All About Living in Turkey: From Work Permits to Property

Whilst it’s only a budget airline flight away, Turkey is the meeting point of the modern West and the mystical East, a land where not only cultures but religions meet particularly in the cosmopolitan yet ancient and fascinating city of Istanbul.

Located on the Bosporus Straight, Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans two continents.  With over 30 million tourists taking holidays in Turkey in 2008, it is also one of the top 10 tourist destinations in the world, and whilst Istanbul has been named the European City of Culture for 2010, expats thinking of living in Turkey should remember that it still is not a part of the European Union, therefore Turkey does not have the same freedom of movement and work acts as European Union countries.

So, before you move to Turkey you will need to contact the Turkish Embassy and check on the current regulations for foreigners who want to live in Turkey.  And in this article we’ll discuss all about living in Turkey for you, covering everything from work permits to property…

Currently anyone who wants to live in Turkey who is not a Turkish national will need to obtain a Residency Permit soon after arriving.  You will need to have a residency permit in order to import your possessions, so you should apply for it within a month of moving to live in Turkey.  Anyone looking for work in Turkey will also need to apply for a work permit, these are issued at the Ministry of the Interior in Ankara, but it is wise to contact the embassy in your country of origin before you leave to make sure you will be entitled to one if your move abroad is wholly reliant on you being able to work to support yourself.

Once you have made the move you need somewhere to live.  If you are looking to rent property in Turkey, brush up on your negotiating skills.  Everything in life is negotiable and if a landlord sees hard currency coming, you need to bargain hard to get the best rental deal!  Rental properties in Turkey can be found in newspapers, through real estate agencies and via word of mouth.  If you’re using an estate agency you will be required to pay a commission, but this is also negotiable!  Arrange the commission agreement right at the start of your search though.  Other areas for bargaining on are the monthly amount of rent due, the amount of deposit required, whether any cleaning or refurbishments are needed before you move in and what appliances are included. 

Our advice to you would be always make sure you get your landlord to put everything down in writing, whilst he may seem like the most charming man today, he will soon change his personality if there is a disagreement or issue with the property at a later point.  Furthermore, get a get out clause written in in case you need to return home due to any unforeseen circumstances or you just want to move out and move on.

If you want to buy a property and live in Turkey, check out the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.  They have some wise advice with regard to the purchase process, such as using an English speaking Turkish Lawyer to assist you, they also have information on foreign ownership restrictions for real estate in Turkey as well as website information for Turkish paralegals.

One thing to bear in mind if you are thinking of living in Turkey and Istanbul in particular, is the fact that the city is on a fault line and does suffer from earthquakes.  If you are looking to rent or buy property in Turkey, it may be wise to request a structural report for the building you are intending to live in.