Smileys in Türkiye
Your people, wherever in Türkiye you land.
Smileys started in Istanbul and is growing city by city across Türkiye. Each city is its own local community, with its own clubs, events and hosts, and one account works in all of them. The guides below cover the paperwork and practicalities that work the same way everywhere in the country.
Live in Türkiye
Founding now
Open to join — the first members shape what each one becomes.
Ankara
TürkiyeThe capital on the steppe — Anıtkabir, the citadel, embassy-row dinners and a student city that stays up late.
Founding stage · 3 clubs forming · be one of the first
Antalya
TürkiyeMediterranean beach life with Kaleiçi's old town at its heart.
Founding stage · 4 clubs forming · be one of the first
Bodrum
TürkiyeSailing days and marina evenings on the Aegean's favorite peninsula.
Founding stage · 3 clubs forming · be one of the first
Bursa
TürkiyeThe first Ottoman capital under its own mountain — silk bazaars, thermal hamams and Uludağ weekends.
Founding stage · 3 clubs forming · be one of the first
Eskişehir
TürkiyeA student city on the Porsuk — Odunpazarı's Ottoman houses, river boats, meerschaum and çiğ börek.
Founding stage · 3 clubs forming · be one of the first
İzmir
TürkiyeSeaside life on the Aegean — Kordon sunsets, long breakfasts and an easygoing crowd.
Founding stage · 3 clubs forming · be one of the first
Coming up in Türkiye
All events →
Living in Türkiye
Guides that apply wherever you are in the country.
Healthcare
Health Insurance for Your Residence Permit: What Is Accepted in Türkiye
Which health insurance the migration authority accepts for a residence permit — Turkish private policies, social security agreements, SGK — the circular a private policy must meet, and who is exempt.
Safety & Emergencies
Lost or Stolen Passport, Residence Permit or Phone in Türkiye: What to Do
Step by step: the police loss report, your embassy, replacing a lost residence permit card, telling the migration office about a new passport, and blocking a lost phone and bank cards.
Language & Culture
Turkish Basics and Etiquette: Words, Customs and the Rules Worth Knowing
How to pronounce Turkish, the words you'll use every day, everyday courtesies, visiting mosques, Ramadan, public holidays — and the few rules (alcohol hours, smoking, tipping) that are law, not custom.
Mobile & Digital
e-Devlet for Foreigners: Getting Your Password and What You Can Do With It
e-Devlet is Türkiye's government services portal. Who can use it as a foreigner, how to get your password at PTT, and what it's useful for once you're in.
Money & Banking
Getting a Turkish Tax Number as a Foreigner (Vergi Kimlik Numarası)
Why you need a Turkish tax number, how to apply for one online with your passport, and why you won't need one once you have a foreign ID number (YKN).
Residence & Legal
Working Remotely from Türkiye: Digital Nomad Visa, Work Permissions, Tax & Social Security
Türkiye’s Digital Nomad visa step by step — the 36 eligible countries, the certificate, what a consulate asks for, the six-month permit — plus work permits, tax residence, employer approval and social security.
Residence & Legal
Entering Türkiye: Visa-Free Stays, e-Visas and the 90/180 Rule
Whether you need a visa, how the 90/180 rule counts your days, e-Visa pitfalls, passport validity, the Digital Nomad route, staying longer, and what overstaying costs.
Safety & Emergencies
Emergency Numbers in Türkiye: Call 112 and Other Numbers Worth Saving
In an emergency anywhere in Türkiye, call 112. It covers ambulance, police, fire, gendarmerie, coast guard, forest fires and disaster response. Calls are free, including from a mobile without a SIM card. English-language support is available. Below: what to say, other useful numbers, finding an on-duty pharmacy, replacing a lost passport, and locating your earthquake assembly area.
Mobile & Digital
Getting a SIM Card and Home Internet in Türkiye
Getting connected in Türkiye is relatively easy — but there are a couple of Turkish-specific rules that can catch newcomers by surprise. The big one is the 120-day limit on foreign phones. You also need to understand how Turkish mobile lines are registered, what documents you need, and why checking the internet infrastructure in your actual apartment matters more than the provider's headline speed.
Safety & Emergencies
Scams & Tourist Traps in Türkiye: How to stay safe without becoming paranoid
Many trips to Türkiye are trouble-free, but scams and theft do happen. The warning signs worth knowing — taxis, bills, street approaches, online scams — and what to do if something goes wrong.
Money & Banking
Opening a Turkish bank account as a foreigner
You can open a Turkish bank account as a foreigner, but the required documents depend on whether you’re a resident or a visitor. Residents usually open with their residence permit and Foreigner Identification Number (YKN); some banks also take non-residents with a passport, a tax number and proof of address. Requirements differ by bank and branch, so check the bank's own list and, if you're refused, ask what was missing.
Residence & Legal
Residence Permit (Ikamet): Your first application, without the panic
The Short-Term Residence Permit (Kısa Dönem İkamet İzni) is the residence permit most expats apply for first. You complete your application online through the official e-İkamet system, prepare your documents, attend your appointment at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi), and wait for a decision. Check you qualify for the permit type that fits your purpose, apply before your lawful stay runs out, and hand in a complete file.
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