Turkey — Work (Short-term residence (property or tourism), then an in-country work permit)

Main requirements

A short-term residence permit (kısa dönem ikamet) is not a work permit, but many Iranians use it as a bridge: per the Ministry of Labour, anyone holding a residence permit valid for at least 6 months can file a work-permit application from inside Türkiye. Under the Foreigners Law, short-term permits are granted for reasons such as owning property, business connections or setting up a business, tourism, Turkish courses, treatment etc., for up to two years each time. For property, the migration authority's document list requires a home worth at least USD 200,000 (in lira) at the date of purchase, which you live in yourself and do not rent out; this applies nationwide.

Conditions: hold one of the legal grounds with supporting documents, have accommodation meeting health and safety standards, give your address, and provide a criminal record certificate if asked. The permit is refused or cancelled if conditions are not met or it is used for another purpose. Türkiye's digital nomad visa is limited to EU/EEA, UK, Swiss, US, Canadian, Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens, so Iranians cannot use it.

Documents

e-İkamet form, passport copy (valid at least 60 days beyond the requested period), 4 biometric photos, valid health insurance, fee and card receipts, proof of address (title deed or notarised lease), and evidence of the ground (e.g. title deed). Your own declaration of means is usually enough unless the office asks, e.g. bank statements, an international credit card or rental-income documents; foreign income documents need a notarised sworn translation.

Language

No language requirement. Turkish-course permits are granted at most twice and only to people who entered on a language-course or study visa.

Costs and proof of funds

The permit fee (harç) depends on nationality: the migration authority publishes a country table and e-İkamet calculates your amount after you fill in the form; on top comes the 2026 card fee of TRY 964, which nobody is exempt from. The law sets no fixed funds amount; for tourism, the office assesses your declared travel plan, so a lease and a bank balance alone may not be enough. A property-based permit needs a home worth at least USD 200,000. After a refusal you cannot reapply for the same purpose for 6 months.

Steps and timeline

Enter visa-free; apply on e-İkamet before your visa-free period ends (or within 10 days after) and pay fees before the appointment; attend with documents. Decisions take up to 90 days, during which the application document lets you leave and re-enter if you return within 15 days each time. Start renewals from 60 days before expiry.

Notes for Iranian applicants

Some neighbourhoods have been closed to new residence registrations by foreigners in the past; before renting or buying, check with the migration office or e-İkamet that your address can be registered. Working for a Turkish employer always requires a work permit, and unauthorised work can lead to permit cancellation. A residence permit by itself gives no right to work (Law 6735, Art. 12), and there is no official guidance on remote work for a foreign employer on a short-term permit.

After arrival (work while studying, post-study stay, path to permanent residence)

With a short-term permit of 6+ months an employer can file a work permit from inside Türkiye; since 3 August 2026, in-country applications for people with at least one legal year in Türkiye in the last three are exempt from the 5-employee and capital criteria (up to 3 per workplace, and foreigners may not outnumber Turkish staff). Short-term permit years count fully toward long-term residence (8 uninterrupted years), but more than 6 months abroad in a year or more than one year in the last five breaks continuity.