Job Discussion Forums

[gloomyGumi]

I just read on ITTT Tesol site that Turkey requires you to return to your home country in order to apply for the work visa. Is this outdated info?

And can we clarify 1 more thing please? Should I be offered a job whilst perusing Istiklal St. ( ), seriously now, and the school decides to apply for my work permit, how long will it take before my wife and daughter would get --- IF EVER!!! --- spouse and family visas? Because just me getting legal won't be enough, obviously.

[lucia79]

I did not leave the country for the job that I have now. The school applied for my work permit and got it. And, I think all your wife and child would need are residence permits. Emniyet officials will stamp inside that they are not permitted to work. I think the cost is down to $80 now for one year. In the spring the price dropped. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about that. BTW--Is your wife planning on working too?

[delal]

Unless things have changed again, you need at least 6 months on your residence permit for a school to apply for a work visa in Turkey
And Lucia79 is right about your wife and daughter. You just need to prove that you and your wife have $500 for each month (not sure about whther you would need to show $500 because you're married or $1,000 as you are two adults) you want on your residence permit. The cost depends on reciprocity ie where you come from eg for Brits it's now $80 a year but for the Irish and Czechs it's free (but they still need to show proof of money). You daughter will be half price.
That's if it hasn't changed again before you get here

[gloomyGumi]

thanks. therefore we must first without a doubt apply for residence permits as soon as we get there. correct? Is a hotel address (I mean what else would someone have upon arrival in Turkey? ) good enough for the residence permit application process? If so, would the next step (after deciding upon a hotel address to use for the forms) be to go to the police station to get a Tax ID number? Is that the very first step? I really need to get the actual chronology down so I can streamline the process and optimize time. Tax ID number then take that to a bank and open an account? Or can I just show say ten thousand US dollars in cash as proof of sufficient funds for---you said 6 months minimum, right? Guess we'll need to apply for about 7 or 8 months to allow time to find a job and still have 6 months valid on the residence permits.

[Dedicated]

Hello gloomyGumi,

If you read the following links, I think they might throw some light on your situation.

http://alixandjace.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-get-turkish-residence-permit-in.html

www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=residence-permit-regulations-2010-06-25

http://www.turkishclass.com/turkey/essay/admin/residence-and-work-visas-for-turkey-obtaining

I seriously doubt that a hotel address would be acceptable, unless you can produce buckets of funds showing you can pay for the hotel costs indefinitely. Proof of funds seems to be the main issue.

I hope this helps.

[delal]

Never heard of anyone turning up with cash at Yabancı Polıs!
Once you have your residence permit you can then go online and get your "Yabancı Kımlık" number ie foreigner ID no for Turkey
Can't help with bank stuff as it's years since I went through all that
Don't want to rain on your parade but I think you're being a bit optimistic about a language school applying for a work permit for you; maybe after a few years at the same place if it works out between you and the school. See other threads on this topic re working at K-12 schools where you have a better chance of becoming legal.
For other Turkey-related, non-teaching info you can always visit the "MyMerhaba" website which also has lots of different forums on it for expats in Turkey (plus that's mostly Istanbul-based)

[Moonshadow_51]

1. A work visa is applied from your home country before you enter Turkey.

2. A work permit is applied for after arriving in Turkey.

You need not do both; it is one or the other.

If you work for Berlitz, it will apply for a work permit for you after three months. Most other schools don't issue work permits, and people do not run into trouble with the government for doing so.

If you work for a university, be sure to know the rules:

A public university must be sure you have a work permit before you begin, which means that if you accept a ob, it might be best to get the work visa before you arrive in Turkey. If you don't and appear for work, you will have to sit and wait in your apartment for several weeks, waiting for it to be approved. Of course, you could always take a vacation and see the sites of turkey during this waiting period.

A private university might offer you a chance to begin work before your work permit arrives. Not wise. Let
s say that your diploma shows your name differently than does your passport. Could cause you problems getting the work permit. In this case, you COULD find that you have invested time at a university that will not be paid.

I disagree with those who suggest tht you check out websites.

As far as language schools go, Berlitz is not good, but it will provide that work permit. EFINS will not provide the work permit, but it is, bay far, the most generous employer in terms of language schools in Istanbul, and the DOS at Suadiye is the finest employer you will find anywhere.

