The Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) is a popular new visa program in many countries. Turkey has now initiated its own program to offer an opportunity for remote workers to live and work in the country under certain conditions for a temporary period. This new visa category was promoted by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism as of April 2024. This article outlines the steps to obtain Digital Nomad Status and provides an overview of the eligibility criteria but is not intended as specific legal advice.
Eligibility
Those foreigners considering taking advantage of this program to stay in Turkey while continuing remote work must meet certain conditions. For the certificate, visa and residence permit stage, applicants must evidence that:
- They will work remotely in Turkey for an employer abroad or as independent contractors (performing no work on behalf of Turkish entities or persons)
- They are between the ages of 21 and 55
- They are a national of either Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States,
- They have a diploma evidencing they are a university graduate
- Provide a document evidencing they work/will work in a digital nomad capacity (employment contract with employer outside Turkey OR contract that evidences applicant is self-employed)
- Evidence applicant has a monthly income of at least $3000 or annual income of $36,000.
Steps to Obtain Digital Nomad Status
Applicants will need to log into the Digital Nomad site to apply for a certificate. Upon issuance of the certificate, if they are outside Turkey, they can apply for a Digital Nomad Visa at the Turkish consular post where they reside. If they are already present in Turkey, they can apply for the certificate and, if qualifying, may then file a residence permit application at the Migration Directorate where they reside.
Step 1: Digital Nomad Certificate Application
The applicant needs to create an account on the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's online system, where the required documents will be uploaded, and the application will be submitted. Upon approval of the application, the applicant can log in to the system and download the Barcoded Digital Nomad Certificate.
Step 2: Digital Nomad Visa Application
After obtaining the certificate, the applicant must log their visa application with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or book an appointment with an intermediary visa agency if applicable. Through the online system, the applicant must book their consular appointment. The applicant will then visit the consulate or agency on the appointment date to file the Digital Nomad Visa application. The consulate or agency will inform the applicant of the adjudication time for the issuance of the visa.
Step 3: Residence Permit Application
Once the applicant has entered Türkiye with the DNV, depending on the applicant's length of planned stay, validity and duration of stay dates issued within the visa, the applicant may need to apply for a residence permit (RP). This will be required in particular if his/her intended duration of stay is longer than 3 months.
The applicant will need to gather the required documents and request an on-line appointment with the Migration Directorate. The application will be submitted in person and the applicant will await approval. The processing time may vary between 2-5 weeks from the filing date.
Step 4: Address Registration
After the residence permit is approved, the applicant must register their address with the relevant Migration Directorate within the legal timeline.
Warnings:
- DNV Validity: The duration of stay and validity period are at the discretion of the consular officer. In any case, the duration of stay cannot be longer than 3 months;
- Visa Processing Time: Generally, applications are adjudicated within 2-20 business days. However, processing times for the DNV may vary as it is a newly introduced visa category.
- Digital Nomad Residence Permit Validity: Though it is not explicitly mentioned, it is issued with maximum 6 months of validity in practice.
- Additional Documents: Additional documents may be required by the consulate or Migration Directorate as guidelines are updated.
- Consulate Familiarity: Given the recent introduction of this visa type, the Turkish consulates in some countries are still in the process of implementing this program.
- Migration Directorate Familiarity: The Migration Directorate is still in the process of implementing this category in how it impacts residence permit eligibility.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.