What is Turkey's Citizenship by investment?

Investors who want a second passport rather than a residence permit. One of the few programmes worldwide that grants citizenship directly for a real-estate purchase. It lasts citizenship is permanent, and Turkey permits dual nationality so you keep your existing passport. It skips residence entirely — you receive a residence permit as a programme participant and then citizenship, typically within about 10–12 months of applying.

What is Turkey's Short-term residence permit (kısa dönem ikamet)?

Property owners, long-stay visitors and remote workers. In practice this is the permit most foreigners living in Turkey hold. It lasts up to 2 years per grant, renewable. Turkey grants a long-term residence permit after 8 years of continuous legal residence, and naturalisation is possible after 5 — but time on some short-term grounds, notably study, does not count fully toward these clocks.

What is Turkey's Work permit?

People employed by a Turkish company, which applies on their behalf. It lasts 1 year initially, then up to 2 and 3 years on extensions with the same employer. Counts toward the 8-year long-term residence clock, and an independent (permanent) work permit becomes available after 8 years of legal work.

What is Turkey's Student residence permit?

Students at Turkish universities, including the many English-taught and scholarship programmes. It lasts course length, renewed annually. Study time is treated less generously than other grounds: it does not count in full toward long-term residence, so a degree alone leaves you further from settlement than the calendar suggests.

GlobeQuest

Moving from South Africa to Turkey

What your passport gets you at the border — and what it takes to actually stay.

South Africa

TurkeyShort stay

e-Visa

South Africa passport holders need an e-visa for Turkey, applied for online before travelling.

This is short-stay visitor policy only. It does not let you work, study or settle in Turkey — that needs a residence permit.

Passport Index · updated 17 February 2026Turkey's official immigration service

Long stay

How you actually move to Turkey

InvestmentMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Citizenship by investment

Investors who want a second passport rather than a residence permit. One of the few programmes worldwide that grants citizenship directly for a real-estate purchase.

What you need

Real-estate purchase of at least USD 400,000, held for a minimum of three years with a restriction noted on the title deed
Alternative routes: a fixed capital investment, a bank deposit, government bonds, or creating employment for a set number of Turkish citizens — each at its own threshold
A certificate of conformity from the relevant ministry confirming the investment qualifies
Clean criminal record

How long it lasts: Citizenship is permanent, and Turkey permits dual nationality so you keep your existing passport.
Path to permanent residence: It skips residence entirely — you receive a residence permit as a programme participant and then citizenship, typically within about 10–12 months of applying.
Cost: The USD 400,000 investment, plus around USD 5,000 per person for the investor residence permit and the usual conveyancing, valuation and legal costs.
Processing time: Commonly 10–12 months from submission to citizenship.

Worth knowing

The three-year hold is registered against the title deed, so the property genuinely cannot be sold early. Valuation is also done by a licensed appraiser at the ministry's direction — the price you pay and the value that counts are not always the same number.
The threshold has been raised repeatedly since the programme began at USD 250,000. Treat any figure below USD 400,000 in older guides as obsolete.
Turkish citizenship does not confer EU rights. Its value is Turkish, plus visa-free access to a specific set of countries — check that set against your own passport before assuming an upgrade.

Sources:Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change — investment property certification Directorate General of Migration Management

Digital nomadMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Short-term residence permit (kısa dönem ikamet)

Property owners, long-stay visitors and remote workers. In practice this is the permit most foreigners living in Turkey hold.

What you need

A qualifying ground: property ownership, a long-term lease, tourism, study of Turkish, medical treatment, or scientific research
For the property-based route, a property value threshold applies — commonly cited at USD 200,000 following the 2022–2023 increases
Valid health insurance for the permit period
Proof of sufficient means and a registered address

How long it lasts: Up to 2 years per grant, renewable.
Path to permanent residence: Turkey grants a long-term residence permit after 8 years of continuous legal residence, and naturalisation is possible after 5 — but time on some short-term grounds, notably study, does not count fully toward these clocks.
Cost: Permit fee plus the residence-card fee and mandatory health insurance.
Processing time: Appointment-driven; several weeks to a few months depending on the province.

Worth knowing

Many districts in major cities have been closed to new foreign registrations to cap the foreign population share per neighbourhood. Where you rent can determine whether a permit is possible at all — this is the single most consequential and least-documented constraint.
The property threshold for residence permits is separate from, and much lower than, the citizenship-by-investment figure. Do not conflate the two.
Turkey has no dedicated digital nomad visa, but the short-term permit is widely used for that purpose. It does not authorise work for Turkish employers.

Sources:Directorate General of Migration Management Republic of Türkiye e-Visa

Work / sponsoredMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Work permit

People employed by a Turkish company, which applies on their behalf.

What you need

Application by the Turkish employer to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security
The employer must generally employ five Turkish citizens for each foreign worker
Minimum capital or turnover requirements for the employing company
Salary benchmarked as a multiple of the Turkish minimum wage, varying by occupation

How long it lasts: 1 year initially, then up to 2 and 3 years on extensions with the same employer.
Path to permanent residence: Counts toward the 8-year long-term residence clock, and an independent (permanent) work permit becomes available after 8 years of legal work.
Cost: Employer-borne permit fees and the valuable-paper charge.
Processing time: Around 30 days once the employer's file is complete.

Worth knowing

The five-Turkish-employees-per-foreigner rule is the practical barrier and excludes most small companies, with exemptions for certain sectors and for company partners.
Some professions are reserved for Turkish citizens by law, including several in healthcare and law.

Sources:Directorate General of Migration Management

StudentMedium confidenceVerified July 2026

Student residence permit

Students at Turkish universities, including the many English-taught and scholarship programmes.

What you need

Enrolment at a recognised Turkish institution
Proof of funds and health insurance
A registered address in Turkey

How long it lasts: Course length, renewed annually.
Path to permanent residence: Study time is treated less generously than other grounds: it does not count in full toward long-term residence, so a degree alone leaves you further from settlement than the calendar suggests.
Cost: Permit fees plus tuition, which is low relative to Western Europe.
Processing time: Weeks, once enrolled.

Worth knowing

Undergraduates may work only after their first year and with a work permit; the student permit alone does not authorise employment.
Türkiye Bursları government scholarships cover tuition, accommodation and a stipend and are the reason many international students choose Turkey — worth checking before paying fees.

Sources:Directorate General of Migration Management

On the ground