Why was My Residence Permit Rejected?

Residence permit applications in Turkey are made through the e-Residence System of the Presidency of Migration Management under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After receiving the residence permit applications, the Presidency of Migration Management determines an appointment date from the Provincial Directorate of Immigration in the city where the foreigner resides. The foreigner must prepare the necessary documents for the residence permit and submit them to the Provincial Directorate of Immigration while coming for the appointment.

In the widest scope, the residence permit application is made in this way. If you would like to have more comprehensive information about the types of residence permits and how to apply, you can reach our article on Guide to Get a Residence Permit in Turkey (2024), prepared by Global Mobility Turkey.

The Presidency of Migration Management considers many factors when evaluating residence permit applications. Therefore, many residence permit applications are rejected for various reasons. Here are some points you should pay attention to when applying for a residence permit to get a positive result.

First of all, In case of applying for the wrong type of residence permit, the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management will reject your application. Residence permits can be grouped under 6 main headings: short-term residence permit, family residence permit, student residence permit, long term residence permit, humanitarian residence permit and residence permit for victims of human trafficking. When applying for the most appropriate type of residence permit, both the fastest and the longest-term residence permit can be obtained. If you are thinking about which type of residence should I apply for, you can fill out our free residence type determination test by clicking here.

Secondly, the application should be made from the most suitable city, district and even the neighborhood for the purpose of stay. The Presidency of Migration Management does not grant residence permits to foreigners in certain regions for various reasons. In order to reduce the density in districts and neighborhoods with high foreigner density, some neighborhoods are closed for residence permits and new residence applications are rejected. For January 2023, Fatih and Esenyurt districts in Istanbul can be given as examples of places that were closed.

Foreigners, applying for a residence permit, should apply to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in the province where they will stay. For example, if a foreigner, who will stay in Mersin, applies to the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Migration, he/she cannot get residence. If you are wondering whether the city, district and neighborhood where you will apply for residence is suitable for you to obtain residence, you can contact us by filling out the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Third, the documents, required for the residence permit application, must be submitted appropriately. Each type of residence has its own specific application documents. The most important of these documents is the documents proving the purpose of the foreigner's stay. If there are errors or missing documents in the application file, showing the purpose of the stay, the applications are rejected. In addition, the passport must be valid, the photo must be suitable, other documents such as fee certificate, health insurance must be completed.

The documents required for the residence permit should be prepared before going to the appointment and submitted to the Provincial Immigration Administration. In case of missing application documents, the missing documents must be completed within 30 days.

Fourth, the residence permit application must be submitted on time. If a residence permit application will be made after the residence or visa period has expired, an excuse for the illegal stay must be presented. Otherwise, the application will be rejected. A residency application must be filed before your legal stay expires.

Finally, if the foreigner is outside of Turkey on the application and appointment date, the residence permit application is considered negative. When applying to the e-residence portal and on the date of the Provincial Immigration Administration appointment, the applicant must be in Turkey by legal means. Otherwise, the residence permit application will be rejected.

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there are also reasons related to the foreigner himself in the rejection of the residence permit application. For example, the presence of a current deportation decision or the fact that the foreigner carries a disease that will put the public health at risk are among the reasons for the rejection of the residence permit application.

In general, foreigners whose residence permit is refused must leave Turkey within 10 days. You can object to your negative residence permit application within 60 days and exercise your legal rights. Foreigners whose residence permit is rejected cannot apply again within 6 months for the same type of residence permit. For these reasons, we recommend that you seek advice from people who are experienced in residence permit applications. Our Global Mobility Turkey team is pleased to assist you with your residence permit applications. To contact us, simply fill out the form below.