Expanding to Türkiye will give you the chance to form new business relationships, enter current markets, and find talented employees. However, every foreign worker needs both a work visa and a permit to move to and work in Türkiye. If you’re not familiar with how to get a work visa in Türkiye, you could deal with non-compliance on top of all the other aspects of a global expansion.
Types of Work Visas in Türkiye
Türkiye has a wide variety of visa categories that can be broken down into further options, including:
- Tourist/businessperson visa
- Official visa
- Student/education visa
- Working visa
- Other visas
Most of your employees will need a working visa in Türkiye, and you’ll apply for each work permit when each employee applies for their visa. All employees will submit their work visa application to Türkiye’s consulate or embassy in their home country. At the same time, you’ll apply for the work permit with the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services.
Visas in Türkiye cannot exceed 90 days within a 180 day period. Anyone staying over 90 days will need to apply for a short-term residence permit at the Directorate General of Migration Management. Work permits in Türkiye are initially valid for one year but can be extended to two years, then three years after a second extension. Once employees live and work in Türkiye for eight consecutive years, they can apply for an indefinite work permit that does not require renewal.
Requirements to Obtain Türkiye Work Visas
The requirements to obtain a work visa depend on which of the visas an individual applies for based on their reason for entering Türkiye. Possibilities include:
- Someone with an employment or special employment purpose
- Assigned lecturer or academic
- Sportsperson
- Artist
- Free zone worker
- Journalist
- Montage and repairman
After you determine which type of visa your employees need, they can apply online, answering a few questions about their identity and the purpose of their visit. The applicant will receive a date for an interview, during which they’ll need to submit the following required documents:
- Valid passport
- Two photos taken within the last six months
- Police clearance certificate
- Job offer or employment contract
- Translated diploma or provisional graduation certificate
- Medical insurance
- Proof of accommodation in Türkiye
- Evidence of having about TRY 368 a day for every day spent in Türkiye
- Proof of round-trip flight
Application Process
As soon as employees receive a job offer, they should apply for a work visa. They can apply starting two months before they leave for Türkiye, and they must apply one month in advance at the latest. While most individuals will file their visa application in their country of residence, others may need to use an application center run by a third party.
Within 10 days of applying, you’ll need to submit employment documents to the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services. Once your employees go to their visa interview, they should notify you so that you can take care of your end of the application process. Within 10 days of the employee’s interview, you must send the embassy all the required documents through the mail or in person.
Other Important Considerations
The Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services will ultimately decide if an employee can obtain a work permit or not. If the application gets approved, the work permit will be equivalent to a residence permit. That’s why all foreigners must pay fees for the entry visa, work permit, and residence permit.
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At this moment, G-P does not offer support processing work visas or permits in this particular location.
For any other inquiries about our global employment platform, contact us today.