Türkiye's Directorate General of Migration Management will impose sharply higher residence permit application fees from May 1, 2026, raising certain categories by as much as 930%.

The move replaces a long-standing framework under which nationals of a broad group of countries paid the Turkish lira equivalent of roughly $85 per year in residence permit tax. The listed countries include the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, France, India, China, Russia is not listed, but Iran, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Pakistan is not listed, and more than 100 others ranging from Australia and Japan's neighbors such as Indonesia and Thailand to Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, and Mexico.

New fee schedule

Under the new tariff, applicants from the listed countries will pay:

• ₺14,233 ($315 as of April 29) for a six-month permit
• ₺28,467 ($631) for a one-year permit
• ₺56,935 ($1,263) for a two-year permit
• ₺83,722 ($1,857) for a three-year permit

These amounts are payable to the tax office and apply to applications initiated after May 1, 2026. Applicants whose residence period legally begins before that date may still apply under the former tariff.

Different model for other nationalities

For nationals of countries not on the published list, the calculation model has also changed. The first month's fee will range between ₺653.70 ($14) and ₺3,359.90 ($75), followed by ₺2,232.30 ($49) for each additional month. The Migration Directorate has not issued a uniform flat schedule for these countries; the binding amount will be the figure displayed in the online application system at the time of filing.

Who stays exempt — and who does not

Certain categories remain partially insulated. University students, excluding TOMER language-course participants, and long-term permanent residence applicants will continue to pay only the residence card fee, with no additional tax surcharge.

All other categories fall within the new pricing regime: short-term (touristic) residence permits, family residence permits, property-owner permits, permits linked to citizenship-by-investment applications, and TOMER (Turkish Learning Center) based permits.

Notably absent from the announcement is any exemption for foreign nationals married to Turkish citizens. A foreign spouse applying for a three-year family residence permit will face a government fee approaching roughly $2,000, exclusive of translation, notarization, health insurance, and administrative costs. Guardians applying on behalf of foreign minor children face the same fee structure for each child.

Foreign nationals who enter Türkiye visa-free and whose prior residence or work permit is inactive will also pay a single-entry visa fee when applying. That fee has been updated to ₺9,376.40 ($208), up from the former $174.

Work permit fees rise too

Work permit fees have also been revised upward. The standard work permit application fee is now ₺12,574.90, while the indefinite (unlimited) work permit fee stands at ₺125,802.20.

European comparison

Placed in a European context, Türkiye's revised structure appears steep. Current standard residence permit fees elsewhere remain far lower:

• Hungary: €60–€210 (long-term approx. €25)
• Portugal: €160–€255 (excluding Golden Visa programs)
• Italy: €100–€160 (plus €16 stamp duty and postal/card fees)
• Spain: €11–€410 (higher in employment-linked cases)

What it means

The most immediate impact is likely to fall on digital nomads, short-term professional residents, and middle-income expatriates. High-net-worth investors may absorb the increase without changing their plans; lower- and middle-income foreign residents may not.

Türkiye has in recent years positioned itself as an accessible jurisdiction for remote workers and internationally mobile professionals. A nearly tenfold increase in residence tax raises questions about whether the objective is revenue optimization, demand reduction, or a structural recalibration of the foreign resident profile.

The change continues a rapid evolution of Türkiye's migration framework over the past two years, which has tightened sponsorship rules and expanded enforcement measures. Whether the fiscal barrier marks strategic recalibration or a reactive administrative response will become clearer in the coming months.

Applicants should rely on the fee displayed in the Migration Directorate's online application system at the time of filing and monitor official announcements for further updates.