Overview
Launched in 2024, the programme is open to graduates aged 21 to 55 from a list of European countries plus the UK, Switzerland, the USA, Canada, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, who work remotely for a company outside Türkiye or are self-employed with foreign clients and earn at least US$3,000 a month (US$36,000 a year).
The first step is the Digital Nomad Identification Certificate issued on the GoTürkiye platform; with it, applicants go to a Turkish consulate or visa centre for the visa, and once in Türkiye apply to the Presidency of Migration Management for a short-term residence permit.
Editor's note — The certificate is not the visa. It is a pre-screening that proves you are a digital nomad; the consulate still decides the visa, and the residence permit is a separate in-country step with its own fees.
Who is eligible
- National of an eligible country: EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the UK, Switzerland, the USA, Canada, the Russian Federation, Ukraine or Belarus.
- Aged between 21 and 55.
- University graduate (diploma or degree certificate required).
- Remote employee of a company outside Türkiye, or self-employed with a foreign business contract.
- Monthly income of US$3,000 or annual income of US$36,000; passport valid at least six months.
Income & financial requirements
Or US$36,000 per year.
Hard limits on both ends.
University graduate documentation.
Reported minimum US$30,000 cover for the permit.
GoTürkiye asks for proof of “monthly income of 3,000 USD or 36,000 USD annually” together with the employment contract or self-employment business contract and a biometric photo. Bank statements showing the income landing regularly are the practical evidence.
The income must be foreign-sourced; you may not work for Turkish employers or clients on this route.
Costs & fees
- Consular visa fee, which varies by nationality.
- Short-term residence permit fees in Türkiye (a card fee plus a monthly-based permit fee, both indexed in lira and revised each year).
- Health insurance valid in Türkiye and, for some consulates, apostilled criminal-record and degree documents.
Taxes
Spending more than 183 days in Türkiye in a calendar year generally makes you tax resident on worldwide income at progressive rates of 15% to 40%. Türkiye has a wide treaty network that can relieve double taxation; check yours before choosing a full-year stay.
How to apply
Get the Digital Nomad Identification Certificate
Upload passport, degree, contract, photo and income proof on digitalnomads.goturkiye.com.
Apply for the visa
Present the certificate at the Turkish consulate or visa centre for your country.
Enter Türkiye
Travel on the digital nomad visa.
Apply for a short-term residence permit
File with the Presidency of Migration Management to stay beyond the visa; permits are typically issued for up to one year and renewable.
Duration & renewal
The visa allows entry; the length of stay comes from the short-term residence permit, which practitioners report is issued for up to one year (up to two in some cases) and renewable while you keep meeting the conditions. Long-term residence in Türkiye requires eight years of uninterrupted residence.
Bringing family
The programme is individual. Spouses and children apply separately for their own short-term or family residence permits.
Pros & cons
Advantages
- İstanbul, İzmir and the Turquoise Coast at low cost
- Clear US$3,000 threshold
- No local sponsor or company needed
- Lira pricing on permits and living
Considerations
- Age 21–55 and degree requirements exclude many
- Limited list of eligible nationalities
- Two-stage process with separate permit fees
- High inflation makes budgeting harder