Family & Spouse Visas in Turkey
Sponsoring a partner, children, or parents
The family residence permit is granted to the foreign spouse and dependent children of a Turkish citizen or of a foreigner holding a valid permit. It is one of the more secure statuses available, it allows the holder to seek a work permit, and for spouses of Turkish citizens it can lead to naturalisation after three years of marriage.
| Permit type | Family residence permit source |
| Duration | Commonly up to two years at a time, three where the sponsor is a Turkish citizen |
| Sponsor income | Commonly at least the minimum wage, plus a share for each family member |
| Children | Dependent children under 18 are included |
| Marriage route to citizenship | After roughly three years of subsisting marriage source |
Who can sponsor and who qualifies
- A Turkish citizen, or a foreigner holding a residence permit valid for at least a year, a long-term permit, a work permit or a Turquoise Card, or refugee status.
- The foreign spouse, provided the marriage is genuine and, where the sponsor has more than one spouse, only one may be sponsored on this basis.
- Dependent children under 18 of either spouse, with the consent of the other parent where custody is shared.
- Dependent adult children are included only where dependency is established.
What the sponsor has to show
The sponsor is commonly expected to show monthly income of at least the national minimum wage, with an additional share for each family member, together with accommodation that meets general health and safety standards, health insurance covering each applicant, and a clean criminal record.
The address matters as much as the income: a family application registered in a neighbourhood closed to new foreign registrations can be refused on that ground alone.
Renewals and what happens if the marriage ends
Family permits are renewed on the same basis, with the authority entitled to verify that the marriage subsists. Investigations into whether a marriage was entered into for immigration purposes are routine and a finding of that kind ends the permit.
A foreigner who has held a family permit for at least three years and whose marriage ends may generally apply to convert to a short-term permit. Victims of domestic violence are covered by a separate provision that does not require the three-year period.
Working on a family permit
A family residence permit does not itself confer the right to work, but a holder who has completed a qualifying period of lawful residence on that permit may have an employer apply for a work permit under lighter conditions than a first-time applicant from abroad.
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Official sources
- Presidency of Migration Management — family residence permit
- Directorate General of Civil Registration and Nationality
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.