Turkey Student Visa and Residence Permit (Ikamet): 2026/27 Guide

To study in Turkey you need two things: a student (sticker) visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate in your country, and then a Student Residence Permit (ikamet), which you apply for online on e-İkamet after you register at your university. The visa only lets you enter and stay up to 90 days; the residence permit lets you stay for your studies.

This guide covers both steps in order, using the official rules of Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi). It also explains what is different for applicants from Afghanistan.

Do you need a student visa for Turkey?

Yes, if you are coming for a degree. The MFA explains that for purposes other than tourism or trade, such as study, you must get your visa through a Turkish representation abroad. Even nationalities that are visa-exempt or eligible for an e-Visa for tourism still need a visa from a Turkish mission for study, unless they come under an official exchange program.

Step 1: Get your acceptance letter

You apply for the visa after you are admitted. Study in Türkiye advises applying as soon as you receive your admission letter, because procedures can take time. Some private universities issue a final acceptance letter only after you pay a deposit, so plan for that. See how to apply to universities in Turkey.

Step 2: Apply for the student visa

1. 1

   Create a pre-application online

   Since 5 January 2016 all Turkish sticker visa applications go through the pre-application system. On konsolosluk.gov.tr choose the country where you will apply and the mission, then enter your data and upload the requested documents.

2. 2

   Prepare the originals

   Bring the signed visa application form, your passport and the original documents you uploaded. Where a visa application centre handles applications, contact that centre instead.

3. 3

   Attend the mission

   Submit your file in person on your appointment date. The mission may ask for more documents.

4. 4

   Wait for the decision

   The MFA recommends applying at least one month before travel to avoid delays. A visa does not guarantee entry, and fees are not refunded if the application is rejected.

Student visa document checklist

• Passport valid at least 60 days beyond the visa's duration of stay
• Signed visa application form from the pre-application system
• University admission (acceptance) letter
• Medical insurance valid during your stay in Turkey (required for all visa applicants)
• If you are under 18: official written approval from both parents
• Any extra documents your mission lists (check its website)

The MFA does not publish one national list of student-visa documents or a single fee for all nationalities, so always follow your mission's own instructions. For document preparation, read our documents, translation and legalization guide.

Step 3: Travel and register at your university

Enter Turkey with your student visa. Register (enrol) at your university with your original documents. At registration, the university explains how to apply for the residence permit and which date to hand in your documents.

Step 4: Apply for the Student Residence Permit on e-İkamet

Anyone staying longer than their visa, visa exemption or 90 days needs a residence permit. For higher-education students this is the Student Residence Permit. The Migration Management brochure for students describes these steps:

1. 1

   Start a first-time application

   On e-İkamet choose the option for a first-time residence permit application, then a new application and Student Residence Permit.

2. 2

   Print and sign the form

   Print the completed application form, sign it and prepare the documents listed below.

3. 3

   Hand in documents at your university

   Give them to your university's student affairs or international office by the date it gives you. You do not need to wait for the appointment date.

4. 4

   University forwards your file

   Your university sends the documents to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, which may contact you for more documents.

5. 5

   Receive your card

   Once approved, the card is delivered by PTT cargo to your address, with an SMS when it is out for delivery.

Residence permit document checklist

1. 1.e-İkamet application form, printed and signed
2. 2.Original and copy of your passport (ID page and entry or visa pages); it must be valid 60 days longer than the permit you request
3. 3.Four biometric photos (white background, taken in the last 6 months)
4. 4.Health insurance: your SGK General Health Insurance application or private insurance
5. 5.Student certificate from your university (e-signed, or signed and stamped)
6. 6.Proof of address: dormitory letter or notarised rental contract
7. 7.Receipt for the residence permit card fee

The card fee is 964.00 TL from 1 January 2026, and no nationality is exempt from it. The exact amount is shown on your e-İkamet form; pay it at an authorised tax office or bank and attach the receipt.

Health insurance

If you apply to the Social Security Institution (SGK) for General Health Insurance within three months of your first university registration, you do not need other insurance for the permit. If you miss the three months, private health insurance becomes compulsory for the residence permit.

Rules after you get your permit

• Renew on time: apply for an extension on e-İkamet within the last 60 days before expiry, and always before it expires.
• Report changes: tell your university within 20 days if you change university or department in the same province; apply on e-İkamet within 10 days if you move to a university in another province; report changes of address, passport or marital status within 20 working days.
• Stay enrolled: the permit is cancelled if you freeze registration, are dismissed or do not re-register.
• Long absences: the MFA states a residence permit is cancelled if you stay outside Turkey for more than 120 days in total in the last year.
• Travel while pending: you may leave with the approved application document and fee receipt only if you re-enter within 15 days.
• Work: a student residence permit is not a work permit; see working in Turkey.

For free help in Turkey, call YIMER 157 (Foreigners Communication Center) for residence-permit questions, or ALO 170 for work-permit questions.

Applying from Afghanistan

All Afghan passport holders need a visa for Turkey. The e-Visa for Afghans (single entry, one month, only with a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit) is for tourism or commerce only, so for study you need a visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate.

• The pre-application system lists three missions for Afghanistan: the Embassy in Kabul and the Consulates General in Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.
• As of 13 October 2026, the latest announcements on the Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif websites dated from August 2021, with no notice on current student-visa services or fees. Contact the mission through its Contact page before you book.
• Official guidance tells students to apply to the nearest Turkish consulate. Turkey has missions in Islamabad, Karachi, Tehran and Mashhad, but no official page found says whether Afghans must hold legal residence in the country where they apply, so confirm with that mission first.
• Afghan documents cannot be apostilled. For the residence permit, documents from your country must be apostilled or approved by your country's representation in Turkey.

Visa and residence permit timeline at a glance

Keep copies of every receipt and form. If your card has not arrived and you need to travel, remember that leaving is only possible with the approved application document and fee receipt, and only if you return within 15 days.

Common reasons for problems

• Applying too late, leaving no time for appointments and processing
• A passport that expires too soon for the visa or the residence permit
• Missing health insurance, or missing the three-month SGK window
• Applying for the residence permit after the visa has expired
• Using agents who promise visas; only your university and the migration authorities can process your permit

Plan your visa around your university's dates. Track deadlines for free on FindUniPath, and see the full journey in our guide to studying in Turkey.