Do I need a residence permit?
All students from countries outside of TURKIYE need to have a residence permit to study in Turkey if they are planning on staying for more than three months.
International students will need to check carefully whether they need a visa to enter Turkey. A Visa is a document necessary for entering the country and must be applied for prior to departure. It is a sticker in your passport issued by a Turkish Embassy or Consulate.
Check here for more information - Visa Information For Foreigners
A visa is not the same as a residence permit. A residence permit is a document necessary for staying in the country and should be applied for after arrival.
Applying for a visa in your country
When you are accepted to IAU you will receive an acceptance letter with which you can apply for a Visa in your Country. Please keep in mind that visa application procedures take a long time and plan your application accordingly. After you receive your visa in your country plan your travel accordingly for your enrollment to IAU.
Applying for a residence permit in TURKIYE
All international students, regardless of their status, must register and obtain a Residence Permit (Ikamet Tezkeresi) from the Istanbul Provincial Immigration Administration Office within 10 days of entering Turkiye.
Enrolled students apply online at the Ministry of Interior Directorate General of Migration Management www.goc.gov.tr After you have applied, you will also need to collect required documents and make a tax payment.
Applications for residence permits are processed by the Ministry Of Interior Directorate General Of Migration Management, NOT the University. The residence permit application is your responsibility.
IMPORTANT INFORMATIONS
• Students are responsible to follow up their application for the residence permit on time. Please obey and follow the rules and regulations in order to avoid any kind of problems and punishments, such as paying penalty or getting deported.
• You can be required at any time to show your Residence Permit.
- • Istanbul Migration Office considers the online appointment date of your application form, thus, application process for staying legally in Turkiye must be done before the validation of your visa or the residence permit expiration date.
• In case of any changes in Name/Surname, marital status, address, passport, department/program at your university etc. the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management should be informed within 10 days.
• For those who graduated and planning to stay in Turkiye, they must transfer their residency to short-term residence permit within 10 days of the graduation date.
• Student residence permit is an individual. It doesn't cover your family.
• The process of the residence permit carries out by The Migration Office, therefore, in case of any rule and regulation change/update, please keep in touch with the below-mentioned address and follow their website www.goc.gov.tr
• If the Cellphone number and E-mail address which you declare on your residence permit application changes, please inform the Immigration Office on time, otherwise, you will not receive any SMS or an E-mail notification according to your application. The University and the Immigration Office is not responsible for the undelivered SMS or E-mails.
Contact Information:
Immigration office Communication Number: 157
Click here to access Migration Office YouTube Channel
