Refusal of Residence Permit in Turkey

Turkey, with its vibrant cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, and Ankara, its climate, economic opportunities, and quality of life, continues to be the choice of foreigners to stay and live for a long. However, legal issues such as the rejection of a Turkish citizenship application or the denial of your application for a residence permit in Turkey can get in the way of these dreams.

As your immigration lawyer in Istanbul, Viridis Legal Partners can assist you in obtaining a residence permit in Turkey as a foreigner, and if your residence permit application is rejected, we can assist you in re-applying for a residence permit, appealing the rejection of the residence permit application and filing a lawsuit against the cancellation of the rejection of the residence permit application. In this guide, you can find the reasons for the rejection of a residence permit application in Turkey, how to appeal and file a lawsuit against the rejection of a residence permit application, whether it is possible to reapply for a residence permit in Turkey in case of rejection of a residence permit application and how to apply, and other details about the rejection of a residence permit application in Turkey.

Common Reasons for Residence Permit Rejections In Turkey

In Turkey, the types of residence permits, application conditions, and grounds for refusal of residence permits are regulated in Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458.

Rejection of residence permit applications in Turkey may occur for many reasons. These may be reasons that may be encountered in all types of applications such as failure to prove that the applicant has sufficient and regular financial means for the period of stay in Turkey, submission of false or incomplete documents, criminal record, or reasons specific to the application method such as fake marriages in family reunification residence permits, failure to submit a convincing travel plan in short-term residence permits for tourism purposes, incomplete or incorrect calculation of the duration of residence in long-term residence permit applications.

The examination and finalisation of residence permit applications in Turkey is regulated in Article 22 of the Regulation on the Implementation of Law No. 6458, which provides general information on the reasons for the refusal of residence permit applications. The aforementioned Article is as follows.

Examination and finalisation of residence permit applications

ARTICLE 22 – (1) The foreigner shall be notified of the missing or required supplementary information and documents during the application. If the information and documents are not completed within thirty days from the date of notification, the application shall be cancelled.

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(4) If deemed necessary, it shall be investigated whether there is an unfavourable situation in terms of public order or public security.

(5) A medical report shall be requested from those who have been previously processed due to a disease that threatens public health.

(6) For residence permit applications other than family and long-term residence permits, the declaration of the foreigner shall be taken as basis in determining whether he/she has sufficient and regular financial means during the period of stay in the country. In cases where the declaration is not convincing, the foreigner shall be asked for information and documents that will provide a concrete determination of the financial means and the following issues shall be sought in determining the adequacy of the financial means

a) Having the financial means to cover monthly expenses equal to the net minimum wage valid as of the year of application.

b) Having the financial means equal to one third of the minimum wage for each family member, including himself/herself, with a total income not less than the minimum wage.

c) Not to base his/her financial means solely on the commitments of third parties.

(8) The address where the foreigner will stay in Turkey may be a fixed address or one of the addresses of the accommodation facility. In any case, the foreigner shall declare the complete address information. When necessary, additional information or documents are requested from the foreigner for the complete determination of the address information.

(10) Residence permit applications of foreigners who do not pay the receivables arising from visa violation or previous residence permit or receivables to be pursued and collected according to the Law on Collection Procedure of Public Receivables dated 21/7/1953 and numbered 6183, judicial expenses and attorney fees ordered to be paid as a result of the proceedings to which they are a party, or debts and penalties pursued according to the Turkish Criminal Code dated 26/9/2004 and numbered 5237 shall be rejected.

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(13) Foreigners shall be required to have a valid health insurance covering the duration of the residence permit they request. …

(14) For those who are not covered by general health insurance or who have not applied to the Social Security Institution, private health insurance for a period of one year or more shall be required for residence permit requests of one year or more, provided that it is renewed at the end of the year.

Accordingly, the application for a residence permit may be cancelled if the application is submitted with incomplete documents, and applications for residence permits in Turkey may be rejected for reasons such as the existence of a risk to public order and public security, the applicant poses a risk to public health, the applicant does not have the financial means to afford his/her stay in Turkey, the applicant has not paid his/her debts to the public, the applicant does not have health insurance that covers his/her stay in Turkey and the applicant has an entry ban to Turkey.

Reasons for Rejection of Short-Term Residence Permit In Turkey

Short-term residence permits in Turkey can be granted for various temporary reasons such as touristic purposes, short-term education, or courses. When applying for such a permit, you need to clearly state the purpose of your stay in Turkey and provide appropriate documentation. For example for short-term residence permits to be issued for those who own immovable property in Turkey, the applicant must submit a copy of the title deed showing that the value of the residential property is at least 200 thousand US Dollars equivalent of Turkish Lira as of the date of acquisition; for the short-term residence permit to be applied for by those who apply for citizenship by investment, the applicant must submit a certificate of conformity. for the short-term residence permit to be applied for by those who apply for citizenship by investment

Reasons for Rejection of Family Residence Permit In Turkey

Family residence permits in Turkey have conditions for both the applicant and the sponsor. Failure to fulfill these conditions may result in the denial of family residence permit applications. For example, family residence permit applications are rejected if the sponsor does not have sufficient economic means, is not registered in the address registration system, the marriage is made only for the purpose of applying for a family residence permit, i.e. an arranged marriage, the sponsor and the applicant do not intend to live together.

