Living in Turkey

[Michael Crane]

Just how easy or difficult is it living in Turkey?

For example, if I were to buy some property would I be able to live in it for the rest of my life? I'd like to retire to Turkey and spend what time I have left there.

Can I do that or will I have to keep going back and forth every 6 months to renew my visa?

Would I be able to work?

What is a TAPU?

I have many more questions but these'll do for time being

[Bulent]

Firstly, yes you can live in your house in Turkey when you retire, its nice and simple. When you purchase a property in Turkey the title deeds are called the Tapu. The Tapu is your proof of ownership and takes about three months to get.

Once you have a tapu, applying for your Turkish residency is relatively simple. You can usually apply for between 1 and 5 years, with 5 being the maximum. That means you will not have to leave Turkey every 3 months to renew your tourist visa.

Unfortunately, with your normal Turkish residency you are not permitted to work.

Hope this helps,

Bulent

[Michael Crane]

I would need to work . . . being very poor!

Is it possible to get a 'work permit' and would it have to be for a particular job or would I be able to do anything I liked?

[sarah]

Hi Michael,

I have got Turkish residency, which covers me for 3 years. It took me about 1 week to get it. I applied to the local council and they agreed I could apply for 3 years, at that time I had no Tapu so they didn't want me to apply for 5 years. I took copies of my Turkish bank accounts showing I was self sufficient, had some help to write a letter in Turkish stating where I was living and why I wanted to live in Turkey, and had a number of photos done.

About 3 days later the paperwork was completed by the local council and I took it to the police station in Mugla to finish the process. Here I paid the fee, which for three years worked out at about 450 GBP. I waited in Mugla as the police were not to busy at the time and said I could have my residency book at the end of the day.

Couldn't have been more simpler.

Sarah

[Michael Crane]

Sounds good . . . but could I get a job? I would need to supplement my 'savings' with some money coming in. There's no way I could be self-sufficient.

[Bulent]

Hi Michael,

Ý am sorry but you can not work in Turkey unless if you can get work permit visa and this not easy and can be costly.

There are certain jobs that you are not permitted to do at all. I don't know too much about it, but will look into it for you and post here as soon as I know something.

Bulent

[Michael Crane]

I really need to work there. This looks like it's going to be a major stumbling block. The sale of my little house here in Lincoln might give me £100,000 profit but out of that I've got to buy one in Turkey and that'll leave only a small bit of my hundred grand, I'm sure

If I was to long-term rent a place as oppossed to buying, would I still be able to live in the country without renewing my visa? That might be an option.

Of course, if Turkey becomes a member of the EU then I suppose working and living there would (should) be a whole lot easier

[Bulent]

It depends which area you were looking to buy. In Koycegiz the area is a great deal cheaper than other areas of Turkey. You could have a part furnished Triplex for just 35,000 GBP in my village, so you could possible live here without working, especially if you have money to bank as the interest rates are set at about 17%.

You can take out a long term rental as well, and still be able to get your permenant visa.

Bulent

[Michael Crane]

This sounds like a workable option.

I'll give it serious consideration. I was going to rent for one year anyway just to see if I would like living in Turkey. Living there and holidaying there are vastly different experiences. I can't afford to keep a house here in England so I'd be burning all my bridges if and when I do it.

[The March Hare]

michaelcrane said:

This sounds like a workable option.

I'll give it serious consideration. I was going to rent for one year anyway just to see if I would like living in Turkey. Living there and holidaying there are vastly different experiences. I can't afford to keep a house here in England so I'd be burning all my bridges if and when I do it.

Michael I was talking to somebody in Hisaronu a few weeks ago and he was renting a house in H for about £1.200 per year which seems a good price I would think it could be cheaper in a not so built up area.