Problems of moving for permanent residence to Turkey

Moving to Turkey is an excellent solution for those who want a quiet life by the sea. A country in which the traditions of Europe and Asia are mixed, where the climate is comfortable for most and the people are friendly, attracts many. Many people talk about the positive and negative sides of moving for permanent residence, the process itself, but some forget to pay attention to the rather impressive list of problems that you may encounter. Let's take a closer look at them.

Financial issue

In general, moving is a process that costs a lot of money. This is due to a large number of legal procedures, as well as providing yourself with comfortable living conditions. At the first stage, the investment size will be large. Immigrants should prepare to provide a financial cushion in advance so as not to find themselves in a situation of lack of money and not to save money somewhere for a ticket home.

Most often, foreigners coming to Turkey rent housing. However, buying property in Turkey would also be a good option: it can be considered as an investment in the future, because the Turkish real estate market is currently booming.

The cost of rent in the resort town is about 350-400 euros per month (excluding utilities). Therefore, it is necessary to calculate your strength.

Note that the cost of living for modest housing in Turkey is about 300 euros. Add to this the rent, and you will get the approximate cost of living per month (at first).

Job search

This problem is related to the first one. When moving to Turkey, it is worth considering that they are reluctant to hire foreigners for high-paying jobs, and even if you manage to buy real estate in Turkey , it will take some time before you receive citizenship, and if they hire foreigners, then only with a good knowledge of the Turkish language. Since resort cities (Antalya, Alanya, Bodrum, etc.) remain the most popular destinations for relocation, this problem becomes even more widespread: in these places, foreigners, even with knowledge of Turkish, will not always be hired into the service sector.

This issue must be resolved at the stage of preparation for the move. It is advisable to find an employer and negotiate with him about future employment. Of course, the registration will take some time, but you will be provided with a legal, permanent, and most importantly, highly paid job. The most important problem will be closed.

It is worth remembering that in the Republic of Turkey there are no programs to encourage foreign workers, and it is not profitable for Turkish employers to engage in your employment. You must have truly unique qualities and competencies that may be of interest to the employer.

Costs for obtaining a residence permit

As for obtaining a residence permit, here again everything comes down to finances. You will have to go through a large number of legal procedures, which will include various taxes and fees, insurance, and notary fees.

Currently, there is another requirement for candidates: you need to deposit 39,000 liras per person (approximately 2,500 euros) in a Turkish bank. If you are a citizen of Ukraine, then you do not need to do this.

Having dealt with the basic financial issues, let’s move on to what is recommended to do when moving to Turkey for permanent residence in order to avoid the destruction of your expectations regarding this country.

Stay in Turkey for a while

Many people, planning to move for permanent residence, do not seriously think about the fact that they will have to live in this state, perhaps for the rest of their lives or most of it. You shouldn’t immediately buy an apartment there and move: before that, we recommend visiting Turkey and living there for at least a month or two.

This is necessary so that you understand whether you really need to move. There are cases when a person thought one thing about a country, but after moving, he discovered something completely different, something that did not meet his expectations.

Yes, in Turkey they treat foreign citizens very well; many speak English and Russian. Everything is clear with people, but the current economic situation leaves much to be desired: with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, economic activity is falling, and with it the investment attractiveness of this country is declining. Therefore, think about whether you really want to live in a state with a comfortable climate but a stagnant economy.

Learn local traditions

It is recommended to do this before moving for permanent residence. It is believed that Türkiye is the softest country in the Muslim world. However, this is not entirely true: Turkish citizens highly respect their national traditions and love to be treated with respect. Be prepared for the fact that when moving you will live according to Turkish laws, both from a moral and legal point of view.

Prepare your package of documents carefully

We recommend affixing an apostille on absolutely all moving documents - a stamp confirming the authenticity and legality of the document. This is the only way you will avoid problems at the border and in the future, for example, when finding employment. Divorced parents who move to Turkey with children need to obtain two permits - for the child to travel abroad, and also for them to obtain a residence permit in Turkey (they are also subject to apostille).

Be prepared for the challenges of the first year

Many people think that money is everything. This is not true: even if you have a high level of income when moving and you get a well-paid job in Turkey, this is not a guarantee that you will be able to avoid loneliness, information and language vacuum. If you studied Turkish before moving, then this will be a plus, but it is worth considering that every person faces stress when moving, because this is a completely new environment for him.

Conclusion

When moving to Turkey for permanent residence, do not forget that you need to take care of your financial well-being, legal issues, and also become familiar with national traditions and characteristics. Only in this case, your future life will turn out great and will be devoid of the unpleasant moments discussed today. Thank you for your attention!