Work for a specific employer, workplace and job in Türkiye.
Turkey
Turkey sits in Western Asia. Its immigration system runs 43 distinct routes — led by humanitarian protection, study and work, each set out in official law. 40 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 43across 14 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 40 of 43cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Humanitarian protection9 of the 43 routes — see them under Humanitarian protection below
- Region
- Western Asia
- Capital
- Ankara
- Population
- 85,878,556
- Official language
- Turkish
- Currency
- TRY
- Time zone
- UTC+03:00
Immigration routes
All 43 routes, grouped by purpose — 40 of 43 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Work
5 routes
Perform a legally exempt short or special activity after obtaining the applicable exemption confirmation.
Take authorised wage or self-employment while holding temporary protection.
Take authorised wage employment after the protection-status waiting period.
For a foreign journalist or media staff member assigned by their employer to work in Turkiye, holding an assignment letter from the media organisation and press accreditation from the Directorate of Communications.
Investment
2 routes
Make a non-working investment within the scope and amount set by the competent authorities.
For a foreign national who acquires Turkish real estate worth at least USD 400,000 and undertakes not to resell it for three years, subject to attestation by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change.
Business & self-employment
3 routes
Work on the applicant's own behalf and account in Türkiye.
Establish a business or commercial connection in Türkiye.
Establish or relocate an innovative technology-based startup under the Tech Visa programme.
Talent & merit
3 routes
Conduct qualifying scientific research.
Join a Turkish technology team as an endorsed professional with critical expertise.
Obtain a talent-and-investment based card leading to indefinite work rights.
Study
7 routes
Attend an education or similar programme under a student-exchange programme or agreement.
Participate in an on-the-job training programme.
Attend an education, research, internship or course programme through a public agency.
Remain after graduating from a higher-education programme in Türkiye.
Attend an authorised Turkish-language course.
Attend an associate, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, medical-speciality or dentistry-speciality programme.
Receive primary or secondary education when family residence does not cover the student.
Family
3 routes
Join a Turkish citizen, Article 28 person, qualifying foreign resident, refugee or subsidiary-protection sponsor.
Transfer from family residence after divorce, sponsor death or ageing out.
Accompany a Turquoise Card holder as a spouse or dependent child.
Independent means
1 route
Reside in a Turkish home owned and used by the applicant.
Digital nomad
1 route
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Residence-based status
2 routes
Obtain indefinite residence after the qualifying continuous residence period.
Obtain indefinite work and residence rights after the qualifying long-term period.
Free movement
1 route
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Short stay & visit
4 routes
Obtain a sticker visa for tourism where visa exemption or e-Visa is unavailable or inappropriate.
Obtain electronic entry permission for tourism or commerce where the passport and supporting conditions qualify.
Remain beyond the short-stay period for a substantiated tourism plan.
Enter for the tourism, commerce or transit period available to the traveller's nationality.
Humanitarian protection
9 routes
Receive conditional-refugee status after determination and remain temporarily pending resettlement to a third country.
Receive case-specific humanitarian residence where removal, child welfare, emergency, national interest or extraordinary circumstances justify it.
Apply in person for refugee, conditional-refugee or subsidiary-protection assessment.
Receive refugee status after the national determination process where the claim falls within Türkiye's geographical application of the Refugee Convention.
Receive a recovery and protection residence permit as an identified or strongly suspected trafficking victim.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Obtain formal determination and documentation of statelessness in Türkiye.
Receive subsidiary protection where return would expose the person to the qualifying serious-harm risks.
Obtain temporary protection after coming from Syria due to events after 28 April 2011.
Medical treatment
1 route
Receive medical treatment without posing a public-health threat.
Transit
1 route
Transit through Türkiye under the nationality-specific visa, e-Visa or exemption rule.
Official sources
- Presidency of Migration ManagementGovernment
- e-Ikamet Residence portalGovernment
- Ministry of Labour work permitsGovernment
- MFA Visa InformationGovernment
- HealthTürkiyeGovernment
- [NSO] Turkish Statistical InstituteGovernment
See which Turkey routes you actually qualify for.
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