For foreign students registered to Mengütaş Language Education Center, education certificate will be arranged up to the period of registration, and residence permit will be given by the Ankara Immigration Department Forgeiners Branch.
Property purchase
In the case of foreigners buying property in Turkey, the same documents as listed above are required for a residency application, along with a document detailing the property to be purchased; or in the case of a completed transaction, the original and a copy of the title deeds.
https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/
Residence permit for study
This is only available to a foreign student in Turkey on an Educational Visa issued by the Turkish consulate in their country of residence. University students must supply a “Student Information Form For Foreign Students” – consult the Turkish consulate. The following are required:
- 4 passport-sized photographs
- Passport and photocopy, with a copy of the valid Turkish visa and entry stamp
- Current student certificate
- Bank statement or a currency exchange slip indicating a minimum monthly asset value for the period of the permit; or a notary certified letter from a guardian in Turkey; or proof of a scholarship providing funds
Students aged 18 to 30 years participating in one of the many EU educational initiatives such as Erasmus, Socrates and Leonardo Da Vinci can get necessary documents from the relevant organisation.
Residence permit for tourism
Only one permit is issued per applicant per calendar year; if the entry visa has expired the application is not accepted. The following are required:
- 4 passport-sized photographs
- Passport and photocopy, with a copy of the valid Turkish visa and entry stamp
- Bank statement or a currency exchange slip indicating a minimum monthly asset value for the period of the permit
- Proof of residential address: notary certified rental contract; or if hosted by a Turkish citizen, a letter of commitment and their identity card (Nüfus Cüzdan); or proof of hotel reservation
Residence Permit
(For Foreign students for study Turkish through Mengütaş only)
Within one month after you enter Turkey you must apply for your Residence Permit at the Ankara Security Office, Bureau for Foreigners. Below is the list of documents you must submit for your residence permit application. Generally you can pick up your residence permit along with your passport after a week as your passport is kept along with your application documents. You must pick up your own permit.
Ankara Immigration Office Address: Hoşdere Cad. No:144, Çankaya / Ankara
REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENT RESIDENCE PERMIT
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Student certificate – can be obtained from Mengutash Foreign Language School
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“Declaration for Residence Permit” form (can be copied from ICO) – you MUST sign both FRONT and BACK pages
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“Requirements for Foreigners” document signed by the student
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“Receipt of Application” document filled in by the student
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Letter from the director of your dorm, if you are staying in a campus dorm (this letter can be obtained after registering your permanent dorm). Off-campus students indicate their residence address in Ankara on the “Declaration for Residence Permit.”
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4 photographs (please write your name at the back for each and paste/glue one of them on the last blank of the “Declaration for Residence Permit” indicating photo)
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Your passport
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Copy of your passport: identity information page, Turkish visa page and all pages with stamps must be copied.
- General Health Insurance
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the booklet fee
- One dossier/folder (it should be purchased at the kiosk at the Bureau for Foreigners, Security Office)
FOREIGN NATIONAL IDENTITY NUMBER
Every foreign resident, just like any Turkish citizen, has an identity number issued by the Turkish Republic.
In other words, students who do not have this number will not be able to learn their grades, get student certificates or graduate. For this reason, those who have not submitted their Foreign National Identity numbers previously, need to submit the number to the advisor who is responsible for their program in the Registrar’s Office, visiting the Registrar’s Office (see for a list of advisors of Registrar’s Office, http://oidb.metu.edu.tr/en/contact).
HOW TO FIND OUT YOUR FOREIGN NATIONAL IDENTITY NUMBER
- Make an inquiry by either entering your Residence Permit Number (İkamet Tezkere no.: the number on the first page of your Residence Permit, e.g. 1-112233), or your personal information.
- Upon your inquiry, you will be given an 11 digit number generally starting with 99 upon. Take a print-out of this inquiry and submit it to the advisor who is responsible for your department in Registrar’s Office.
- There is a possibility that the inquiry may not give you a number, which means that you have not been assigned this number yet. In this case, you will need to go to the Turkish National Police/ Foreigners Unit (Ankara Emniyet Müdürlüğü/ Yabancılar Şubesi) to learn your Foreign National Identity Number. Once you obtain the number, submit it to the Registrar’s Office as instructed in (3) above.
WARNING: You must obtain your Foreign National Identity Number as soon as you get your residence permit so that you may benefit from the General Health Insurance services.
HEALTH CARE SERVICES
The first resort for students regarding their health and psychological problems is the Health and Guidance Center (HGC). Students apply with their Student ID Card to the Patient Reception Desk. The student’s initial examination, tests and treatment are carried out at the HGC within capacity and in accordance with the regulations. In cases which call for further examination, tests and treatment, state and university or private hospitals are resorted to. There is a treatment fee as determined by the Council of Higher Education. This fee must be paid for each visit to a physician.
GENERAL HEALTH INSURANCE (GHI)
Students who are covered by GHI may apply to state and university hospitals with their Foreign National Number as long as they have paid their premium. No payment is required at state and university hospitals. Therefore, it is recommended that all international students register for GHI. The patient share for medications is 20%. Coverage of expenses for eye glasses etc. is in accordance with the Directive for Health Applications (for example, a coverage of 45 TL for the frame + 11 TL for the glass is valid for 2013.)
