Residence & Legal
Permits, address registration, work permits — the slow grind of being legal.
Member-written, not professional advice. These guides explain how things work in practice; they are not legal, immigration, tax or medical advice, and rules and fees change. Where a guide links official sources, those set the current requirements.
Getting Your Residence Permit (İkamet) in Istanbul
Istanbul residence permit guide for expats: how the ikamet application actually runs, what trips people up at the PTT and the appointment, and why your address registration matters more than you think.
Links official sources
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. The process is straightforward—the secret is submitting a complete and accurate application the first time.
Links official sourcesLast reviewed 10 August 2026