Reasons for Rejection of Student Residence Permit In Turkey

Student residence permits in Turkey are issued to foreigners who will study for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree at a higher education institution. For this reason, those who provide the necessary documents from the universities where they are studying can obtain a student residence permit if they do not have general reasons for refusal such as being among the foreigners who are not allowed to enter Turkey for reasons such as prohibition from entering Turkey, public order, public health.

Reasons for Rejection of Long-Term Residence Permit In Turkey

Long-term residence permit in Turkey is granted to foreigners who have stayed in Turkey with a residence permit for at least eight years without interruption. Long-term residence permit applications are usually rejected due to miscalculation of the duration of stay in Turkey or because the application is made without taking into account the deduction. In addition, long-term residence permit applications may also be rejected on the grounds that the applicant has received social assistance in the last three years, does not have sufficient and regular income, does not have valid health insurance, or poses a danger to public order and public security.

What To Do Against Residence Permit Rejection In Turkey

If your application for the residence permit in Turkey is rejected, the following options can be considered:

• to reapply for the residence permit in Turkey,
• to appeal to the administration for the removal of the decision to reject the application for the residence permit in Turkey,
• to file a lawsuit for the cancellation of the decision to reject the application for the residence permit in Turkey.

Reapplication for Residence Permit In Turkey After Rejection

If the foreigner is going to apply for a residence permit again within 6 months following the notification of the decision to reject the residence permit application, he/she must apply for a different type of residence permit than his/her previous application. In other words, the foreigner whose residence permit application has been rejected cannot reapply for a residence permit for the same reason within 6 months after the rejection.

Appeal Against Residence Permit Rejection In Turkey

If the application for the residence permit in Turkey is rejected, the applicant has the right to appeal against the rejection decision. The appeal authority is the Directorate General of Migration Management, which evaluates the residence permit application. The applicant must exercise the right to appeal within 60 days from the day following the notification of the decision. The administration decides on the appeal within 30 days. Upon appeal, the administration may accept the application and correct the procedure or reject it, or may not decide on the application within 30 days. If the administration rejects the objection or remains silent, a lawsuit can be filed before the administrative court.

Cancellation Lawsuit For Turkish Citizenship Rejection

If the application for the residence permit in Turkey is rejected, the applicant may file a cancellation lawsuit before the administrative court. The applicant may file a lawsuit directly or, if s/he first appeals to the administration and fails to obtain a result, s/he may file a lawsuit.

The time limit for filing a lawsuit is 60 days from the day following the notification of the rejection decision to the foreigner. If an objection is first lodged with the administration within this period, the time limit for filing a lawsuit is suspended. The competent and authorised court shall be the administrative courts in the place where the administration issuing the refusal decision is located. If the lawsuit filed before the administrative courts of the first instance is rejected, an appeal against the decision is open. The foreigner whose case is rejected may file an appeal to the regional administrative court within 30 days from the notification of the decision. Appeal decisions are final.

How We Can Assist: Your Immigration Lawyer In Turkey

As Viridis Legal Partners, we appreciate how important it is for you to choose the right immigration lawyer in Turkey. As your immigration lawyer in Istanbul, we have extensive experience in Turkish law on foreigners and immigration related issues in many areas such as residence permit applications in Turkey, appeals against residence permits in Turkey, and cancellations of residence permits in Turkey refusals. We also provide clear and effective communication as your English-speaking Turkish lawyers so that you can fully understand your legal options and the procedures involved.

What sets Viridis Legal Partners apart is our knowledge of both Turkish and international legal standards. Our expertise in both local and international frameworks ensures that your cases for appeal against residence permit in Turkey rejections are efficient and free from unnecessary delays. With Viridis Legal Partners by your side, you will benefit from tailored legal advice designed to meet your needs and achieve your immigration goals in Turkey.

Contact us today for a consultation or to benefit from our Turkish immigration lawyer and deportation law services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I stay in Turkey while my appeal against Turkish residence permit rejection is being processed?

Upon the rejection of the residence permit application, the foreigner is given 10 days to leave Turkey and if the foreigner does not leave Turkey within this period, he/she is deported. Filing an objection or cancellation lawsuit does not remove the obligation to leave Turkey upon the rejection of the application. In the event that a stay of execution decision is given with the lawsuit filed, the obligation to leave Turkey is removed.

What are my options if my appeal for the residence permit in Turkey is denied?

After your application for a residence permit in Turkey has been rejected, you can reapply for a residence permit for another reason or you can file a lawsuit for the cancellation of the rejection.

How long does the entire appeal against the residence permit in Turkey process take?

In Turkey, the process of appealing the rejection of residence permit applications takes between 3 months and one year, depending on the intensity of the governorships and courts.

What are the costs associated with appealing a residence permit rejection?

As of 2025, the total cost of postage and fees for cancellation lawsuits in administartive courts varies between 2,400 ₺ and 4,700 ₺.