Expanding to Türkiye will give you the chance to form new business relationships, enter promising markets, and find talented employees. However, if you plan to relocate members of your current team to Türkiye, every international worker will need both a work visa and a permit to legally work in the country.

If you’re not familiar with how to get a work visa in Türkiye, here are a few important aspects to consider.

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 foreign employees need a work visa to work in Türkiye. The employee typically applies through a Turkish consulate, then the employer uses the consular reference number to submit the related work permit application. All employees must submit their work visa and work permit application to Türkiye’s consulate or embassy in their home country. The application requires a valid passport, a completed visa application form, and a letter from the employer.

Additionally, where the foreign employee applies through a Turkish consulate abroad, the employer must submit the supporting documents to the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS) within 10 working days of the work visa or work permit application.

For all types of visa applications, Turkish consular offices may generally grant visas with a maximum stay of 90 days within a 180-day period. International employees who wish to stay beyond their visa or visa-exempt period must apply for a residence permit before it expires. A “Short-Term Residence Permit” may apply for many temporary stays, with applications handled by the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management for the province where they will reside.

Work permits are generally issued initially for up to 1 year, tied to a specific employer, workplace, and role. A first extension may be granted for up to 2 years with the same employer. Later extensions may be granted for up to 3 years each. Once employees have maintained lawful status for at least 8 consecutive years, they can generally apply for an indefinite work permit that does not require renewal. Eligibility may be based on uninterrupted lawful residence or legal work permits, subject to other conditions.

Requirements to obtain Türkiye work visas

The requirements to obtain a work visa depend on the type of visa, which is determined based on the 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 team members 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 a number of documents, including:

  • A valid passport
  • 2 photos taken within the last 6 months
  • Police clearance certificate
  • Job offer or employment contract
  • Translated diploma or provisional graduation certificate
  • Medical insurance
  • Proof of accommodation in Türkiye

Application process

As soon as employees receive a job offer, they should apply for a work visa. They can apply starting 2 months before they leave for Türkiye, and they must apply 1 month in advance at the latest. To obtain the work permit and visa, the application will need to be submitted to the nearest Turkish mission.

Within 10 days of applying, employers need to submit the necessary employment documents to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS).

Other important considerations

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security will ultimately decide if an employee can obtain a work permit or not. If the application is approved, the work permit generally also serves as the foreign worker’s residence permit for its validity period.

Discover how G-P can help you manage your global teams.

At G-P, we’re committed to breaking down barriers to global business, enabling opportunity for everyone, everywhere, and helping companies tap into the fullest potential of their workforce. We help you maintain full compliance with local laws and ensure everything from hiring and onboarding to paying your employees is quick and easy, regardless of where they are in the world.

Find out more about how our global employment platform can help you grow your team across the globe.

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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.