Study in Turkey #3: How to get student residence permit?

 UPDATE AUGUST 2016

Hey guys!
As every year (or even every few months) some changes are made regarding the residence permit procedures, I would like to advice you to check the web page of Göç Idaresi Müdürlüğü (Directorate of Migration Management), where you can get all the infomation. 
Since the procedure of getting your residence permit (ikamet) can be quite long and stressfull, I hope this post will help you reduce some of the stress or at least prepare you for it. The main difference this year is, that the applications for extension of ikamet are no longer made via post (this was possible only last year), but again in person. So you have to take an online appointment. Don't forget that there might be difference in procedures among countries of origin. For example, the residents of Serbia and Montenegro cannot apply for renewal of ikamet, but only for the ''First application''. In case you've changed your passport, there might also be special requirements.

UPDATED JULY 2015

Hi!
Every year there might be some small changes in the system or some extra documents needed for obtaining students' and other types of residence permits. This year's change happend in late May and since than, all the procedures regarding the foreigners which were carried by the police, are now carried by the Ministry of Interrior Directorate General of Migration Management.

Applications are made online. There you can also find more info about which documents you need. The fee for residence permit varies according to country, but there is an administrative fee of 50TL.

This is the official page, where you can also apply for your #ikamet.



UPDATED 15/09/2014

When writing this blog post I had in mind especially all those ''new'' foreign students in Turkey. Since I study in Istanbul, this blog post will be especially helpful for all the foreing students in Istanbul, however the process of getting the residence permit should be same all over Turkey.

Especially those of you, who came to Turkey with Turkiye burslari probably already got single entry student visa for Turkey. Here I must say, that residence permit and visa are two different things. Visa can be tourist one or student one. Generally Turkish embassies abroad give foreign students the single entry student visa, which means that until you don't get student residence permit you cannot leave Turkey - or better said, you cannot enter Turkey again. Student residence permit is usually valid until the end of academic year or until the end of Turkish language course - the finish date is usually written on the student certificate (öğrenci belgesi). Once you get student residence permit, also called ikamet in Turkish (I bet you will learn this Tukish word quickly ;), you can leave and enter Turkey how many times you want.

Where and how can I apply for ikamet?



I advice you that you ask for appointement online. On the day of your appointment, you will have to go to the Göç Idaresi Müdürlüğü (Directorate of Migration Management).  In Istanbul, the office  is located in Fatih, next to the main police stationcalled ''Emniyet'' It's huge building- you cannot miss it once you are there. It's easy reachable by metro line which goes to/from Aksaray. Go off the metro at the stop EMNIYET/FATIH.

The full address is:

İstanbul İl Emniyet Müdürlüğü Fatih Vatan Caddesi Hizmet Binası A Blok Kat:1

Şunu daha büyük bir haritada görüntüle: İstanbul İl Emniyet Müdürlüğü






But before going there personally, you need to get appointement online. It is very quick, but due to many foreigners in Turkey, all the available dates are full quickly. When applying for appointement online, you must choose one of the following options (only when applying for the first time):

As I've heard, they are publishing new appointment dates every day in the mornings, around 8 am. So you need to wait in front of your computer to get it. You can get an appointement also from your home country, few days before going to Turkey.


If you cannot get appointement online, you can go directly to Fatih and get one. But you must be ready to wait there for hours (except if you are lucky!).

Which documents I need to get ikamet?

On the day of appointement you will need to bring with you the following documents:
New ikamet card
The documents above are only valid for student ikamet/residence permit. It is also good to bring with you both students certificates (university one and the one you got at the Turkish language center) and also the scholarship agreement.

FEES: You will need to pay a fee (approximately 50 tl).

You must also know, your dormitory's/flat's address, since they will send your ikamet there. You will get your residence permit 4-5 weeks after appointement. It can take even longer! So it's not a good idea to plan some holidays abroad during this period.

For example- to get my ikamet, it took almost 4 months! I came to Turkey at the end of September, I reserved my appointement in the first week of  October. It was really crowded in Istanbul, so I got appointement in the first half of December! I finally got my ikamet book in January!

When you finally get your ikamet, take good care of it and always have it with you (as well as your passport).

I hope this blog post is helpful! If you have more questions, please write a comment to this post.

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All students which are without scholarship which covers their health insurance, should read also this information (PUBLISHED AT TURKIYE BURSLARI Facebook page):

HEALTH INSURANCE:

Important Announcement About Universal Health Insurance For International Students.

Pursuant to the amendment made on paragraph 7 of Article 60 of the Law No. 5510 in accordance with the Law No. 6486, all international students studying in our country, as of 29/05/2013, shall be registered as universal health insurance holders provided that they submit a written application to Social Security Provincial Directorates/ Social Security Centers within three months following their enrollment at school.

In case the international students who enrolled at school for the first time after 29/05/2013 submit a written application and student certificate indicating the first enrollment date to the Social Security Provincial Directorate/ Social Security Center in the place of their school within three months following the first enrollment date, they shall be covered in one-year universal health insurance as of the day following the submission date of written application. The international students, who are registered as universal health insurance holders by this procedure are required to pay universal health insurance premium calculated over thirty - day amount of one thirds of lower limit of daily earning subject to premium determined in accordance with Article 82 of the Law (This amount is 45.36 TL per month for 01/07/2014 – 31/12/2014).

On the other hand, the universal health insurance of international students, who were registered under the current Laws, shall be terminated for the reasons determined in this Law.

In case the international students do not submit a written application to our Institution for universal health insurance within three months following their enrollment at school, they cannot be registered under universal health insurance during their study.

Accordingly, the international students who would like to have universal health insurance are required to submit a written application to our Institution within three months following their enrollment at school.

Respectfully announced to the public.
Türkiye Scholarships Team.

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