What is a Residence Permit for Foreign Students?

A Residence Permit for Foreign Students refers to the residence permit document required for students who wish to pursue or are pursuing university education in Turkey to legally reside in the country.

The Residence Permit is issued by the Directorate General of Migration Management. This residence permit is among the documents and requirements necessary for foreign students to study in Turkey.

It is not only a legal requirement but also a fundamental necessity that provides foreign students with many opportunities in Turkey, such as opening a telephone line, accessing healthcare services, and opening a bank account.

Who Can Apply for Student Residence?

In addition to being a foreign national, various conditions must be met in order to apply for a student residence permit.

Applicants must be enrolled in an associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree or doctoral programme at a university in Turkey. You must have a student certificate.

Who is not eligible to apply for a Student Residence Permit?

• Those in the country on a tourist visa and those who are not enrolled in any university

• Students who are enrolled or will enrol in open education programmes at universities in Turkey cannot apply for a residence permit

• Students who will attend short-term courses cannot apply. The shortest type of education is associate degree programmes. These programmes are two-year programmes.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Directorate General of Migration Management.

What are the conditions for a Student Residence Permit?

In addition to being a foreign national, various conditions must be met in order to apply for a Student Residence Permit.

Applicants must be enrolled in an associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree or doctoral programme at a university in Turkey. You must have a student document.

Who cannot apply for a Student Residence Permit?

• Those in the country on a tourist visa and those who are not enrolled in any university

• Students who are enrolled or will enrol in open education programmes at universities in Turkey cannot apply for a residence permit

• Students who will attend short-term courses cannot apply. The shortest type of education is associate degree programmes. These programmes are two-year programmes.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Directorate General of Migration Management.

Documents Required for Student Residence Permit

Applicants must meet various conditions in order to apply for a residence permit.

University Enrolment

Students applying for a residence permit must be enrolled at a university in Turkey. This university may be a Foundation University (Private). It does not have to be a state university. Students must be enrolled in at least a 2 (Two) Year Associate Degree programme.

Start your university enrolment now with free consultation.

Valid Passport

Applicants applying for a student residence permit must have entered Turkey legally. Arriving on a student visa will be very helpful in this case. However, if you arrived on a different visa, there will be no problem. Applications from candidates who entered Turkey illegally will not be considered.

Another important point is the validity date of your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 60 days (until the expiry date of your passport). The entry stamp and visa (if you entered Turkey with a visa) when entering Turkey are among the documents that can be submitted with your residence application.

Health Insurance for Foreigners

Your residence application requires health insurance that is valid for at least one (1) year. If you cannot provide a health insurance policy with your application, your application will be deemed invalid. This

How to apply for a Residence Permit as a foreign student?

To enrol at a university as a foreign student, you must first apply to a university in Turkey and complete your enrolment. You cannot apply for a residence permit without completing your enrolment and obtaining your student certificate. You must gather all the necessary documents correctly and completely in order to apply.

It is very important to submit the application correctly. After submitting the application, you must go to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management and submit your documents at your appointment.

If your application is approved, a student residence card will be prepared and sent to the address you provided. In case of an objection, you can apply for the objection and/or lawsuit processes.

What to do after the student residence permit expires

If you are a foreign student and wish to extend your residence permit after your legal stay in Turkey has expired, you must submit an extension application.

The extension application must be submitted at least 60 days before your residence permit expires. If you are late, you will be subject to an administrative fine and may lose your legal right to stay. You will need to gather specific documents for your residence permit extension application. These documents include valid health insurance and your previous residence permit card.

If your residence permit expires and you have not applied for an extension, you will be considered an illegal immigrant. You will have to pay a fine when leaving Turkey. In some cases, you may also be banned from entering the country, and this decision will be made by the authorities.

Residence Permit Consultancy for Foreigners

Foreign students studying or wishing to study at a university in Turkey are required to obtain a residence permit. This is a legal requirement and also a process that must be followed carefully and professionally. At Merw Academy, we offer professional consultancy services to foreign students throughout the entire student residence permit application process.

Some of our services included in Residence Permit Consultancy for Foreigners are as follows:

• Preliminary Assessment

Reviewing the student's information and conducting a suitability analysis

• Residence Permit Application

We ensure that your application is completed correctly and completely, and we provide the necessary guidance for scheduling appointments and preparing the application documents.

• Document Preparation and Checking

The list of required documents is provided, and the submitted documents are checked. Insurance policy procurement and address declaration support are also provided.

• Provincial Immigration Office Process Tracking

A preparation guide for the appointment day is provided, and if necessary, one of our representatives will accompany you. In case of missing documents, additional document support will be provided.

• Process Tracking and Completion

Sharing of all updates and tracking of the residence card delivery process.

Appeal Consultancy for rejected applications.

The Easiest Residence Process for International Students. We support you throughout the entire process.

• Error-Free Application – We check all your documents one by one.
• Multilingual Consultancy – We provide support in your own language.
• Insurance and Support Throughout the Process – We take care of other procedures such as translation and insurance.
• Appointment Booking and Follow-up – Support from A to Z throughout the entire process.
• Affordable Price Guarantee – You can receive consultancy services at a price that suits your budget, with peace of mind.