Can You Just Move to Turkey? The Realistic Answer
Can you just move to Turkey? The realistic answer — what the 90-day tourist window actually allows, and what happens after it.
Short answer: not indefinitely, and not without a plan — but yes, more straightforwardly than many countries if you follow the actual process.
Tourist entry (e-Visa or visa-free, depending on your passport) covers up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Beyond that, you need a short-term residence permit (ikamet) — either through a rental contract and proof of income, or through property ownership above the $200,000 threshold. There's no option to simply stay indefinitely on tourist status; renewals based purely on tourism are now routinely refused.
What you can't do is show up and figure it out once you land. The realistic order is: confirm your visa/entry eligibility for your specific nationality, plan your first 90 days, and have your residence permit application ready to file before that window closes. One step everyone skips: since May 2025, all foreign entrants also need a separate Digital Arrival Card (TRDAC), completed online within 72 hours before arrival — this applies regardless of your visa type.
Related guides: check the nationality-specific guides (India, UK, USA, Nigeria, Kenya) for your exact entry requirements, "New Rules for Turkey's Residence Permit" for what's changed recently in the renewal process, and "Turkey Digital Nomad Visa" if remote work eligibility applies to you.
Want this handled for you?
Our concierge service handles visa paperwork, apartment hunting, and your first-month setup end to end.