Turkish Student Visa
Students who have been accepted to study at any higher education institution in Turkey must obtain a “student visa” before coming to Turkey. The student visa is issued by the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Turkey in the foreign student’s country of citizenship or country of residence with a residence permit. Foreign nationals applying for a student visa must submit a “Letter of Acceptance” from a university in Turkey to the Turkish diplomatic missions. The student visa must be stamped in the student’s passport, and those entering Turkey on a student visa, visa exemption, or other type of visa are not required to register.
Foreign students who come to Turkey on a student visa and enroll at a university must apply for a residence permit for educational purposes. The duration of the student visa issued by the Turkish diplomatic missions varies depending on the country. Student visas are issued for 30 or 90 days. Foreign students must apply to the Immigration Directorate of the province or district where they reside to obtain a residence permit for educational purposes before this period expires.
Documents Required for a Student Visa
Student Visa Application Form;
Passport valid for at least 1 year;
Letter of acceptance to the university for the foreign national;
1 passport-size photo;
Visa fees.
The documents required for student visa applications vary depending on the country of your nationality. The documents generally requested are as follows.
Student visas are single-entry visas, and foreigners entering the country on a student visa must apply for a residence permit for educational purposes. If a foreigner leaves Turkey without applying for a residence permit for educational purposes, their visa will be canceled. Even if a foreigner whose visa has been canceled re-enters Turkey under visa exemption, they will not be able to obtain a residence permit for educational purposes. In this case, the foreigner will need to return to their country and obtain a student visa. Attention should be paid to these matters to avoid any inconvenience.
Persons Not Requiring a Student Visa
A foreigner does not need a student visa if they meet one of the following conditions.
Foreign students who are Blue Card holders under Law No. 5203;
Foreign students who are children of parents residing in Turkey with a work permit or residence permit;
Foreig students who have completed their secondary and higher education in Turkey and have started their undergraduate and/or postgraduate education without taking a break of more than one year;
Foreign students who previously resided in Turkey on a student visa and residence permit for educational purposes in teacher training programs are eligible to obtain a student visa if they change their department or university in the field they previously studied.Foreign students who have previously enrolled in any university program and subsequently changed their department or university do not need to obtain a new student visa. However, if these individuals make a change within the same province, they must submit their new student documents to the Provincial or District Migration Administration Directorate. If they have changed provinces, they must apply for a residence permit at the Provincial Migration Administration Directorate where they reside.