The stay of foreigners in Turkey, as in any country, is limited to a certain period. As a rule, this period is quite enough to relax in Turkish resorts, get acquainted with the country's history and culture, and even travel. But what if you need to stay in Turkey longer than visa regulations allow?
If a foreigner does not have a valid residence permit and continues to stay in Turkey when the visa expires, he may be fined and deported. The Migration Service also has the right to temporarily refuse a foreigner to enter the Republic of Turkey.
Read the expert blog Ataberk Real Estate to avoid the consequences of violating the rules of residence in Turkey, what are overlay and visaran.
What is overlay
Overstay is a type of violation of migration rules when a foreigner exceeds the allowable period of stay in Turkey on a visa, visa-free regime, or after the expiration of the residence permit.
All foreigners have the right to stay in Turkey for a certain period of time. Once the visa period ends, they must leave the country. The duration of visa-free travel depends on citizenship:
- Russians are allowed to stay continuously for 60 days, but not more than 90 days over a 180-day period.
- Ukrainian citizens have the right to live in Turkey for up to 90 days without obtaining any special permits.
- Belarusians can stay in the country for 30 days.
When entering the Republic of Turkey, all foreigners are stamped on their passports with the date they crossed the border. From this moment, the countdown of visa-free or visa days provided for by migration legislation begins. As soon as this period ends, a foreigner must immediately leave the Republic. If this is not done, then the very next day after the end of the period of stay in Turkey, the delay begins.
Let's give an example: if the visa-free regime ends on October 1, then October 2 is overdue. Regardless of the length of the delay and its reasons, a non-resident who violates the terms of stay will be responsible for non-compliance with migration requirements.
Foreigners who have started the procedure for applying for a residence permit have the right to live in Turkey until they receive an official response. If they are denied ikamet, this time of residence in the country will be considered an overstay, which means they will need to leave the country.
What is visaran in Turkey
Many Russians use visaran as one of the most effective ways to extend their stay in Turkey under the terms of the visa-free agreement.
Visaran (from English visa running) is a mechanism that allows non-residents to extend their legal stay in Turkey. The essence of the method is to travel outside the Republic of Turkey, visit another country for a short time and return back. This procedure makes it possible to renew the visa-free period, avoid fines, forced deportation and veto re-entry.
Let us consider how the visaran works using the example of Russian citizens. According to Turkish law, Russians have the right to live in the country for 60 days without a break. But to extend this period for another 30 days, you need to leave Turkey for at least one day by visiting a neighboring state (as a rule, Russians go to Georgia or Armenia). In addition, a good option to make a visit to TRNC is a good option. When you return to Turkey, you can move on without violating migration rules.
Overlay penalties in Turkey
The main measure applied to foreigners who have violated visa rules is the charging of fines.
The minimum overstay penalty in Turkey is about 130 TRY, provided that the stay is limited to no more than 10 days. The maximum penalty amount is not fixed, is determined by the overstay period and is calculated individually in each specific situation.
The citizenship of a non-resident also affects the fine in Turkey for violating the visa regime. Thus, for citizens of the United States, France, Germany, Romania, China, the Netherlands and other countries — 50 USD for the first month. For Japanese, Cambodians, Albanians, Macedonians, Tajiks — 28 USD. For Russians, this is about 14 USD for the first month of overstay, and for Ukrainians, Kazakhs and Belarusians — from 18 to 50 USD.
The penalty for late stay in Turkey during the first month is:
for Russians | 14 USD |
for Belarusians | 18 USD |
for Ukrainians | 50 USD |
for Kazakhstanis | 50 USD |
The amount of penalties increases every month.
Every next month, overstay in Turkey is paid at the following rates:
- citizens of the Russian Federation — 3 USD each;
- citizens of the Republic of Belarus — 5 USD each;
- citizens of Ukraine and Kazakhstan — 10 USD each.
In addition to the fine, 10 days from the date of overstay, the amount of the state duty for issuing an ikamet card (residence permit) is charged — this is 565 TRY in 2024.
In addition, citizens of Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus and Uzbekistan will have to pay an administrative fine of about 2,304.20 TRY. Russians and Kazakhs are not charged an administrative penalty.
How to calculate the overrate
In order to calculate the overlay penalty, you will need to add up: the amount of the penalty for the first month and for all subsequent months, as well as the administrative fee (for citizens of some countries) and the fee for the residence permit card.
