Job Discussion Forums

scb222 · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Brisvegas, Oz

Getting a Turkish work permit seems like a bit of a chore. I hear it takes 6 weeks before the MOE gives the go ahead for you to actually apply at an embassy for the visa. can someone please clarify the process and too give me a run down on what ti usually costs. I am an Australian and my friend is American. Confused

Thanks!

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

Why bother with a work VISA? No one else has. Save yourself the money and enjoy trips to Bulgaria or Greece.

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

I would suggest the middle way-- get a residence permit. Then you have the security of at least being able to reside here. The work permit is a bulky process and if you are working, your school should be working on it. That said, ours has been working on them forever it seems and it is indeed a byzantine process.

For the residence permit you need to show that you have $5000 in the bank, which if you can cobble it together, you need it only long enough to print out the dekont, the bank statement. You photocopy that and take the fee (I don't know how much it is for a year or less-- anyone?) to the emniyet. You also need several photos, maybe 5. I went a couple of months ago and it is more organized, though you still have to run from pillar to post, which would take a couple of hours. After that is done, you go back in a week to pick up the ikamet. IK've probably left something out, but that's the gist of it.

scb222 · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Brisvegas, Oz

I've been told that you can't get a residence permit without FIRST having a work permit. But it seems as though you don't need to get the work visa in your home country, you just need to visit the SAME Embassy twice within an approx. 6-8 week period. The first time to apply for the visa, the 2nd to have it stamped. I'm learning about all this as I apply for a job in Turkey. It's quite a process isn't it??!! Doesn't exactly encourage legallity!!!

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

you can get a residence permit before the work permit, but it says in the little booklet they give you that you are not permitted to work. i hear with the res perm you can get a work permit without leaving the country but i don't know for sure.

Ebenezer · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 99

I feel really sorry for the foreigners who are about to come to Turkey and actually think getting a work/residence permit is easy in this country... I've been waiting for the accreditation of my diploma for 9 months and they promised me it wouldn't take more than 2... ok, my case is a bit different for I'm married to a Turk and I became a Turkish citizen, but anyway the bureacracy is the same, no matter what... good luck!

gelin · Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 144 Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Just curious Ebenezer, but why did you take the Turkish citizenship? The two "foreign" teachers I knew who took the citizenship really regretted it later.

scb222 · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Brisvegas, Oz

is it really that difficult??? It seems kinda easy. the school that is interested in hiring me wants to make sure I get the work visa before i come.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Does anyone else remember the days when you got on a tram to Atakoy to the yabanci subesi and got the permit in about half an hour

Nexus · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 189 Location: Moscow

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

If male and you took turkish citizenship, would you be required to do military service?

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

Of course not.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

Yes.

It is an absurd urban myth that you have to do military service when you become a Turkish citizen. If you think logically about it for a few minutes you can see how absurd it is. Also you will realise that you know nobody who has actually done this military service.

calsimsek · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 775 Location: Ist Turkey

Sorry 31 your wrong, Turkish law states that all Turkish male citizens (18 - 45 ) must do there service.

I asked this very question at the yabanci subesi, I was told (not by some low level cop, my father inlaw is a retired sube m�dur) by the head of the sube, that I could be called up if I became a citizen.

Yet the reality is in the unwritten rules. Confused

The army never calls up no Turks because they feel that they cant trust them. They expect you to speak and understand Turkish at all times and they expect you to follow orders. They just don't think that we have the back ground for this type of blind faith. Rolling Eyes