Turkey Work Visa

A Turkey Work Visa is an authorization to move to Turkey for employment purposes. A work visa shall be obtained alongside with a work permit, without which, foreigners cannot work in Turkey.

Do I Need a Visa to Work in Turkey?

All world citizens, aside from nationals of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, need a work visa and a work permit to be able to work in Turkey.

How to Apply for Turkey Work Visa?

The application process for a Turkey work visa differs a bit from the application process for the other Turkish visas. This, because in the application process for a Turkish work visa are involved the two sides, the employee and the employer.

Note that you must have a job offer, or job contract before you apply for a Turkey employment visa. You cannot start the procedures to get this visa without having a concrete job offer in Turkey.

Below you can find all the necessary information that you need to know before you start applying.

When and where to apply

You should apply for a Turkish Work Visa as soon as you get a job offer to work in Turkey.  Yet the earliest you can apply is two months before the date of your departure to Turkey. Whereas, the latest you can lodge an application is one month before.

You should submit your application file at the Turkish embassy or consulate in your country of residence. In some countries, you may have to submit your application at a third-party visa application center, to which Turkey has outsourced visa submission.

Within 10 days after your application, your employer should submit some other documents required from his side to the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS). If your employer fails to deliver the documents on time, your application will be rejected for being uncompleted.

Select the right Turkish work visa

Depending on the field of employment in Turkey, when you complete the online form for a Turkish Work Visa, you will need to select one of the employment types listed below:

• Employment Purpose/Special Employment Purpose
• Assigned Lecturers/Academics
• Assigned Sportsperson
• Assigned Artists
• Assigned Free Zone Workers
• Assigned Journalists
• Montage and Repairman Purposes

Complete the online form at the pre-requirement system

Once you have figured out all of the above, you can now continue with the next procedures to apply for a Turkey work visa. You need to complete the online visa application form, which contains a few simple questions on your identity and purpose of visit.

Upon the completion of this form, you will then receive a date for your interview appointment.

Required Documents to Apply for a Turkey Work Visa

To apply for a Turkish Visa, you need to submit a few documents on the day of your interview. These documents are:

• Completed Turkey work visa application form.
• Your valid passport. Should be valid for at least another six months after you arrive in Turkey.
• Two photos. You should submit biometric photos that are taken within six months.
• Police clearance certificate. This document will prove that you are no under criminal investigation or haven’t had legal issues in the past.
• Job offer or contract. The document must indicate your job position, the monthly salary, and the period of contract validity.
• Sworn translation or an official certified translation of the diploma or provisional graduation certificate.
• Diploma or Provisional Graduation Equivalency Certificate. This document should be obtained in accordance with the Turkish Regulation on the Equivalency of Diplomas from Foreign Higher Education Institutions.
• Medical Insurance. Covering the whole of Turkey for the whole period of your intended stay here.
• Evidence of accommodation in Turkey. This could be a rent agreement or proof of a real estate property in Turkey.
• Means of subsistence. The Turkish authorities demand evidence of having at least €50 for every day you plan to spend for Turkey.
• Proof of booked flight tickets. If you are planning to travel to Turkey by plane, you will need to book a roundtrip flight and present this document to the embassy or consulate on the day of your appointment.

According to your case and nationality, the embassy that processes your application may ask you to submit additional documents. Make sure you submit all of them on time.

Turkish Employment Visa Appointment

On the day of your visa appointment, show up on time at the embassy, consulate or visa application center. Make sure you have all the required documents with you and none is missing. The interview is a short meeting with a consular officer, who will ask you questions on your new job offer and background.

Try preparing a bit before your interview prior to this day. Make sure you are relaxed and answer every question correctly.

After the interview, you should notify your employer in Turkey. The employer must submit additional documents at the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS) within ten working days after your application.

Turkey Work Permit Application

A Turkey work visa application is worthless without the work permit application. While the application for a Turkey work visa should be submitted by the foreign employee, the application process for a work permit should be completed by the employer in Turkey.

The Turkey work permit is equivalent to a residence permit.

How to Apply for a Turkey Work Permit

Within ten days after your visa appointment at the Turkish embassy or consulate in your country of residence, your employer in Turkey should complete an online application at the website of the Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS).

Upon the completion of the application, the employer should send to the embassy the required documents, either via mail or in person. This should be completed within ten days after your interview, and within a maximum of six business days after the online application. Please calculate the time with your employer so you don’t lose the chance of getting a work visa only because of deadlines.

 Required Documents for a Turkey Work Permit

The employer in Turkey should submit the following as a part of a Turkey Work Permit application:

• Work permit application letter.
• Foreign personnel application form.
• The Trade Registry Gazette of Turkey, detailing the current shareholding and capital structure of the entity.
• A balance sheet and profit/loss statement for the most recent year, certified by the tax office or a certified public accountant.
• Notarized power of attorney for the person authorized to file the online application as a user on behalf of the entity or organization to employ the foreigner.

Upon the submission of these documents, all that is left to do for you and your employer is to wait for the processing of your application.

Turkey Visa and Work Permit Application Processing

After your employer submits the required documents for a Turkey work permit, the ministry takes a maximum of thirty days to come up with a decision.

The procedures regarding duly submitted work permit applications are concluded by the ministry within a maximum of thirty days provided all required documents are submitted in full.

the ministry forwards the affirmative or negative decision regarding the work permit application to the relevant consulate of the Republic of Turkey (via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), which

After You Get a Turkish Work Visa

After your application is approved, you have a maximum of hundred and eighty days to enter Turkey.  As soon as you arrive in Turkey, you are required to register to the Address Registry System in Turkey within a maximum of one month after your arrival.

Source: Worldwide Travel Visa Guide