There are various options on the Internet for calculating the overlay penalty in Turkey. But doing it yourself is not difficult at all. Let's look at a few specific examples.
Example #1:
- The visa-free regime for Russians in Turkey is 90 days.
- The term of stay of a Russian citizen was 180 days, which means that 90 days are oversteem.
- Penalty calculation:
First month of overstay | 14 USD |
In 60 days | $6 ($3 every 30 days) |
The cost of a residence permit card | 565 TRY |
Total amount | 20 USD and 565 TRY |
Example #2:
- The visa-free regime for Belarusians in Turkey is 30 days.
- The period of stay of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus is 180 days, that is, 150 days will be considered an overstay.
- Penalty calculation:
First month of overstay | 18 USD |
For 150 days | $25 ($5 every 30 days) |
The cost of a residence permit card | 565 TRY |
Administrative penalty | 2 304 TRY |
Total amount | 43 USD and 3,225 TRY |
It's important!
The data and examples provided are indicative. In practice, the amount of the fine will depend on the situation and other conditions. According to foreigners, quite large penalties are often issued for overtime. We recommend that you contact the Migration Service or Customs Service directly for all questions regarding the overstay.
Where and how to pay for the overcharge
Non-residents in Turkey have two options for paying off overlay fines:
- at the Tax Service ticket offices, after visiting the regional Migration Department;
- at the immigration office at the airport.
When paying through the Tax Service, you should take into account opening hours and the availability of an electronic queue. You must have a valid passport with you.
To pay a fine at the airport when leaving Turkey, you will need:
- Arrive at the airport in advance to find the göç idaresi (migration office). They will understand the purpose of your visit if you say the phrase “Ceza
- ödemek istiyorum”.
- Pay the receipt issued by an employee of the Migration Department at the cash desk. The fine can only be paid in cash and in Turkish lira.
- Go back to the migration office and get a certificate of payment of the fine. We recommend saving a photo of the document to your smartphone. It is likely that you will need this information in the future when entering the Republic of Turkey.
How to avoid mistakes when calculating the days of stay
To prevent financial losses, expulsion from the state and a ban on entry, the most correct decision is to prevent overstay. To do this, try to closely monitor the length of your legal stay in Turkey.
If you already live in Turkey for more than required by immigration law, the visa-free calculator will help you avoid mistakes when calculating overstay. It can be found on the official e-ikamet website.
What to do if you have already encountered an overstay
For foreigners who already have an audit, we have prepared some useful tips:
- The best solution before leaving Turkey is to visit the Migration Service, check the overstay period, the amount of the fine and pay it immediately. This will allow you to avoid any trouble at customs.
- In order to protect yourself and your family as much as possible from temporary travel bans to Turkey, it is important to pay the full amount of penalties immediately. Sometimes, if your stay is slightly delayed, the Migration Department prefers not to impose an entry ban or restricts visits to Turkey for a short period of no more than 1-3 months.
- If you were in Turkey with children, all family members, regardless of age, will receive fines. However, children are not prohibited from visiting the country, as parents or legal guardians are fully responsible for them.
- When you leave Turkey, don't forget to bring your overstay receipt. Customs will definitely ask you about this.
Entry ban and deportation from Turkey
Deportation from Turkey is a natural consequence of an overstay, regardless of whether you paid off the fine on time and in full. If the delay in residence is significant, you will definitely be banned from temporarily visiting the Republic of Turkey.
The longer the delay, the longer, naturally, the longer the period of the ban on entry after deportation from Turkey:
OVERSTAY | PERIOD OF THE BAN ON ENTRY |
16—90 days | 3 months |
91—180 days | 6 months |
181—365 days | 12 months |
more than 365 days | 2 years |
1—5 years | 5 years |
from 5 years old | 7 years or more |
The data in the table are indicative; the final decision on deportation and the duration of the ban on entry to Turkey is made individually, taking into account the reasons for the overstay.
Remember that a fine will be imposed for the entire overstay period, and you will need to pay it in full. Do not neglect visa rules if you want to fully continue enjoying your vacation and life in Turkey.
Ataberk Real Estate is a certified real estate agency in Turkey. We offer a full range of services for finding and buying liquid apartments by the sea. We will make your dream of buying your own home in Turkey come true, we guarantee the legality of the purchase and sale transaction and complete investment security.
