Turkey · long-stay visa routes and official sources
5 routes tracked · last reviewed · every route links to its official government source
Long-term visa difficulty for Turkey: Medium (42/100, lower is easier). Most practical route: Short-term / self-employment residence.
Common questions
What is the most practical long-term visa route to Turkey?
Based on our July 2026 review, the most practical route is usually: Short-term / self-employment residence. Overall difficulty is rated "Medium" (42/100, lower is easier).
Can I move to Turkey without a local job offer?
Yes — 2 of the 5 tracked routes do not require a local employer: Student residence; Digital Nomad Visa / Identification Certificate. Each has its own income, funds, or admission requirements.
An employer-led or qualification-based work route.
Typical timeline / duration: Work authorisation tied to the permit and employer/work details.
To work in Türkiye, the foreign national applies at a Turkish mission for a work permit/visa using passport, visa application form and employer letter; the employer submits required documents to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security within 10 working days after the application.
Employer-led application; domestic applications require qualifying residence status in many cases.
Eligibility for mainland Chinese applicants: Mainland Chinese citizenship is not on the published eligible-country list for this digital-nomad visa. Other Turkish entry or work categories require their own assessment.
The published digital-nomad nationality list does not include mainland China. Meeting the income, age and degree criteria alone does not make a mainland Chinese applicant eligible.
Typical timeline / duration: Typically used for short-term residence; exact residence duration should be checked at application/consulate stage.
Hold a nationality on the published eligible-country list; mainland China is not included.
For eligible applicants, the certificate process requires age 21–55, a university degree, a passport valid for at least six months from arrival, a biometric photo, foreign-work contracts and income of US$3,000 monthly or US$36,000 annually.
A short-term residence route for qualifying investors who will invest in Turkey without working there, separate from Turkish citizenship by investment.
Typical timeline / duration: Up to 5 years per permit
For this investor category, invest within the scope and amount recognised under the current Turkish framework and apply on the investor ground for a short-term residence permit. Invest in Türkiye currently lists these qualifying criteria: USD 500,000 fixed capital; property worth at least USD 400,000 with a three-year resale restriction; creating at least 50 jobs; a USD 500,000 Turkish bank deposit held for three years; USD 500,000 in government bonds held for three years; USD 500,000 in qualifying real-estate or venture-capital fund shares held for three years; or a USD 500,000 private-pension contribution held for three years. The relevant ministry or regulator must attest the criterion.
Submit evidence of the investment and its qualifying purpose, together with a passport, application form, address information, accommodation evidence, and valid health insurance.
Provide a criminal-record certificate or other supporting evidence if requested, keep the investment and purpose of stay valid, and comply with residence-permit conditions.
The investor category is for people who do not work in Türkiye; a separate work permit is needed for employment.
Visa rules change frequently. Figures and requirements above were reviewed on the dates shown; always confirm against the linked official source before applying.