Published: 17 September 2026 · Reading time approximately 8 minutes
A visa obtained to enter Türkiye is an entry permit; it is not a right to stay. If you are going to remain after the visa expires, a residence permit application is required. Most files that do not draw this distinction at the outset end in a visa violation.
The main visa types
Tourist / visitor visa: for short visits. You cannot work on this visa, and it is not a suitable starting point for a work permit application either.
Work visa: for a foreign national who will work in Türkiye, this runs in parallel with the employer's application made inside the country. A foreign national who is abroad applies to the Turkish mission in the country where they are.
Student visa: based on an acceptance or enrolment document. After arrival, a student residence permit application is made.
Family reunification visa: for the spouse and children of a person lawfully present in Türkiye; after arrival it continues with a family residence permit.
What does choosing the wrong type do?
The three scenarios we see most often:
- Arriving on a tourist visa and starting work — this counts as working without a permit and gives rise to an administrative fine for the employer and the employee alike
- Staying on after the visa expires without making a residence application — a fine and an entry-ban code according to the length of the violation
- Taking the visa exemption period for a residence permit — an exemption gives only a right of entry and a short stay
A visa exemption is not a residence permit
Nationals of some countries may enter without a visa or stay for a certain period. Remaining after that period ends is a violation; the exemption period does not take the place of a residence permit, and calculations such as "90 days in 180" must be followed carefully.
Visa refusal and what follows
If a visa application is refused, the grounds are notified. Applying again immediately with the same file mostly produces the same result; the point seen as missing or inconsistent has to be put right. Checking the entry-ban record to see whether the refusal stems from a past violation is the first step.
Correct order
Setting the goal at the outset is far easier than changing type later: what will you do in Türkiye (work, study, join family, invest), how long will you stay, and after that are you aiming for a residence permit or for citizenship? The visa type follows from these three answers.
What do we do?
At the initial consultation we clarify your goal, determine the appropriate visa type and prepare the documents required for the application together with their sworn translations. The appointment and the paperwork are ours to follow; we also plan the residence permit step after arrival within the same calendar. If there is a past violation or an entry-ban record, we identify it before the application.
Legal basis
The visa and residence permit provisions of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458; and the provisions of the International Labour Force Law No. 6735 on the work visa.
Legislation and administrative practice may change. The information on this page is for general guidance only; an assessment specific to your case requires a consultation.