Turkish residence permit (ikamet izni) for a British spouse

The permit and the office that grants it

A British citizen can visit Türkiye without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, but living there with a Turkish spouse requires a residence permit from the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı). The permit for this situation is the family residence permit (aile ikamet izni) under Articles 34 to 37 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (No. 6458). The Göç İdaresi's own description, quoted below, lists the foreign spouse of a Turkish citizen among those eligible and states that the permit is issued for no more than three years at a time. It carries a right to enrol children in school and, unlike a short-term permit, counts fully towards later applications such as citizenship after three years of marriage.

The application is made online through e-İkamet at e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr, which produces an appointment at the provincial migration directorate (il göç idaresi müdürlüğü). The British spouse must be in Türkiye lawfully at the time, usually having entered visa-free; the first application is made in person and renewals can be made online. Processing times vary by province.

Conditions on the Turkish sponsor

Most of the conditions fall on the Turkish citizen (the destekleyici, or sponsor), and the Göç İdaresi's FAQ spells them out. The sponsor must have income of not less than the minimum wage in total and not less than one third of the minimum wage per family member; must hold valid health insurance covering all family members; must have lived with the family in Türkiye or intend to; and must produce a criminal record certificate (adli sicil kaydı). The sponsor also needs a registered address. The British spouse's UK criminal record is not required by the general list, but provincial directorates can and sometimes do ask for a police certificate from the country of previous residence, which for the UK means an ACRO certificate.

Where translation enters

1. Proof of the marriage. If you married in Türkiye, or your UK marriage has already been registered at the consulate, the Turkish family register shows it and nothing is translated. If not, the UK marriage certificate needs a paper FCDO apostille (GRO documents are excluded from the e-Apostille) and a Turkish translation notarised in Türkiye. Registering the marriage at the consulate first, which needs no outside translation, is often the simpler route.
2. Passport. Some directorates ask for a notarised translation of the identity page; most work from the passport itself.
3. ACRO certificate, where requested: paper apostille (ACRO certificates cannot be e-Apostilled), then notarised translation.
4. Income evidence from the UK if the sponsor's income is earned there, such as payslips, P60s or bank statements, translated so the officer can read the figures.

Documents you will need

• UK marriage certificate, apostilled and translated, unless the marriage is already in the Turkish register
• British passport identity page, translated where the directorate asks
• ACRO police certificate, apostilled and translated, where requested
• UK bank statements or P60s and payslips as income evidence
• Sponsor's kimlik kartı, nüfus kayıt örneği, adli sicil kaydı and address registration, obtained through e-Devlet
• Health insurance policy covering the family, biometric photographs and the permit fee receipt

Common pitfalls

• Applying with a UK marriage certificate that has no apostille; the directorate cannot accept a foreign public document without one.
• Letting the 90 visa-free days run out before the e-İkamet appointment; the application must be lodged while your stay is lawful.
• Insurance bought for the British spouse alone; the rule requires cover for all family members.
• Income shown only in sterling without a translation; the officer must compare it with the Turkish minimum wage.
• Assuming the permit lets you work; a work permit is a separate application, see Turkish work permit applications.

How we help and what it costs

A first application usually needs the marriage certificate with apostille (1 to 2 pages of 1,000 characters) and sometimes the passport page and an ACRO certificate (1 page each): £6.50 per page, so £13 to £26 for the translations, plus the Ankara notary tariff of about £13.50 per page and £5 handling per document at cost. Income bundles are priced by length. No UK VAT is charged. Scans arrive within 1 to 2 working days; the notarised originals, which the directorate copies and returns, go by courier for £30 to the UK or to your address in Türkiye. We have no UK office and no collection. We do not lodge applications or advise on eligibility; the Göç İdaresi's YİMER 157 helpline and a Turkish lawyer do that. For the path from residence to citizenship, read Turkish citizenship for a British spouse.