Can I Get PR in Turkey on a Student Visa in 2025?

Are you an international student wanting to settle in the country? Are you asking yourself- Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? You have come to the right page! This blog covers everything you need to know about the Turkey PR. You will learn about the working hours permitted in the country for students, and how to shift from a student visa to a PR. Moreover, you will understand the PR eligibility criteria, requirements, and application process. 

Can I Get PR in Turkey on a Student Visa? An Overview 

No. You cannot get PR in Turkey just by getting a student visa. A student visa only permits you to travel to the country as a student. However, you can switch from a student visa to a PR.  The process is long. You need to go to the country on a student visa, get a residence permit, apply for a short-term residence permit, and then a work permit. Thus, you can stay in the country for 8 years and get a permanent residency. The Turkey PR is also called the long-term residence permit.

How Can International Students Get PR in Turkey?

Can I Get PR in Turkey on a Student Visa? No. You cannot. However, you can apply for a PR (long-term Residence permit in Turkey) after staying in the country for 8 years. Follow the instructions below to learn how you can switch from a student visa to a PR.

Complete Your Education 

First of all, enrol in a top educational institution in Turkey. Thereafter, you can apply for a student visa and travel to Turkey (take up long-term studies like a bachelor’s or master’s course). Once, you reach Turkey you must apply for a residence permit for studies. A residence permit for studies is required by any student studying for more than 3 months. Lastly, graduate from the course.

Apply for a Short Term Residence Permit

Turkey does not provide a post-study work permit. However, you can receive a 1-year residence permit. This permit allows you to stay in the country to seek a job or learn about setting up a business. The permit you get is called a ‘short-term residence permit’.  To get this permit, you must apply for it within 6 months of graduating from a university.

Apply for a Work Permit

After you have secured a job you can apply for a work permit. A work permit is the authorisation to work in the country. A work permit is required by everyone apart from researchers (for up to 2 years). It serves both as your work and residence permit. This means you will not have to get a separate residence permit. The validity is as follows-

1. When you are applying for the first time the work permit is valid for a year.
2. If you renew the permit- it can be extended for 2 additional years 
3. If you renew the work permit the second time- then the permit is valid for 3 more years

You may be able to seek an additional extension and stay for 8 years in the country.

Stay in Turkey for 8 Years 

After staying in the county for 8 years you can apply for a permanent residence permit. The Turkey permanent residence permit is also called a long-term residence permit. It is valid for an indefinite period. To get a PR you must meet the additional requirements. The permit is issued by the issued by the governorates after the approval of the Ministry,

Turkey Work Visa & its Requirements for Indian Citizens

Who Can Get Permanent Residency in Turkey?

Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? No. You cannot. However, you can get a PR if you meet the following eligibility criteria. The long-term residence permit is regulated by the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Article 42-45).

1. You must have stayed in the country for at least 8 years on a residence permit granted to foreigners. For example,  a work permit.
2. Otherwise, you must be a foreigner who meets the conditions set by the Ministry 
3. Refugees and those seeking temporary protection in the country are not allowed to apply for a PR.

Turkey Permanent Residency Requirements 

Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? You can only get a PR when you meet the conditions of the Permanent Residency. The following are the documentation requirements-

Turkey Requirements	Description
Duration of stay	Stayed in Turkey for 8 years
Calculation of continuous stay	Half of the time spent on student residence permits + the full time spent on other permits is considered.
No social assistance	Did not receive social assistance for the last 3 years
Sufficient Funds	You must have sufficient funds to cover your expenses. Moreover, your income must be stable
Income to support family (if applicable)	You must be able to support the income of any family member who is with you
Medical insurance	Have medical insurance that is valid in Turkey
Not a public threat	Income to support the family (if applicable)

Understand the cost of living in Turkey

Where to Apply for a Turkey PR as an International Student?

The turkey PR application cannot be filled out online. However, you can check the requirements online. To apply for a Turkey PR you must visit-

Permit	Where to Check the Documents Required	Where to Apply
Turkey PR (long-term residence permit)	https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/	Ministry of Interior Turnkey

The application can only be submitted in person. You can contact the relevant authorities to know the steps for applying.

To learn more about applying for a Turkish residence permit online, watch this video:

How Long Does It Take to Get PR in Turkey?

Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? No. You cannot. However, you can stay for 8 years to meet the duration required to apply for a PR. Once the PR application is submitted it will be processed. The processing time is provided below-

Permit	PR Processing Time
Turkey PR (long-term residence permit)	6 to 8 months

Note- It can take longer if further investigation is required.

How Long Is a PR in Turkey Valid For?

The Turkey PR validity period is as follows-

Permit	PR Validity	PR Renewability
Turkey PR (long-term residence permit)	Indefinite	You do not have to renew this PR.

How Much Does It Cost to Apply for Permanent Residency in Turkey?

Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? No. You cannot. You can apply for a PR only after you have stayed for 8 years. The cost of a PR application for Indians is as follows-

Permit	First Month	Following Moths
Any residence permit	25 USD	5 UDS

Note– The permit fees can increase or decrease at the discretion of the concerned authority.

What are the Benefits of Turkish PR?

Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? No. You cannot. However, if you stay in the country for 8 years you can get a PR. The benefits of getting permanent residency is as follows-

1. Get the same rights as a Turkish citizen (except the provisions of special law, and mandatory military service, the right to vote, and import vehicles, and exemption from customs duties).
2. You can work, live, or study in Turkey for an indefinite period without restrictions
3. You do not have to renew your PR constantly 
4. It is a pathway to citizenship in the country

Why Would My Turkey PR Application Be Rejected?

If you meet the above criteria you will get a PR. However, in certain cases, the PR application can be rejected. That is if you come under any of the following categories.

1. You are a threat to the public security 
2. You are a public order threat
3. You stay in Turkey for more than a year (aside from medical reasons, educational reasons for providing public service in his/her country)

If you already received a PR, and you come under any of the above categories your PR is cancelled. This means you cannot stay outside Turkey for more than a year, and should not be a security threat.

How Long Does It Take to Get Citizenship in Turkey?

Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? No. You cannot. However, if you stay in the country for 8 years you can get a PR. Another option is to apply for citizenship. Turkey allows you to hold dual citizenship. Therefore, you do not have to revoke your original citizenship.

You can get Turkish citizenship after staying in the country for 5 years. However, you must meet additional requirements such as knowledge of the Turkish language, not having a disease that is hazardous to the people, and having good morals. The country also issues exceptional citizenship upon the recommendation of the Ministry of the Interior

What is the Meaning of Turquoise Card?

Apart from the Turkey PR, you can also apply for a Turquoise Card. It is like a Blue Card in the EU or a Green Card in the USA. It is meant for highly qualified workers. You can be given a Turquoise Card based on your professional experience, education, contribution to science and Technology, and its impact on the national employment and economy. The features of this card are as follows –

1. It is both a work and residence permit 
2. It gives you the same rights as a PR holder 
3. First, issued for 3 years. If no issues occur during this period, it is issued indefinitely 
4. You can apply for a residence permit for your spouse and children 
5. It is also a path to citizenship/

Is it Easy to Get PR in Turkey as an international student?

The difficulty level of getting a Turkish PR is moderate. Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa?No. But you can stay in the country for 8 years and apply for a PR. Below are the reasons why we rated the difficulty level as moderate-

Pros

1. Study time is counted– Half of the time you spend studying in the country is counted for PR duration.
2. Short-term residency– You can get 1-year short-term residency in the country to look for work.
3. Easy for researchers– If you are a researcher, you do not need a work permit for 2 years. You only need a work permit if you stay beyond this period. Therefore, you can easily meet the duration for a permit 
4. No renewal- The PR is valid for an indefinite period. You do not have to constantly renew it.

Cons 

1. Work permit extension– At maximum, your work permit can be obtained for 6 years. Details regarding extensions beyond this period are not provided.
2. Easy citizenship– You can get dual citizenship in 5 years by meeting few additional requirements. However, the PR takes longer. 
3. Duration of PR– It takes you 8 years to stay in the country to get a PR.
4. Duration of stay permitted outside Turkey– Except for certain cases like medical treatment you cannot stay outside Turkey for more than a year. In this case, your PR can be cancelled.

FAQs

We hope you now have the answer to your question- Can I get PR in Turkey on a student visa? Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or visit our visa page for more such articles. You can also connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey! 

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