Does anyone know if I need a bank account and tax id number before I apply for a residence visa? I know I have to prove that I can support myself while living in Turkey, and I do plan to open a bank account and get a tax ID number, but I don´t know what to do first. I will be entering on a 90 day tourist visa. Can I show my USA bank information to get the residence visa, or do I need to show my Turkish bank information?

Hi - yes, to obtain the residence visa you need to have a Turkish bank account - and to open a Turkish bank account you need a tax id number (unless this has changed very recently).  The cost of an ikamet (residence permit) has recently gone up quite a lot but the charges vary for different countries - eg Brits pay much more than Belgians.  Don´t know what the charge is for US citizens but - depending on whereabouts in Turkey you are living and whether or not it is essential for some reason that you have residency - you might find it more economical to pop over to a Greek Island or Bulgaria every 3 months to renew your visa!  

I think it is different for different situations. I got my Yabancilara mahusus ikamet tezkeresi ( residence permit for foreigners) with no problem at all. I didn´t have a Turkish bank account and I was not asked for any proof of money etc. I went to police station soon after my arrival in turkey (no visa planning before) and applied.

I had to pay, can´t remember how much though. And then they gave me the little blue book the residenece permit.

flippin heck ,you had it really easy girl , mine is always a nightmare ,here there and everywhere ,I think its wrong that it depends what part of turkey you decide to live it and the difference in the cost is a bit of a piss take  bence

But weren´t you out here on some sort of voluntary work scheme?  That would have to make it a bit easier than the rigmarole deli and I have to go through!

I didn´t really help as I remeber the guy did not even understand what a volunteer was even when it was explained by a turk . But seems I did have a better experience than the majority .

Not working anymore. İf you stay 3 months in Turkey you must stay out of Turkey in any other country for the next 3 months.

Not for Brits - they can still go to Kos from here and come back the same day.  When did this change?  Our friends just went at the beginning of June.

İf they can come back in the same day after staying in Turkey 90 days tell me. For staying longer you need residence permit.

You can renew your visitor´s visa for a further 90 days by going to Kos for the day.

I think Turkish authorities are planning to do something for those who go out and return to Turkey on the same day. I heard a news about it. I don´t know if they have done something about it but they are thinking about it for sure. So it may change anytime soon if it has not already been changed.

it seems to be happening here where I live, some people have gone out and returned with a new visa stating they must be out of the country for 90 days once their 3 month visa expires ,before returning, here people are  checking thier lastest visa runs and finding they have this different visa, but rumours are going around that they had run out of the original visa stamp and not to take any notice , I cant believe that myself ,but you know what rumours are like.

For some countries it is written black on white that the visa is for 3 months and they cant stay more than 90 days in 6 months.

I found this comment on what looks like an expat site - www.turkeycentral.com:

//Quote:

Tourists entering Turkey are now being issued with a new style of visa with the following words printed on them:

180 gun icinde 90 gun gecerli muteaddit giris visesidir. Turkiye sinirlarindan ilk giriste sure baslar. calisma hakki vermez

Multiple entry visa valid for an intended stay of no more than 90 days per period 180 days. Duration begins on the date of entry to turkey. holder has no right to work.

 End quote//

This looks like they are issuing a 6 month rather than 3 month visa and people can come and go within that time as long as they don´t spend more than 90 days total in the country.  Great for holidaymakers who come more than once a year but obviously a disaster for those ´residents´ without ikamets.  Hmm....due to one thing and another, a lot of expats round this way are considering selling up and moving back to their country of origin - this could be another nail in the coffin for them.  (Hands up all Turks saying ´Good Riddance!!´   

That´s better than the 180 days in 2 years in my UK visa.

Italian were even meaner giving me only 30 days in 180 days.

Agreed...but if you chose/were able to live permanently in either place and obtained a settlement visa (I think this is what it´s called) would you have to keep renewing it - and paying for it again - every year?  This is a question, not a defence btw.

We all pay to our state in some way every year as citizens (income tax, real estate tax, after-military service duties etc.). We all do those sort of things every year. I don´t see any problem with being able to renew it every year. Would it be different for me if I were living UK with similar kind of visa?

I don´t know - that was what I was asking you!

Well i heard that if you applying in the other country you can have 6 months visa for that you have to wait in your country till haveing your visa but if you going and geting visa from in Turkey airport then they giving in 180 days 90 days visa

For ex. İm staying around 30 days in my country and more or less in Turkey. My question is : since when they start counting those 90 days in 6 months ? Since 1st January or same date 6 months ago ?