TURKEY – Online Visa System Experiencing Technical Issues & Updated Documentation Requirements for Residence Permit Applications
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently updated their Electronic Visa Application System but is subsequently experiencing technical issues that have caused delays in submitting applications and in booking appointments.
Additionally, the documents required for Residence Permit applications have also recently changed. Birth certificates, marriage certificates and non-criminal records, which are obtained in the applicant’s country of origin or residence, must be apostilled in the country of origin and have the relevant Turkish translations notarized in Turkey. If the applicant is a citizen of a country who is not a member of the Apostille Convention, the document must first be approved by that country’s government authorities. The government authority who issued the document in the home country and the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also in the home country must both grant an approval of the document. These apostilled documents have not yet been requested by the Istanbul Migration Department but they may begin requesting them at any time.