Work visa for Türkiye: documents, fees and steps

Documents requested

Passport valid for at least 60 days after the end of the duration of stay of the requested visaConditions and details
The passport is one of the documents required for the application submitted to the Turkish representation. Article 7.1 b) of Law No. 6458 requires a passport whose expiration date exceeds the visa stay duration by at least 60 days: for a 90-day visa, 150 days of validity at entry.
Duly signed visa application form, issued from the online pre-applicationConditions and details
Any Turkish sticker visa application goes through the sticker visa pre-application system. After online entry, the applicant appears at the Turkish representation to complete the procedure, in particular by submitting the duly signed application form and passport.
Letter from the employer addressed to the Turkish representationConditions and details
For the consular work visa application, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cites the passport, the form and the employer's letter. The employer then completes the permit application in e-İzin with the reference number, information and required documents, within 30 days following the work visa application, in accordance with Article 17 of the regulation.
Employment contract signed by the employer and the worker, digitized and transmitted online in the work permit applicationConditions and details
The Directorate General of International Labour Force requests the employment contract signed by the employer and by the foreigner; it is digitized and sent online during the electronic application, through the work permit system. It publishes fixed-term employment contract templates.
Medical insurance valid for the entire duration of stay in TürkiyeConditions and details
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that all applicants must have medical insurance valid during their stay in Türkiye. The page specifies neither the minimum coverage nor the form of proof.

Depending on your situation

Copy of the diploma or provisional end-of-studies certificate, with certified Turkish translation, for certain professionsConditions and details
The diploma is mandatory for the foreigner who will work within the framework of professional services and for the professions that the Ministry deems necessary. Its Turkish translation is certified by a sworn translator or by the official authorities; it is digitized and sent online in the application. It is not mandatory for domestic services, where a declaration on the last school attended suffices. The applicant verifies himself whether his profession is concerned.
Prior authorization for the health or teaching professions concernedConditions and details
Health and teaching professions requiring a qualification require prior authorization: Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Education or Council of Higher Education (YÖK) for higher education teachers. This prior authorization is distinct from the work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor. The precise documents depend on the profession and the establishment.

Official fees

Fixed-term work permit up to 1 year (first application): document fee 2026 12,574.90 TRY
Work permit certificate: 2026 valuable paper fee, payable in addition to the document fee 964 TRY

Steps

Find an employer established in Türkiye who undertakes to apply for the work permit and who meets the Ministry of Labor's employment, financial capacity and salary criteria.
Conclude with the employer an employment contract signed by both parties; the Ministry publishes a fixed-term contract template.
Complete the online pre-application for the sticker visa (www.visa.gov.tr); where a visa application center receives applications, apply at that center.
Submit the work permit and visa application at the nearest Turkish representation (country of residence or nationality): passport, visa application form, employer's letter.
Receive from the Turkish representation a 16-digit reference number for the work permit application submitted abroad.
The employer completes and validates the application in e-İzin with the consular reference and the required documents, within 30 days following the work visa application.
Processing of a complete application takes up to 30 days, from the file finalized in the system or from the uploading of the requested supplements.
In case of approval, pay the work permit fee and the valuable paper fee within 30 days following notification, failing which the application is rejected.
Pay at the Turkish representation, once the permit is approved, the entry visa fee, the work permit certificate fee and the residence fee; receive the visa with the mention "work", valid for entry and at most 90 days.
After entry with the work visa, register the address within 20 days. Start work within the month following entry and at the latest six months after the start of the permit, while fulfilling the required social security obligations.

Where to apply

Sticker visa pre-application system (www.visa.gov.tr): entry of data and upload of documents before the appointment at the representation
Embassies and consulates of Türkiye (nearest representation), or visa application center where sticker visa applications are received by such a center
Ministry of Labor work permit application system (e-İzin, calismaizni.gov.tr), used to submit documents online
General Directorate of International Labor Force of the Ministry of Labor (UİGM): information pages, application guides and phone +90 312 296 66 00
Payment of work permit fees: Digital Treasury (dijital.gib.gov.tr) by bank card, or authorized banks (Ziraat, Halk Bankası, Vakıflar Bankası)

