How can foreigners who come to Turkey for medical treatment obtain a residence permit?
Many foreigners come to Turkey for long or short periods to benefit from health care services and to be treated. Previously, foreigners came to Turkey with or without an e-visa, which allowed them to stay here for a maximum of 3 months.
In order to legally stay in Turkey for longer periods, patients have the right to apply for a short-term residence permit for treatment purposes, in cases where the visa is not sufficient for medical care. In this case, the foreigner must apply for a residence permit while still holding a valid visa, by filling out a form in the online immigration system and getting an appointment date from the Immigration Office. By making an appointment within the validity period of the visa, the foreigner can legally stay in Turkey until the appointment date, even if the visa has expired. Please note that the appointment date is given within 1-2 months in touristic areas such as Istanbul, Antalya and Izmir.
After receiving the appointment date, the patient should prepare the documents in the list below to be delivered on the appointment date;
- Application form filled online at https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/
- Copy of passport
- Copy of e-visa or entry stamp (for citizens with free visa)
- 4 biometric photos
- A valid health insurance
- Proof of local residence address:
a) In case the patient rents a house, a notarized lease agreement
b) If the foreigner is staying in the hospital, the signed and stamped supporting document issued by the hospital
c) If the patient is residing in the house of a third person (Turkish citizen), notarized undertaking (if the host is married, the undertaking must have the consent of the spouse)
- Sealed/stamped document showing the duration of treatment signed by the chief physician and physician.
- Statement of bank account for a foreign or local bank account
- Receipt of residence permit fee. This fee varies according to the foreigner’s country.
Moreover, caregivers can likewise obtain a residence permit for this period. In case the patient is a child, they can obtain a tourist residence permit during the treatment process to take care of the child (patient). However, immigration officials will request a notarized apostilled birth certificate translated into Turkish.
If the applicant’s country is not included in the 8/9 Apostille agreement, the birth certificate must be legalized by that state’s Consulate in Turkey and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If the caregiver will remain in Turkey as only one parent, the other parent must provide an Apostilled parental consent statement and have a notarized Turkish translation.
If the caregiver is one of the spouses, the marriage certificate must be sent to the Immigration Administration along with other documents as proof. Please note that if this marriage certificate is obtained from another place from the Turkish authorities, it must be Apostille and a notarized Turkish translation must be available. If the applicant’s country is not included in the 8/9 Apostille agreement, the marriage certificate must be legalized by that state’s Consulate in Turkey and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you have a question or need support regarding a short-term therapeutic residence permit, take a look at our counseling services: Residence Permit Consulting
