Job Discussion Forums

[nh0828]

Hi all--

I am an American citizen, intending to move to Istanbul to begin teaching English in this coming January. I have a BA in an unrelated field and will have completed my CELTA by then, though won't have any official teaching experience besides being an aide in other classes. I am very excited to be going to Turkey (I lived in the Middle East for a while, and love Istanbul), but I am somewhat apprehensive about the new policy regarding tourist visas.

Assuming that visa runs are or will soon become impossible, can someone walk me through the steps that I will need to undertake? I am hoping to hold off on signing a contract until I get to Istanbul and can personally check out the various schools I will be applying to work at, so I will not have a pre-approved work permit/visa (I have seen both terms used, is one more correct than the other?).

My understanding is that I will 1) enter Turkey with a tourist visa, 2) immediately apply for a residence permit, and 3) apply for a work visa once I have made an agreement with an employer. In the meantime while I wait for my work visa to be approved, I would start teaching and assume that it will be issued (relatively) soon afterwards. The residence permit would also (I'm hoping) be issued in less than three months.

Are my assumptions correct? Even if they are, I still have a ton of questions. What do I need to watch out for in this process? How much should I expect to pay for the permits? How likely is it that my employer will help with any part of this process? I know that I need to demonstrate that I have a certain amount of money to get the residence permit, but does it have to be in a Turkish account? Obviously the system cracking down on illegals will mean more people going through the legal process and thus more clogged bureaucracy, but how much time should I expect this to take? Is there anything I can do from the US to make the process go faster or cheaper?

Thank you all very much in advance!

[moharem bey]

nh,
You may have trouble securing a well-paid, legal job in January. Most reputable schools (i.e. the ones that apply for work permits) already have their staff for the academic/calendar year. I don't know what type of school you are looking for, but most universities require someone with a few years of teaching experience. Primary and high schools may not be as selective and might have teachers leaving at the semester break.

My advice is to come to Turkey and check it out. You will have three months on your tourist visa to explore and interview. Don't immediately purchase a residence permit. You may get lucky and your employer will take care of it. If you aren't successful you can apply toward the end of your three month period and pay for a residence permit yourself. This way you get an extra three months. The first time you get the permit it's quite expensive as you will also be purchasing the booklet. You need to show $300 US per month you wish to reside in Turkey. If you like it here and feel that you intend to stay, I recommend buying a year permit.

There has been some discussion on this forum regarding acceptable documents that show income. I simply got a tax i.d. number and opened a savings account locally. The bank will provide you with a statement you then show the foreign police office when you apply for the residence permit.

You don't apply for the work permit. It is the school's responsibility to do this. It's not even possible to do this yourself.

The whole process is relatively painless. You'll probably (assuming you go for the year long permit) pay around 700 - 800 TL. It's best to have a Turk help you.

I hope this helps and good luck! If you have any further questions, ask.

mo

[nh0828]

Hi Mo--

Thank you for your response. I am definitely looking more into English schools than universities or high schools; I will only have a BA and CELTA. You seem to suggest that the residence permit can be obtained fairly easily toward the end of the tourist visa stay--is there no waiting period to get it approved? I've heard some horror stories of work permits taking forever, but it would be nice if the residence permit came easily.

How can foreigners set up Turkish savings accounts without a job or residence permit?

Thanks again.