Student Visas & Residence Permits

Do I need a residence permit?

All students from countries outside of Türkiye need to have a residence permit to study in Türkiye if they are planning on staying for more than three months.

International students will need to check carefully whether they need a visa to enter Türkiye. A Visa is a document necessary for entering the country and must be applied for prior to departure. It is a sticker in your passport issued by a Turkish Embassy or Consulate.

Click here for more information – Visa Information for Foreigners

A visa is not the same as a residence permit. A residence permit is a document necessary for staying in the country and should be applied for after arrival.

Applying for a visa in your country

When you are accepted to IAU you will receive an acceptance letter with which you can apply for a Visa in your Country. Please keep in mind that visa application procedures take a long time and plan your application accordingly. After you receive your visa in your country plan your travel accordingly for your enrollment to IAU.

Applying for a residence permit in Türkiye

All international students, regardless of their status, must register and obtain a Residence Permit (Ikamet Tezkeresi) from the Istanbul Provincial Immigration Administration Office within 10 days of entering Türkiye.

You can be required at any time to show your Residence Permit.

Enrolled students apply online at the Ministry Of Interior Directorate General Of Migration Management website. After you have applied, you will also need to collect required documents and make a tax payment.

Applications for residence permits are processed by the Ministry Of Interior Directorate General Of Migration Management, NOT the University. The residence permit application is your responsibility.

STUDENT RESIDENCE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR THE FIRST TIME APPLICATION

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR FIRST APPLICATION:

  • Online Residence Permit Application Form (Students should be aware that their online residence permit application form must be completed personally by filling in the online application form via: https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. Form needs to printed out and signed on the 1st page)
  • Passport and photocopy of passport, visa, last entrance stamp, residence permit card (if you have) (Pages containing identity information, photo)
  • Four (4) biometric photos (must be taken within the last 6 months; the picture needs to have a white background)
  • Valid Health Insurance (Insurance period must cover the intended residence permit duration.)
  • Student Letter (Student can receive it from Student Affairs- T Block, Entrance floor, Left Side)
  • Tax Payment Receipt (Student can pay their tax payment to nearest tax offices of their home address)
  • Do not forget to fill out the following two documents and submit them at your appointment time
  • If you are under 18 years old:
  • Permission letter from your parents,
  • Birth certificate,
    (These two documents must be stamped by your Consulate.)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR EXTENSION APPLICATION:

  • Online Residence Permit Application Form (Students should be aware that their online residence permit application form must be completed personally by filling in the online application form via: https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. Form needs to printed out and signed on the 1st page)
  • Passport and photocopy of passport, visa, last entrance stamp, residence permit card (if you have) (Pages containing identity information, photo)
  • Four (4) biometric photos (must be taken within the last 6 months; the picture needs to have a white background)
  • Valid Health Insurance (Insurance period must cover the intended residence permit duration.)
  • Student Letter (Student can receive it from Student Affairs- T Block, Entrance floor, Left Side)
  • Tax Payment Receipt (Student can pay their tax payment to nearest tax offices of their home address)
  • The student who applies for a residence permit extension must declare an official document showing the home address. Within the scope of your current residence period, you can complete your address registration by going to the relevant Immigration Office with a house rent (notarized) or a bill registered in your name. (It is obligatory to submit an address registration document for extension applications.)

Feel free to inquire and ask questions related to your Residence Permit application process and you can email to [email protected]

Important Note:

  • According to the rules and regulations of Migration Management, the residence permit applicants are highly recommended not to leave Türkiye while their applications are under evaluation process. If their applications are positively evaluated, they can visit Immigration Office to receive the permission letter for travelling. Adress of Migration Office: Hırka-i Şerif, Adnan Menderes Bulvarı No:64, 34091 Fatih/İstanbul
  • Students who are graduated and being announced as a graduate student in the university system must apply for a short-term type of residence permit and make a transfer application “within the first 10 days from the date of graduation. Students who want to stay in Türkiye is obliged to apply within 10 days even if he/she has a student valid residence permit.
  • Students are responsible to follow up their application for the residence permit on time. Please obey and follow the rules and regulations in order to avoid any kind of problems and punishments, such as paying penalty or getting deported.
  • According to the rules and regulations of the Provincial Directorate General of Migration Management, if an individual has already had a student type of residence permit from another university and later on change to another university, he/she is obliged to lodge an application for the residence permit for the first time.

Contact Information:

Immigration office Communication Number: 157

Click here to access Migration Office YouTube Channel