Family Residence Permit in Turkey

A family residence permit lets the spouse and children of a foreign resident (or of a Turkish citizen) live in Turkey. The application is filed online, but it falls apart on the paperwork: foreign certificates that haven't been apostilled, or translated the wrong way. Here is how to get that part right.

The documents that need extra steps

• Marriage certificate (if you are applying as a spouse). It must carry an apostille from the country that issued it, and have a Turkish translation notarized by a Turkish notary.
• Birth certificate (for each child). The same rule: an apostille from the issuing country and a notarized Turkish translation.
• A court ruling, if the sponsoring parent is divorced and is the child's legal guardian. A notarized Turkish translation of the ruling is generally required.

What doesn't need the full treatment

• Passport photocopies. Universities and migration offices commonly state that no translation or approval is needed for photocopies of the passport.
• Documents issued by Turkish authorities. These should be e-signed or signed and stamped by the issuing Turkish office. They don't need an apostille.

The short version

Each foreign certificate needs an apostille from the country that issued it and a notarized Turkish translation. Once those are ready, they are submitted with the online (e-ikamet) application to your provincial migration office.

If your country isn't in the Apostille Convention

An apostille only works between member countries. If your country isn't one, the documents usually need to be approved by that country's authorities, and by the Turkish consulate or the foreign ministry. Ask early, because this takes longer.

Mistakes that cause deficiency notices

• Skipping the notary. An ordinary translation, even by a good translator, isn't enough. The translation has to be notarized in Turkey.
• Name or date mismatches. Spellings that differ from the passport, or errors introduced in translation, are a common reason a file is sent back.
• Old documents. Some offices want a recently issued certificate. Check with your provincial migration office before ordering one.
• Assuming every office is identical. Rules are national, but each provincial directorate can ask for small extras. Look at what your own office asks for.

How we help

We handle the Turkish side: sworn translation, notarization, and the apostille steps for documents that need one, including through our remote E-Apostille service. We are not a migration law firm, so for questions about eligibility, income requirements or which permit type to choose, speak to a migration lawyer or your provincial migration office.