In 2 months, I applied for Residence Permit Twice: A Student’s Story
If you’re an international student in Turkey, the term “Ikamet” is something you’ll hear quite often. It’s simply the common word for “Residence Permit”, so don’t get confused.
Let’s dive straight into what you need to know. To apply for or renew your residence permit, one crucial requirement is having a valid passport. You can find all the detailed requirements on this official government page: [link] https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/ikamet/istenenbelgeler/basvuruformubelgeleriliskinaciklamalar
Now, let me share my personal experience as an Engineering student.
I came to Turkey in 2019. I spent my first year in Tomer, learning the Turkish Language. The first residence permit I received was valid for just 1 year. After completing Tomer, I applied for renewal and I requested 4 years. But they gave me only 1 year.
Now, it’s July, I have just completed my 2nd year final exams. I have to start planning how to apply for renewal again.
Here’s an important tip: You can renew your residence permit within 60 days before its expiry date. My Ikamet is set to expire on September 14, so I could start my renewal process on July 15.
Now, here’s where it gets a bit tricky. My passport was expiring on February 1, which means I could only apply for passport renewal within six months of its expiration date. If you count 60 days back from February 1, you land on November 1. So, when I applied for my residence permit renewal, the latest date I could select on the system was October 31. I submitted my application, got an appointment date about two weeks later, and received my permit card roughly a month after that. On the permit card, the new expiry date was November 1.
Fast forward to September 1, and it was time to plan for renewal again. But throughout August, I was busy with my passport renewal.
Here’s another essential tip: You can apply for passport renewal up to six months before its expiry date. Luckily, I managed to complete the application and received my new passport around the end of October.
This time, I chose a two-year duration when applying for my residence permit renewal. The reason? I would be graduating by then.
So because my passport was expiring in February, I had to apply twice between July and November.
Hence, make sure you have a valid passport, apply for your residence permit renewal within 60 days of its expiry, and plan your passport renewal well in advance to avoid any last-minute hiccups. With these steps in mind, your student journey in Turkey will be a smoother ride.
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