Job Discussion Forums

[Qaaolchoura]

So I went to the tourist police with everything I needed to get a residency permit, or so I thought. And the man in the office--who I'll call "Officer Bob," from here on out--told me that the proof I funds I obtained by bribing a d�viz was no good, that I need to have proof I exchanged the money at a bank. (Not that I needed to have the money in a bank account, that I needed to have exchanged it there.) I didn't even realize the banks here did currency exchanges.

Anybody know about this?
Officer Bob's made several other claims about residency permits that are at odds with what I've heard, that are at odds with the official website, and that are at odds with what the American consulate told me. (Not that any of these other sources agree on most things either.) All of this seems to be par for the course for Turkey.

So I'm going to Chios to try a visa run. In Izmir, unlike in Istanbul, you have to have the documents in hand, you can't apply for an appointment in advance. And with the runaround he's given me the last couple times I've been in there (this wasn't my first or even second time in that office, I think I've been in there every workday since the Eid), the holiday before that, and the time I wasted before that, my time's up tomorrow. Officer Bob claimed that as I'm on my first tourist visa if I get a second one back-to-back, they're both 90 in a 180 day period. I'm hoping the port authorities will see the logic of that.

Long story short, have they closed the money-changer loophole, and if so any suggestions for workarounds? Officer Bob claims that in Izmir you only need $2,500 for a year to get a permit; so I could borrow that easily, but I'm not comfortable carrying that much around even for a short period, and I still don't know what he means by "exchange receipt from a Turkish bank." (His exact words, and he emphasizes "Turkish," rather than "bank," though the d�vizler are Turkish.)

Thanks,
~Q

[coffeespoonman]

Oh, how I miss Turkey...

The receipt he's talking about is just a normal transaction receipt from any bank in Turkey (I assume international banks like HSBC would be fine, as long as they're in Turkey).

However, you wouldn't need to carry the 2500 USD. Assuming you have an account somewhere in Turkey, just have a friend transfer in into your account online (pretty easy), then go to YOUR BRANCH and get an official bank account statment (usually like a little booklet) and make sure you get it stamped. That will be fine.

I also think you'll be fine buying yourself more time with a border run. Never done Chios, but it should be ok.

Wasting time is a national past-time in Turkey. You'd better get used to it.

[gloomyGumi]

[Luxe]