Turkey – Resident Permit Renewals Must be Made by Appointment
Effective immediately, the Istanbul Immigration Office is renewing Turkish Residence Permit holders only by appointments. The strict rules are put in place due the State of Emergency Act declared on July 20th in regards to an attempted military coup. Under a State of Emergency, the Government is able to bypass approval of the Parliament to enact any laws, acts, or regulations for 90 days (can be extended) to preserve national security.
Currently, appointments for renewals of resident permits are available in January 2017. If the foreign nationals resident permit expires before they are able to attend an appointment, may reside in Turkey as long as they carry the Residence Permit Application Form that must have been completed before their permit expired.
Citizens of certain visa exempt countries, such as France and Brazil, are allowed to stay in Turkey for up to 90 days after their residence permit expires. If the foreign national leaves Turkey before their resident permit expires and reenters on a tourist visa, will be subject to the tourist visa regulations.