Immigration Law

Scope of the Practice

Immigration Law (Göç Hukuku) at Turak Law covers Turkish residence and work authorization for foreign nationals — the legal framework that operates parallel to, but distinct from, Citizenship by Investment. The principal statute is the Foreigners and International Protection Law (Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu) No. 6458, with work-authorization matters governed by the International Workforce Law (Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu) No. 6735. The Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Genel Müdürlüğü) is the principal counterparty for residence permits; the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı) handles work permit applications.

The pillar is adjacent to CBI but distinct. Many visitors arrive here because they need Turkish residence without (or before) pursuing citizenship — students, retirees, employees of foreign-invested Turkish companies, family members of Turkish citizens. The pillar also serves CBI clients on the Investor Residence Permit (İkamet İzni — J Bendi, Article 31(1)(j)) that is mandatory at Step 5 of W01 and Step 8 of W02. Clients ineligible for CBI sometimes find a suitable residence pathway through this pillar.

Specific Services

• Short-term residence permit (Kısa Dönem İkamet İzni). Tourist, business, study, treatment, and research bases under Article 31 of Law No. 6458.
• Long-term residence permit (Uzun Dönem İkamet İzni). Eight-years-residence pathway for established foreign residents.
• Investor residence permit (Yatırımcı İkamet İzni — J Bendi). The CBI-track permit under Article 31(1)(j); applied across both W01 and W02 files.
• Work permit (Çalışma İzni). Authorization under International Workforce Law No. 6735; employer-sponsored and independent professional tracks.
• Family residence permit (Aile İkamet İzni). For spouses and children of Turkish citizens or long-term residents.
• Student residence permit (Öğrenci İkamet İzni). For students enrolled at recognized Turkish higher-education institutions.
• Citizenship by other routes. Naturalization by descent, by marriage, by ordinary residence — outside the investment track.
• Refugee and international protection matters. Limited scope; coordinated with specialist counsel where appropriate.

Statutory Authority

Cross-Border Considerations

Foreign nationals from visa-required countries face entry-side restrictions independent of residence-permit eligibility — short-stay visa rules determine the route to first entry. Once inside Turkey, residence-permit categories operate on a closed-list basis under Article 30 of Law No. 6458 — the applicant must fit one of the statutory categories; there is no discretionary "general" residence option. The Investor Residence Permit (J Bendi) carries procedural advantages over standard tracks: no Yerleşim Yeri Belgesi requirement, no financial-means proof, no UETS notifications. Work permits require employer sponsorship in most categories; certain professions (medicine, law, civil engineering) face profession-specific restrictions. Citizenship by descent or marriage is available outside the investment route for clients with the requisite family ties.