Understand Bursa.
Practical answers for living, moving and navigating life in Bursa — written by Smileys members who actually lived it.
Explore the Handbook
Getting Around
Transport cards, buses, ferries, taxis, airports — however your city moves, the answers are simple.
BursaKart: One Card for BursaRay, the Buses and the Trams
Money & Banking
Bank accounts, tax numbers, cards, transfers.
Opening a Turkish bank account as a foreigner
Mobile & Digital
SIMs, eSIMs, home internet, e-Devlet, the apps you actually need.
Getting a SIM Card and Home Internet in Türkiye
Residence & Legal
Permits, address registration, work permits — the slow grind of being legal.
Residence Permit (Ikamet): Your first application, without the panic
Safety & Emergencies
Emergency numbers, scams, earthquake preparedness, lost documents.
Scams & Tourist Traps in Türkiye: How to stay safe without becoming paranoid
Latest articles
BursaKart: One Card for BursaRay, the Buses and the Trams
One contactless card covers Bursa's BursaRay metro, the Burulaş buses and the trams with a 90-minute transfer window most newcomers never use, a pay-as-you-go refund on short metro rides, and an online top-up that only lands when you tap. The sea buses and the Uludağ teleferik are separate tickets.
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.
Scams & Tourist Traps in Türkiye: How to stay safe without becoming paranoid
Türkiye is a safe and welcoming destination. Most visitors never experience a scam, but like any popular tourist destination, a few common scams exist. Knowing what to watch for is the best way to avoid them and enjoy your stay.
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.
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. Some banks still accept non-residents with a passport, a Turkish tax number, and proof of address, while most private banks now require a residence permit and Foreigner Identification Number (YKN). Branch policies vary, so if one branch says no, another may say yes.
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