Student Visa

Depending on nationality and bilateral agreements between Turkey and other countries there is more than one visa or entry option available for international students. International students can enter to Turkey with or without visa depending on nationality and bi-national agreements. These are regular consular visa, e-visa, passport, national ID, airport visa entries. Once you have an idea of how you will enter Turkey and what is most convenient for you, you will be able to apply for.

Please check your country’s eligibility and/or apply by clicking on https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/.  If you are exempt from a tourist visa for Turkey, you need not apply for a student visa at the Turkish Consulate. You will simply enter the country with a passport valid for the complete length of stay plus 60 days.

A student visa will still be valid, but must be issued from the consulate (and Turkish Consulates in some countries no longer issue these visas for Turkey). The student visa however, is a single-entry visa.
We refer you to the official Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs webpage on which you may scroll down to country-specific information for further details: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa. 

For a more detailed information, you can contact us.

Residence Permit

International students need to register with the local authorities (Göç İdaresi) and obtain a Residence Permit (İkamet Belgesi) within a month after their arrival. In order to apply, students should get an online appointment from the Directorate General of Migration Management of Turkey. The webpage for appointments is as follows;

https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr

Students need to get the following items ready prior to the appointment date.

1. Passport, the original and the copy (copy of the Data Page, copy of the page which bares the stamp of the date of entrance into Turkey and if you had a visa, copy of the page baring the visa for Turkey will be needed. If you came to Turkey with an e-visa, then you will need to submit a copy of your e-visa along with your application). Please
note that, in order to get a residence permit, you need to have a passport valid for at least the next six months.
2. A valid health insurance policy (you may apply for one in the international office, if you would like to get a private health insurance)
3. Student Certificate (Öğrenci Belgesi) issued by the Registrar’s office (the student certificate should not be older than 10 days so that you need to get a current student certificate before your appointment)
4. Statement of income ( this is simply a notification regarding sufficient and sustainable resources for the duration of your stay. You may obtain the notification form from the international office. Migration Management may ask for supportive documents if they feel the need later on)
5. Copy of the previous residence permit (if there is any)
6. If the name, middle name and surname in student’s passport is stated all together in one section (not separated) it is required to obtain a name equivalency certificate from consulate or embassy of the home country (it is important if your surname is not separately mentioned. If it is the case, please contact your home country’s embassy or consulate. The same applies for the students with an abbreviation in their names. They will need to obtain a name equivalence certificate stating their full name without abbreviations).
7. If you are under 18, the signed documents from your parents regarding their permission about your study in Turkey and its notary approved sworn translation (you may obtain a sample of such a permission letter from the international office). Along with the permission letter, you need to submit your birth certificate (or a similar documentation) proving that the signatories of the permission letter are your parents.
8. Receipt of 125 TL residence permit fee (the fee can be paid to the tax offices in Fatih or Eminonu or in Ziraat Bank Branches)
9. Copy of your online registration (appointment papers)
You may get assistance on your residence permit applications from the international office during the orientation week.

***IMPORTANT NOTE: Students who accommodate in Esenyurt and Fatih districts of Istanbul and applying for student residence permit for the first time, if they declare an address from the mentioned districts, their residence applications will be rejected.

Meaning that, if you're new in Istanbul, Turkey and accommodating in Esenyurt or Fatih, you cannot obtain a student residence permit. You are kindly requested to pay attention to this when arranging your accommodation and applying for student residence permit.