Applying for residency in Izmir

Member since 08 March 2011

greterolandMember21 July 2013 10:25:06

It's funny how the chain of events took place toward acquiring my residency permit. When I arrived with my family, son and his daughter, our neighbors greeted us. The next day the English-speaking neighbor took me to the nearest town to our villa in Izmir.
I had told him I wanted to open a bank account. I had a lot of American dollars on me. However, after waiting a while for my number to come up at the bank, the teller said I had to have a tax number and to go to the 'Emniyet Murduruglu' in Izmir to get it. The next day I took the 'dolmus' (really a mini-bus) to Uckuyular (the dolmus and bus terminal) and a taxi into Konak where the government buildings are. I found my way to the 'Emniyet' after going through two police check points, into a building, and up to the third floor. I went into an office to pick up a number and forms. Then after an hour of waiting with a lot of other people, my number came up and I went in. I asked for the tax number and handed in the forms. Surprisingly, I was caught up in the residency process because the tax office, 'Cakabay Vergi Daire' was a mile-walk away. OK. I submitted what I had and was given instructions to get my proof of income papers translated and notarized. The addresses were handed to me on a slip of paper. I asked my way to the translator's office and gave my proof of yearly income. "Come back tomorrow," she said. "How about today?" I answered, and she told me to come back in three hours. Then I went to the tax office (see above), showed my passport, and got my tax number in less than five minutes. It was 12:00, so all the government buildings were closed for an hour lunch. I had some hours to kill. I went to get a map of Izmir and a pocket bilingual dictionary, carrot juice and a sandwich, and sat in the shade on a very hot day. Finally the time came, and I went to the translator and picked up my papers and some doors nearby to get them notarized. It cost me nothing for the tax number, $50 for the translations, and $100 to the notary public.
Back at the Emniyet, I had to wait for three hours, pay a fee and get the application stamped in another office near the entrance to the building and return. Time had run out. They close at 5:00PM, so I couldn't get the last stamp at another office building in this governmental complex and pay the fee for it. I had to return the next day for this final step. After getting this stamp the next day, I was back at the Emniyet office, waited, and had all my stamped papers checked. Then the official took my passport and gave me a small slip of paper with a number and the date and said: "Come back in two weeks." The last 'residency visit' two weeks later was short. I only had to pick up my passport and a little booklet, which was my residency visa.

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unity100 Active member

Member since 24 September 2012

unity100Active member22 July 2013 18:55:13

They dont give you a bank account unless you have a tax number. and to get a tax number for the first time, you need a residency permit. tho they were trying to make it easier to get a tax number by just showing passport but i dont know how did it turn out.

greteroland Member

Member since 08 March 2011

greterolandMember22 July 2013 19:36:49

Thanks for you response! I started the process for the residency application without realizing it. While waiting for the translation of my proof of income papers, I went to Cakabay Vergi Daire, just showed my passport, and got the tax number.
It took five minutes. After that, I waited for the translation to be done, picked it up three house later, and went to the notary public (very expensive). Time had run out to deliver all these papers and make the residency tax payment at another office - in the same complex as the Emniyet.
The next day I was able to complete the process, which included handing over my passport for two weeks. Well, two weeks later I picked it along with my residency visa booklet. My next challenge is to acquire the social security health number in order to have health insurance here. Have you had any experience with this process? Where do I go to get started?
As for the bank account, once I had my residency number and tax number, I was able to open one.

unity100 Active member

Member since 24 September 2012

unity100Active member22 July 2013 21:13:54

greteroland wrote:
Thanks for you response! I started the process for the residency application without realizing it. While waiting for the translation of my proof of income papers, I went to Cakabay Vergi Daire, just showed my passport, and got the tax number.

this means they are giving tax nos with just passport these days. to open a bank account.

My next challenge is to acquire the social security health number in order to have health insurance here. Have you had any experience with this process? Where do I go to get started?

since i was born a turkish citizen, i wont be able to help you there - we did residency procedures for my wife (then fiancee), and we didnt go for any kind of temporary citizen no or tax no.

however, there arent separate tax number, citizen number, social security number etc for turkish citizens - citizen no is the no used for everything.

since entire government database is centralized, it should not be different for non-citizens - your tax no can already be your social security number etc.

however i dont have definitive information on this, you need to ask.

however, the info on this turkish visa processor basically says :

http://www.yabancilar.com.tr/?&Bid=1152 … %B0GORTASI

- if you are working in turkey, ie have a work permit, or working for a corporation as an employee etc, you dont need to do anything since youll already be paying income tax, healthcare tax etc over your salary (company will be paying). you will have same rights with any other turk. if you paid at least 30 days of healthcare in the past year, you and your dependents can receive healthcare.

- for people who are not working in a company, paying income taxes, or individually (voluntarily, without being an employee) paying social security+healthcare : if you are not covered by any country's (your own included) healthcare, OR you are living in turkey longer than a year, you have to pay GSS (general health insurance).

in that case you need to go to any SGK office (social security office) and apply with a form. they should be able to supply you the form there.

a catch is, even if you pay full, if you or any family member has any chronic disease before coming to turkey, these wont be paid by the healthcare.

.............

as for healthcare in turkey, even if you pay full healthcare, the service you will be receiving wont be good enough - and you will be expected to meet a certain part of expenses - like, they will charge you a certain amount of examination fee every time, and they will expect you to meet a certain amount of the subscriptions etc.

also the places which are in contract with the GSS system dont tend to be so good places.

in short, they are trying to make healthcare a private, for-profit sector for the benefit of megacorps after the system in usa, and this will be reflected in the quality of service you may receive.

it should be possible to do better with a private health insurance, tho you should research for that.