follows: the cost of printing the residence card, which as of 2022 is a fixed 160 Turkish lira with no variation by nationality or residence duration; the fee related to nationality, residence duration, and the dollar-to-lira exchange rate, which ranges from about 200 Turkish lira up to around 2,000 Turkish lira; and a third fee, specific to nationalities that enter the Republic of Turkey without a visa, called the visa-fee equivalent, which ranges from $60 to $150 or its equivalent in Turkish lira. You can pay the fee through the Directorate of Migration's website or by visiting your nearest tax office.

A piece of information Hallak Turkey shares with you exclusively: the visa-fee equivalent cannot be paid through the website and must be paid manually at the tax office. Tax offices do not accept payment by bank card. Tax offices accept payments in Turkish lira only. The official website only accepts bank cards issued by Turkish state-owned banks.

6. Personal Photos

The Directorate of Migration requires a recent biometric photo (less than 6 months old); 4 photos are required whether the application is a first-time residence or a renewal. Hallak Services Company advises you to request a digital copy of the photos via WhatsApp or email for later use when booking the online appointment.

7. Paper Copies

A copy of the passport, a copy of the visa, a copy of the entry stamp, and a copy of the previous residence permit, if any.

8. Rental Contract

The Directorate of Migration requires the residence applicant to provide a rental contract listing the names of all adults over the age of 18, with each person's signature on the contract, along with the property owner's (the landlord's) information and signature. A very important note regarding the rental contract: under the new version, it is now required — and has become mandatory as of 2022 — for the tenant(s) to appear in person with their passports, and for the property owner to appear with their national ID if they are a Turkish citizen (or their legal representative may attend on their behalf), before the notary (Noter) to draw up the rental contract. The copy must be an original in the file of every adult over 18 years old; a non-original copy is sufficient in the files of children under 18. In the case of a renewal application, an address registration document — known as "Adres Kayıt" — can be added instead, which replaces the rental contract only for residence renewal cases.

Important Note:

If one of the applicants is under the age of 18, what documents should be included in the residence file?

Answer: the online appointment confirmation, personal photos, the original tax payment receipt, a copy of the rental contract, a copy of the child's passport along with the latest entry stamp and visa, a translated and certified copy of the family register or family statement (a birth certificate for the child certified by the home country's foreign ministry and that country's embassy in Turkey may be requested, depending on nationality, followed by certification from the local district governor's office (kaymakam) and then translated and certified by the notary), official guardianship documentation and consent from the absent parent if either the father or mother is absent, a copy of the father's and mother's passports, and a copy of the first page of the father's and mother's residence appointment confirmation.