[Moonshadow_51]

On the resident permit, there are two ways to go.

You can apply as a resident without needing to look for work.

You can also apply as an employee, but then your employer has to commit to getting you a work permit. here is the way to go if you are on your own. first you go to this site and fill it out. You have to be sure that you are using a computer with a color printer, because it is the only form that is now accepted by the Istanbul police:
https://e-randevu.iem.gov.tr/yabancilar/kisisel_bilgiler_kisa.aspx

The instructions will guide you through to the finish and will inform you which papers you need for your first appointment. Write down the reference number, which you will need to cancel or to change information on the form.

You will need 4 visa type photos with you.

Also needed is receipt from any currency exchange office that witnesses that you have X amount of currency with you in foreign exchange, e.g. if you are an American citizen, you will need to show the exchange that you have 300 USD for every month you intend to be in Istanbul. I don't know what the amount is for Canadians or British citizens, but for Americans it must be in dollars.

When you go for your appointment, take both dollars (exampled) AND Turkish Lira with you, the form, your photos, a copy of your two passport photo pages, and a printout of the date you entered Turkey in your passport. These are definitely needed.

I would suggest that you stay in Uskudar. Uskudar's police department is small and traffic is light. if you stay in a hotel for even a week in Uskudar, you can arrange your appointment on a Monday and pick up your resident permit on a Friday.

I've been through this very recently and know I've given you the latest update on the process.

Going on line and fishing around is not the answer; you will only run into a number of outdated posts that will drive you up the wall.

Good luck.

[gloomyGumi]

awesome. Thanks for this info. moonshadow. Yes we'll be on our own, so getting that residence permit a.s.a.p. is vital at this point. thank you for this updated info. you are absolutely frikkin right, the links and sites were driving me up a damn wall! thank you moonshadow.

[delal]

Moonshadow-Gloomygumi is lucky that you the latest info re residence permits but if he has any other Qs about living in Turkey "Mymerhaba" is also an option: it's for expats in Turkey and many posters have also relocated here with their families

[gloomyGumi]

Thanks delal, dedicated and lucia79. Am just checking out mymerhaba.

Last question here: if we are in a hotel, and I think that's the only place we CAN be upon arrival, (certainly can't rent an apartment!), can we use the hotel's street address on the Residnce Permit Form? (does the Form even ask for an address? I imagine it would, havent looked yet. But how can a newly-arrived person/family have an address other than a hotel?

[lucia79]

I don't know what to do in your case, but what I did was that I used a friend's address and then later on I went to the Emniyet and made the change for the correct address.

In addition to the mymerhaba website, this site may be useful to you as well. http://www.sublimeportal.com/forums/

[Moonshadow_51]

YES!

The form asks for a hotel address, so you may use one.

Everything I've given you is absolutely accurate. I've followed these procedures this week, and know them in my sleep.

Delal is a supportive person with good ideas, but during my search for getting things done, found that some of the information on Mymerhaba is outdated, but this is something Delal would not have known.

The link I posted yesterday is the current and only way to apply for a residence permit in Istanbul. Follow the government's instructions on this site and you won't go wrong.

When you first link to this site, you may see a warning from your browser. It's okay, click the hyperlink that states "exception" and move on, clicking the English version.

MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU WRITE DOWN THE REFERENCE NUMBER OF YOUR APPLICATION BEFORE YOU PRINT IT OUT.

If you do not, then you cannot go back to change information on the app, nor will you be able to change the date of your appointment, if necessary.

[Moonshadow_51]

YES!

The form asks for a hotel address, so you may use one.

Everything I've given you is absolutely accurate. I've followed these procedures this week, and know them in my sleep.

Delal is a supportive person with good ideas, but during my search for getting things done, found that some of the information on Mymerhaba is outdated, but this is something Delal would not have known.

The link I posted yesterday is the current and only way to apply for a residence permit in Istanbul. Follow the government's instructions on this site and you won't go wrong.

When you first link to this site, you may see a warning from your browser. It's okay, click the hyperlink that states "exception" and move on, clicking the English version.

MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU WRITE DOWN THE REFERENCE NUMBER OF YOUR APPLICATION BEFORE YOU PRINT IT OUT.

If you do not, then you cannot go back to change information on the app, nor will you be able to change the date of your appointment, if necessary.