Students have to pay a balance if they choose to go to a private hospital. This balance may be different at each hospital. The patient share for medications is 20%.
In order to register for GHI, international students must apply to the Social Security City Directorate or to the Social Security Center of the district in which the student resides within 3 months after they obtain their Foreign National Number from the Directorate of National Police in Ankara, where they obtained their residence permit. After registration at the Accounts Unit at the HGC, and once they deposit the GHI premium to the bank they become insured. Students have to pay this premium determined as the minimum amount annually as long as their education continues. This annual amount is about 500 TL. Every year there is an increment in the premium amount after January. Students are responsible for being aware of and pay this amount.
The premium may be deposited in the relevant accounts at Vakıflar Bank, Ziraat Bank (both of which are on campus) and Halk Bank by stating the Foreign National Identity Number.
Students who do not apply for the GHI within the 3-month legal period for application may not benefit from this right afterwards. Therefore students are strongly advised not to ignore this procedure.
Students holding Turkey, Ministry of National Education-State, Ministry of National Education-Government, or Eastern Turkestan scholarships do not pay GHI premiums, but are insured within the scope of their scholarships.
Exchange students and students of International Graduate Joint Degree Programs (except for GTSS students) do not pay GHI premiums.
International students who have a valid health insurance in Turkey through their parents are to submit a document proving this to the Social Security City Directorate or to the Social Security Center of the district in which the student resides.
You may get information about your premium debt from the HGC Accounts Unit (3rd Floor).
How to become a GHI beneficiary in 5 steps:
1. Find out your Foreign National Identity Number.
To learn your Foreign National Identity Number, please visit https://tckimlik.nvi.gov.tr/ and make an inquiry.
If you cannot learn your Foreign National Identity Number through this inquiry, please go to the Turkish National Police / Foreigners Unit (Emniyet/Yabancılar Şubesi) with your Residence Permit. Request your Foreign National Idendity Number.
2. Get 2 print-outs of the document indicating your name, surname, Foreign National Identity Number from the above Internet page.
3. Submit one copy of the print-out to the advisor in charge of your department at the Registrar’s Office (If you have already done this, there is no need for resubmittal.).
4. Submit the second copy of the print-out to the Social Security City Directorate or to the Social Security Center of the district in which you reside. You will be added to the system of the Social Security Institution.
5. Make your premium payment.
NB: Contact information of Social Security City Directorate and Social Security Centers are sent through e-mail by International Students’ Office.
Health and Insurance
Turkey has a well-established healthcare sector with a large number of Turkish doctors and dentists who speak English, particularly in the major hospitals. All hospitals have an emergency room that is open 24 hours a day, physicians and pharmacies are on call 24 hours, 7 days a week.
All universities in Turkey have a free medical service at their medical centres. It offers advice on emergency treatment and consultations on personal and health matters. There is always at least one medical doctor and one nurse working during the week at the health centres of university campuses. However, international students are strongly advised to come to Turkey with a valid health insurance policy. International students are responsible for costs of hospitalization or for any medical service or treatment not available at university health centres. The Health Insurance Policy should cover both Asiatic and European Turkey. Some of the international insurance services are as follows:
• AXA PPP Healthcare : www.axappphealthcare.co.uk
• BUPA : www.bupa-intl.com
• ExpaCare Insurance Services : www.expacare.net
All students holding a Turkish Residency Permit of more than 6 months will automatically be registered at the Turkish Social Security Institution through the centralized system. At a national level however, the Turkish Government requires that all international students get a mandatory local health insurance policy with the Turkish Social Security Institution (SGK) to enable them to benefit health insurance while in Turkey. Students are responsible for their own monthly payments of health insurance contributions.
The insurance will be valid until the end of the academic year. In order to activate the medical insurance, students should go the local health authority with:
• Resident Permit
• Passport
• Student ID
Students usually receive an SGK number upon the registration at the health authority.
Medical insurance allows you to buy your medicine by paying 20% of the total amount prescribed by the doctor. There are many state and private hospitals in Turkey. The cost that you are going to pay depends on the pricing policy of each hospital. Some of the hospitals wok under complete agreements with SGK insurance and some of them require extra costs which are not covered by the SGK insurance.
The International Office of the schools you attend can help you in setting up the process.
Besides, private policies can be bought from banks or from specialised insurance offices. You may arrange your private health insurance through the following insurance companies. The main insurance companies have branches in all the big towns.
• Ak Sigorta : www.aksigorta.com.tr
• Anadolu Sigorta : www.anadolusigorta.com.tr
• Axaoyak : www.axaoyak.com.tr
• Basak Sigorta : www.basak.com.tr
• Finans Sigorta : www.finanssigorta.com.tr
• Gunes Sigorta : www.gunessigorta.com.tr
• Ihlas Sigorta : www.ihlassigorta.com.tr
• Isvicre Sigorta : www.isvicre-sigorta.com.tr
• Yapi Kredi Sigorta : www.yksigorta.com.tr