Türkiye · Business / Startup
Türkiye Business contacts residence
Income needed: TRY 28k+ a month ≈ $570
Short-term residence permit — business or commercial connections
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Business contacts residence is a business / startup route for Türkiye. Applicants need income of TRY 28k+ a month ≈ $570. You can stay 2 yrs, renewable. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- TRY 28k+ a month ≈ $570
- Government fees
- TRY 964 ≈ $20
- Processing
- Up to 90 days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee TRY 964 ≈ $20; income to show TRY 28k+/mo ≈ $570; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesTRY 964 ≈ $20
- TRY 964 (≈ $20)Residence permit document fee for 2026, charged to all nationalities; a separate residence duty depends on nationality and permit length.
Shown, not spentTRY 28k+/mo ≈ $570
- TRY 28,075.5 a month (≈ $570)Means to cover monthly expenses equal to the net minimum wage in the year of application (TRY 28,075.50 (≈ $570) net in 2026); the applicant's declaration is accepted unless the authority finds it unconvincing.
RenewalRenewable
Short-term permits are issued for at most 2 years each time and can be renewed.
Permanent residenceAfter 8 years of residence
Long-term (indefinite) residence needs 8 years of uninterrupted residence in Türkiye on residence permits, no social assistance in the last 3 years, sufficient regular income and valid health insurance.
ProcessingUp to 90 days
Residence permit applications must be decided within 90 days (Law 6458 Art. 21).
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The applicant will establish business or commercial connections.
What you must show1
- The applicant can cover monthly expenses equal to the 2026 net minimum wage of TRY 28,075.50 (≈ $570).
Documents1
- An invitation letter or similar document from the persons or companies concerned, for stays above three months.
When you become tax resident
How Türkiye decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
Income tax residence is separate from immigration status.
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (20 years)
Individuals who become Turkish tax residents and had no domicile or tax liability in Türkiye in the preceding three calendar years are exempt from income tax on income and gains earned outside Türkiye for twenty years.
- Special regime
Foreign-source income exemption · 0% tax
All tax rules for Türkiye Tax records checked
Full official text
Short-term residence for foreigners who will establish business or commercial connections; an invitation letter or similar document from the persons or companies concerned is requested for stays above three months. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least TRY 28,075.5 a month (≈ $570) · Means to cover monthly expenses equal to the net minimum wage in the year of application (TRY 28,075.50 (≈ $570) net in 2026); the applicant's declaration is accepted unless the authority finds it unconvincing. 3 4 5
- A fee of TRY 964 (≈ $20) · Residence permit document fee for 2026, charged to all nationalities; a separate residence duty depends on nationality and permit length. 6
Requirements
- The applicant will establish business or commercial connections. 1 2
- The applicant can cover monthly expenses equal to the 2026 net minimum wage of TRY 28,075.50 (≈ $570). 3 4
- An invitation letter or similar document from the persons or companies concerned, for stays above three months. 1 2
Stay
- Issued for at most 2 years each time.
- First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
No work right from the permit.
Official sources
- Residence permit types: short-term, family, student, long-term · Presidency of Migration Management, Ministry of Interior · checked 2026-10-11
- Work permit FAQ: temporary, independent and permanent work permits · Ministry of Labour and Social Security · checked 2026-10-11
- Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection · Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Legislation Information System · checked 2026-10-11
- 2026 minimum wage set at net TRY 28,075.50 · Ministry of Labour and Social Security · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence permits FAQ (Turkish): financial means, property-based permits · Presidency of Migration Management, Ministry of Interior · checked 2026-10-10
- Presidency of Migration Management: residence permit document fee and duty amounts · Presidency of Migration Management · checked 2026-10-11
- Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection · Grand National Assembly / mevzuat.gov.tr · checked 2026-10-11
Business contacts residence and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business contacts residence | Needs income of TRY 28k+ a month ≈ $570 | 2 yr, renewable | No |
| Independent work permit | – | – | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Italy | Needs savings of €50k+ ≈ $56k | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Business contacts residence?
Income of at least TRY 28,075.5 a month (≈ $570). Means to cover monthly expenses equal to the net minimum wage in the year of application (TRY 28,075.50 (≈ $570) net in 2026); the applicant's declaration is accepted unless the authority finds it unconvincing. A fee of TRY 964 (≈ $20). Residence permit document fee for 2026, charged to all nationalities; a separate residence duty depends on nationality and permit length.
How long can I stay on the Business contacts residence?
Issued for at most 2 years each time.
How long does the Business contacts residence take to process?
Residence permit applications must be decided within 90 days (Law 6458 Art.
Can I work on the Business contacts residence?
No. No work right from the permit.
Does the Business contacts residence lead to permanent residence in Türkiye?
Time on the Business contacts residence counts toward permanent residence in Türkiye, which the rules allow after 8 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Business contacts residence holders in Türkiye?
Foreign-source income exemption for new tax residents (Income Tax Law repeated Art. 20/D): Individuals who become Turkish tax residents and had no domicile or tax liability in Türkiye in the preceding three calendar years are exempt from income tax on income and gains earned outside Türkiye for twenty years. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Foreign-source income exemption for new tax residents (Income Tax Law repeated Art. 20/D)
0% tax
Details
- On: Foreign-source income and gains (kazanç ve iratlar) earned outside Türkiye
- Who: Natural person treated as resident in Türkiye on or after 1 January 2026
Individuals who become Turkish tax residents and had no domicile or tax liability in Türkiye in the preceding three calendar years are exempt from income tax on income and gains earned outside Türkiye for twenty years.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income and gains (kazanç ve iratlar) earned outside Türkiye.
Who it applies to
- Natural person treated as resident in Türkiye on or after 1 January 2026 (domicile in Türkiye or staying continuously more than six months in a calendar year, Art. 3-4).
- No domicile and no tax liability in Türkiye during the three calendar years before becoming resident.
- Earlier Türkiye-source rental, securities income or capital gains liability does not prevent the exemption; a salary or business taxed in Türkiye in those three years does.
- An exemption certificate must be obtained from the tax office: the application is due by the end of the calendar year in which the person becomes resident, or by the end of February of the next year for those who become resident in November or December. A late application is refused.
Exclusions
- Income earned in Türkiye is not covered.
- Costs and expenses of exempt income are not deductible; foreign taxes paid on exempt income cannot be credited against Turkish income tax.
- No annual return is filed for the exempt income; the exemption is lost with retroactive tax if the conditions were not met.
Tax residence
Applies from 1 January 2026 to persons who become resident; added by Law 7582 of 21 May 2026, published 4 June 2026. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance sets procedures.
Visas
Tax residence arises from presence or domicile, not from a particular residence permit.
Other taxes
Social security, VAT and local taxes are separate.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Türkiye
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Residence permit types: short-term, family, student, long-term · Presidency of Migration Management, Ministry of Interior · checked 2026-10-11
- Work permit FAQ: temporary, independent and permanent work permits · Ministry of Labour and Social Security · checked 2026-10-11
- Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection · Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Legislation Information System · checked 2026-10-11
- 2026 minimum wage set at net TRY 28,075.50 · Ministry of Labour and Social Security · checked 2026-10-11
- Residence permits FAQ (Turkish): financial means, property-based permits · Presidency of Migration Management, Ministry of Interior · checked 2026-10-10
- Presidency of Migration Management: residence permit document fee and duty amounts · Presidency of Migration Management · checked 2026-10-11
- Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection · Grand National Assembly / mevzuat.gov.tr · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.