If you’re about to apply for a digital nomad visa for Turkey, think again. I’ve been here for over half a year and have met plenty of foreigners, none of whom is on a digital nomad visa. Most of them get their residence permit through a Turkish tourist visa instead.
Many nationalities can stay in Turkey for one to three months without a visa. If you wish to stay for longer, you must apply for a tourist visa which functions as your residence permit. Unlike a digital nomad visa, this requires no minimum monthly salary, lasts longer and can be renewed easily.
There are two main processes you need to complete: an online application and an in-person appointment. Let’s start with the former.
Online application
This is the website where you can start your application. Click on the “application for residence permit for the first time” button and let’s begin.
Below are all the documents you need to complete your online application. Once you submit everything, you will receive a “residence permit application form”, which will be required for your in-person appointment.
Documents needed for your online application
You will need a digital copy of your passport so make sure to scan it or take a clear photo. In addition, you will need biometric photographs and health insurance. Let’s discuss both in detail.
Biometric photographs
Make sure to inform the photographer that you need these photos for your visa application and request two physical copies as you will need them for your in-person appointment. I personally paid around 400 Turkish lira, or about 8 euros.
Health insurance
Known in Turkish as Özel Sağlık Sigortası, this health insurance will be completely useless during your stay as it doesn’t cover anything useful. Yet, it’s mandatory. For this reason, I highly recommend choosing the cheapest option you can find.
I personally paid around 1200 TL or 24 euros. The price depends on your age and the company you choose. In general, you shouldn’t pay more than 3.000 TL, or 60 euros.
Unfortunately, foreign health insurance is not valid for your tourist visa application.
These are all the documents needed for your online application. Once you’ve completed all the steps you will be given a Residence Permit Application Form – one of the documents needed for your in-person appointment. Ultimately, you will need to select a day and a location for your in-person appointment.
In-person appointment
There are quite a few places to choose from for your in-person appointment so you shouldn’t have to travel too far. I was able to book my appointment just a few days after completing the online process; however, this may depend on your area and the time of year. It is crucial to start your visa application early to avoid overstaying your visa-free period.
Tima Miroshnichenko
Documents needed for your in-person appointment
Here are all the documents you will need to obtain for your in-person appointment. Remember to bring them all!
Residence permit application form
This is the document you were given after completing the online application form.
Photocopy of passport
Pretty straightforward. Don’t forget to bring your physical passport as you will need this too.
Two biometric photos
These are the ones you should have received when you purchased your digital photos.
Valid health insurance
The same document you uploaded during your online application. Bring a printed copy.
Documents/receipts showing that the Residence Permit fee and Document fee have been paid
This can be done at your in-person appointment. Go to the right office (ask around if in doubt), show them which visa you’re applying for (through your Residence Permit Application Form) and they will tell you what to pay. So, how much will this cost you?
I personally paid around:
- 4,000 TL (80 euros) for the Residence Permit Fee. This depends on your country of origin. The exact amount can be found on your application form.
- 7,500 TL (150) for the Single Entry Visa. This is a one-time fee and you won’t have to repay this if you decide to extend your stay. Since this visa type can be extended indefinitely, this is hopefully the first and last time you pay this fee.
- 810 TL (16 euros) for document fees.
- Extra: I also paid a 5-percent additional fee on all payments since I used a non-Turkish card. (But even when I managed to borrow a Turkish card from a friend, I still had to pay the 5 percent extra since it somehow wasn’t the right card).
Document/statement on having sufficient and regular financial means throughout your stay
This should be approximately twice the Turkish minimum wage for each month of your stay. As of November 2025 the minimum wage in Turkey is 22,104 TL or 440 euros, but this changes every year.
Here is a practical example. Those applying in 2025 and wanting to stay for a year will need at least (22,100 TL x 2) x 12 months = 530,400 TL. Make sure your bank statement is from the past six months.
Document showing your place of residence
You will also have to provide the address where you will reside during your stay. This depends on your unique situation. Let’s check a few different scenarios.
(1) You are renting an apartment. In this case, you will need a contract and a utility bill registered in your name. Water and electricity are accepted but the internet isn’t.
(2) You are renting a room from someone. If the apartment is not in your name, you will need to go to a notary with the person whose name is listed on the contract. You must be listed as one of the official tenants of the residence. Once again, you will need to pay a fee and will then be provided with all the necessary papers. I personally paid 664 TL, or 13 euros. You will need to provide a series of supplementary documents from the person whose name appears in the contract.
These are:
- Photocopy of ID
- Adli sicil: Criminal police record
- Nüfus kayıt örneği: A Turkish document
- Yerleşim yeri: Official address registration
(3) Although it’s possible to have your address at an Airbnb or hotel, I am not sure what that process is.
Ensure that you use the same address throughout your online application.
A few Turkish residence permit FAQs
When should you apply for a Turkish tourist visa?
This depends on which country you’re from. For instance, EU citizens can stay in Turkey for 90 days without a visa. If you want to stay longer, you should complete your visa application (both the online application and the in-person appointment) before the end of the 90th day. This doesn’t mean you need to get an answer from the Turkish government within this period.
How much does it cost to apply for a Turkish visa?
I paid roughly 15,200 TL(about 300 euros) including insurance, all application fees, biometric photos and notary costs. Remember that if you decide to extend your stay the process way cheaper.
How long does the visa last?
From one month to two years. It’s up to you to decide. Your insurance must cover your entire stay and you need to ensure your bank statement shows sufficient funds for the number of months you plan to stay. I personally applied for a one-year visa but I was only granted six months, thought extending the visa is possible once you have it.
Checking the status of your application
At the beginning of the online application, you will be given a number. Make sure to keep this as you will need it to check your application through this link.
During the application process you will be asked to provide your phone number. This is crucial since you’ll receive a code that you will need following your in-person appointment to determine whether your application was successful.
It took me roughly a month to receive an answer. That said, make sure to check your application regularly. If it isn’t accepted, you will be given a few days to leave the country.
Passport validity
You need a passport with a minimum of six-month validity. You can still apply if your passport expires soon, but you must leave the country two months before your passport expires. Let’s say your passport is valid for 12 months, you’ll only be able to stay in Turkey for 10 months.
Extra information
- If you’re going to your appointment with someone, there’s a good chance they will have to stay outside as you may be the only one allowed in.
- It’s also important to note that you may have to interact with people who don’t speak English. My suggestion is to call a friend who speaks Turkish so they can help if you are asked to provide extra documents or for any other emergency. Google Translate can also be a good ally.
- All documents must be printed. I suggest bringing a plastic folder with everything in it to make the process smoother.
Wish you the best of luck and hope you’re successful with your visa application!
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Read more about Turkey here in Dispatches‘ archives.
Cristina Miceli
contributors, and her work has been featured on several publications, including The Cabo Sun,
Bookmundi, SleepingInAirports, and more. Cristina is a huge promoter of slow travelling and
prefers long train rides to quick flights, analogue photography to selfies, and unknown towns to
massive metropolises. When she’s not writing breaking news or reporting her latest adventures, you may find her
drinking way too much tea, reading whatever book she found on the road, or playing her
classical guitar. Cristina has travelled to more than 30 countries on three continents, always slowly. One of her proudest achievements is a trip from Italy all the way to Gambia, avoiding planes.