Good to know

The work visa is applied for at a Turkish representationConditions and details
Visa applications for a trip that does not have a tourist or business purpose, such as work or studies, are made at Turkish representations abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs classifies under the "work" visa employment (or special employment), seconded teachers and academics, athletes, artists, free zone workers and seconded journalists, as well as assembly and repair grounds. The visa regime for a tourist or business stay may differ from that for work and studies.
Application abroad or from TürkiyeConditions and details
Abroad, the application begins in person at a Turkish embassy or consulate of the country of nationality or legal residence; the 16-digit reference number is transmitted to the employer, who completes e-İzin. In Türkiye, the domestic submission normally concerns holders of a residence permit issued for at least six months and still valid on the application date, with a foreign identity number beginning with 99. Certain categories determined by the general directorate may submit from Türkiye without a valid residence permit if they are legally present there.
Conditions imposed on the employer: headcount, financial capacity and salaryConditions and details
For each foreigner, the employer whose accounts follow the balance sheet method employs in principle at least five Turkish citizens; workplaces whose net sales of the previous year reach 50 000 000 TL are exempt from this criterion for at most five foreigners. A newly established workplace must have paid-in capital of at least 500 000 TL; a workplace keeping accounts under the balance sheet method must have at least 500 000 TL of paid-in capital, 8 000 000 TL of net sales or 150 000 USD of exports. The foreigner's remuneration reaches at least the gross minimum wage in force on the application date, multiplied by: five for executive managers and pilots, four for engineers and architects, three for other managers, two for jobs requiring expertise and mastery, one for domestic work and other occupations. Exceptions and criteria specific to certain sectors exist.
Documents provided by the employerConditions and details
The employer transmits online, with the employment contract, the copy of the foreigner's passport, the Turkish trade registry journal showing the most recent capital and shareholding structure, and the previous year's balance sheet and income statement approved by the tax office or by a sworn financial advisor. Documents specific to certain sectors are requested: education, health, tourism, entertainment, aviation, engineers and architects, foreign direct investment, liaison offices. The documents are digitized and sent through the electronic work permit system.
Passport for the work permitConditions and details
The work permit issued to the foreigner is established for a duration that does not exceed the date sixty days before the expiration of his passport. Applications submitted with a passport or a document serving in its place whose validity duration is less than sixty days on the application date are not processed. If the passport is not written in Latin characters, a translation certified by a sworn translator or by the official authorities is attached.
Duration of the work permit and extensionConditions and details
On the first application, the fixed-term work permit is granted for at most one year, without exceeding the duration of the employment contract, for a specific workplace, job and employer. On the first extension, it may be granted for at most two years, then for at most three years on subsequent extensions, with the same employer; an application for another employer is processed as a first application. The extension application is made online, before expiration, from 60 days before the expiration date.
The work permit serves as a residence permitConditions and details
A work permit or a permit exemption is in principle equivalent to a residence permit during its validity. Permits issued to international protection applicants, conditional refugees and beneficiaries of temporary protection are exceptions. After an entry with a work visa, the address must be registered within at most 20 days. For an application submitted abroad, work must begin within the month following entry and, in all cases, within six months following the start of validity of the permit, while fulfilling the applicable social security obligations.
2026 work permit fees according to durationConditions and details
For 2026, the document fee for the fixed-term work permit is 12 574,90 TL up to one year, 25 149,80 TL from more than one year to two years, 37 724,70 TL from more than two years to three years, 50 299,60 TL from more than three years to four years and 62 874,50 TL from more than four years to five years; the permanent work permit and the independent work permit each cost 125 802,20 TL. The valuable paper fee (964,00 TL) is added thereto. Renewal of a document declared lost or stolen costs half of the fee in force plus the valuable paper fee.
Statutory entry visa fee scheduleConditions and details
The Presidency of Migration Management publishes the 2026 fee schedule set by the general communiqué on the law on fees (Official Gazette of 31 December 2025, No. 33124): 9 376,40 TL for a single-entry visa and 31 410,00 TL for a multiple-entry visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs determines, according to the principle of reciprocity, the nationalities subject to application or visa fees and the amounts applied: the amount of the work visa is not specified on these pages.
Professions reserved for Turkish citizensConditions and details
The law reserves for Turkish citizens and prohibits to foreigners certain professions and functions, in particular lawyer, notary, judge and prosecutor, mediator, dentist, pharmacist, veterinarian, tourist guide, private security officer, director of a private hospital, founder of a school opened by foreigners teaching in a language other than Turkish, and certain functions of the merchant marine and of fishing in territorial waters. The page lists them, with the articles of law.
Prior authorizations and specific proceduresConditions and details
In higher education, YÖK gives the prior authorization and the Ministry of Labor issues the permit; the establishment submits the application in the system. Foreign experts employed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism must also obtain a permit from the Ministry of Labor before starting. For free zones, Article 18 of Law No. 6735 provides a specific processing procedure: the permit remains issued by the Ministry of Labor after a favorable opinion of the competent authority. Verify the procedure specific to the position with the employer.
Recommended timeframe and non-refundable feesConditions and details
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends applying for the visa at least one month before the planned trip, to avoid processing delays. The visa does not guarantee an absolute right of entry into Türkiye, and visa fees are not refunded in case of refusal.

Nationalities covered

This procedure applies to 248 nationalities.

Afghanistan
Åland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Caribbean Netherlands
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Réunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U.S. Outlying Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Official links

General Information About Turkish Visas / Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs (new tab) www.mfa.gov.tr
Pre-Application System for Turkish Sticker Visa / Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs (new tab) www.mfa.gov.tr
Mevzuat — Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu Uygulama Yönetmeliği (new tab) www.mevzuat.gov.tr
Documents (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
Work Permit Evaluation Criteria (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
Ministry of Labour and Social Security — Work Permit FAQ (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
Work Permit Types (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
Payment of Fees and Valuable Paper Fees (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior Presidency of Migration Management - Visa Application and Visa Fees (new tab) en.goc.gov.tr
Professions Restricted to Turkish Citizens (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
Mevzuat — International Labour Force Law No. 6735 (new tab) www.mevzuat.gov.tr
Application Types (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr
T.C. Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı | Anasayfa (new tab) www.csgb.gov.tr

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