Visa balance
For decades foreigners who wanted to live in Turkey could do so without ever getting a residence permit. All you had to do was go abroad and return to renew your tourist visa every three months. But Turkey has had enough of it and they have changed the rules: a tourist visa will now be valid for ninety days within a period of 180 days. So now if you want to stay in the country longer, you have to buy a residence permit.
The new Turkish rules are of course mainly a way for the state to generate income, but they show Turkish confidence too: it’s worth living in this country, so we want you to pay more for it than only four times the price of a tourist visa (a total of 60 euros per year).
It’s even more interesting in light of the possibly soon-to-change visa rules for Turks who want to travel to Europe. Many Europeans don’t know this, but it is very hard for Turks to cross the European border. Even to get a visa to go on a city tour or family visit is a total pain in the ass. You have to get a whole set of official documents (including for example ownership papers of a house or a car or anything else valuable, and papers that prove the company you work for is officially registered, etc etc) and even if you comply with all the rules, a tourist visa can be turned down for no apparent reason.
Add to that the humiliating way Turks are treated at any visa section of any European country, and you understand why Egemen Bagis, Minister of EU Affairs, recently said: ‘The moment when our citizens feel the least European is when they wait for hours in visa queues to go to Europe.’
The anticipated change will make it easier for Turks to travel to Europe. Once Turkey signs the ‘readmission agreement’ (an agreement dealing with the handling of refugees using Turkey as a base to get to the European Union) then visa restrictions for Turks will be loosened. The first groups benefiting from that will be business people, students and artists. Then other groups will follow. It’s not even a political discussion anymore, only the technical details have to be discussed.
You may find that strange, but there are just deals to hold on to and rules to be followed. For example, Turkey had to introduce biometric passports, which was done earlier this year. The readmission agreement is also part of the deal, so once Turkey has complied, the matter is settled.
I have heard some foreigners living in Turkey complain about the obligation to get a residence permit. That pisses me off a bit. Getting the residence permit itself is not so difficult, it’s mainly a matter of having enough money in your account to support yourself. Nothing compared to what a Turk needs to do to even go on a weekend trip to Paris. Please, I would like to say, realize how totally blessed you are with your European passport that takes you over practically every border around the world with no trouble whatsoever. The new rules on both sides are a first step towards some balance between the rights of European and Turkish citizens.
Hi Frederike,
Thanks for this information. Could I ask please – where have you heard this information or where has it been published please? I’m living here for nearly a year now on a series of tourist visas in my Irish passport and this new change would cause serious disruption to me and my colleagues.
Peter
loosening visa rules is not enough. they must be abolished for good.
First and foremost, this new law has been rescinded shortly before being applied.
So for now, the 90 day visa remains untouched.
Second, the reason so many complaints are raised has mostly to do with the extreme difference between nationalities.
Belgium – 12 euro
Italy – 12 euro
Germany – 150 euro (roughly)
Brittain – 425 pound
Holland – 450 euro (almost four year old price!!!!)
We live here in Turkey… but even we go on visa run.
Not just because of the price…
It is a day out and takes our minds of the sometimes stupid little things that make this country a hassle.
@paddyshah: Sorry, I’m not a legal advisor, you should check at your embassy for detailed information or at the emniyet müdürlüğü.
@MV: I know several people who have a tourist visa with the new regulations already. It seems to depend also on which border crossing you take. Could be for now the new rule is withdrawn, but it’s all rather unclear and could be introduced overall any minute.
The huge differences between nationalities have to do with the huge differences in amounts that Turks pay for their residence permit in several European countries. Belgium is cheap for Turks, so Turkey is cheap for Belgians, etc. A ‘what you give is what you get-situation’, I’m afraid 😉