Immigration Law

Türkiye's immigration and foreigners' law encompasses numerous interconnected sets of legislation covering residence, employment, citizenship and international protection. The Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458 (LFIP) and its implementing regulations are frequently updated; incomplete or incorrect applications can result in significant time and rights losses. Emir Law & Consulting provides application advisory, document preparation, and administrative and judicial representation to a broad client profile ranging from individual investors to corporate employers.

Turkish Citizenship by Investment

Turkish citizenship can be acquired through investment under the Citizenship Law No. 5901 and its implementing regulation. Current threshold requirements include: acquisition of real property with a title deed annotation valued at a minimum of USD 400,000; fixed capital investment of at least USD 500,000; bank deposits or government bonds of at least USD 500,000; or employment of at least 50 persons. Applications are processed through the Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM) and concluded by Presidential decree. The process typically takes 3–6 months. Complete and accurate document preparation and verification of eligibility conditions are critical in citizenship applications; incomplete or incorrect documents increase the risk of rejection.

Types of Residence Permits

Various residence permit statuses are available for foreigners in Türkiye: Short-Term Residence Permit (for tourism, real property ownership, commercial ties, etc.); Family Residence (reunification with a Turkish citizen or residence permit holder); Student Residence; Long-Term Residence Permit (granted after 8 years of uninterrupted residence); Humanitarian Residence Permit; and Human Trafficking Victim Residence. Each status has different application requirements, validity periods and renewal procedures. Determining the correct status also affects the accumulation of time towards long-term residence or citizenship applications.

Work Permits and Blue Card

Foreigners must obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to work in Türkiye. The employer quota rule (1 foreign employee per 5 Turkish employees) and minimum wage conditions must be considered in work permit applications. Exemptions or special permits from the Ministry for certain positions are also possible. The Blue Card is a special status granted to persons of Turkish origin who have acquired foreign citizenship, and their spouses; it provides work permit exemption, treatment as a domestic national in land registry and trade registry matters, access to social security rights and entry to Türkiye without a passport. There is no residence requirement.

Family Reunification and Accompanying Statuses

Foreigners legally residing in Türkiye may apply for a residence permit for their spouses and minor children under family reunification. The sponsor must meet sufficient income, accommodation and insurance requirements. Family reunification applications for foreigners with diplomatic, student or long-term residence status are subject to different procedures.

Appeals and Administrative Litigation

Residence permit rejections, cancellations or deportation orders are subject to legal review through appeal channels. Administrative appeal to the DGMM and annulment actions before administrative courts are available. In deportation orders, applications to the criminal judge of peace against detention in removal centres and stay of execution requests are extremely critical in terms of deadlines and procedure. Our firm provides swift and effective legal intervention in these processes.

Our Services

• Turkish citizenship by investment application: eligibility assessment, document preparation and follow-up
• Short-term and long-term residence permit applications and renewals
• Family reunification residence permits
• Work permit applications (individual and corporate); quota and exemption analysis
• Blue card applications and status protection
• Independent work permits and self-employment authorisation
• Appeals against residence and work permit rejections
• Appeals against deportation orders and representation before administrative courts
• International protection (asylum, temporary protection) application advisory
• Foreign personnel planning aligned with company formation

Why Emir Law?

Immigration law is a field subject to frequent updates and extremely strict procedural requirements. Experienced legal support is essential for selecting the correct status, preparing complete documentation and meeting deadlines. Our team provides fast and reliable solutions to international clients with support in Turkish, English and Arabic.