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British residents in Turkey could have permits revoked
| Published: | 3 Feb at 11 AM |
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UK expats residing in Turkey face having their permits cancelled if they spend more than 120 days outside the country, states a new ruling by the Turkish government.
For many years, a popular choice of living among the roughly 40,000 British expats in Turkey has been to spend most of the year in the Eurasian country before heading elsewhere, often to warmer climes, during the winter months.
However, that could all be about to change after the Turkish government changed their residency rules to state that any foreign resident who spends more than 120 days outside the country will have their permits revoked. This could lead to major lifestyle problems such as affecting their state medical insurance and stopping them from getting a vehicle, phone line or internet.
The new measure relates to foreigners who have the recently-introduced residence permit card as well as those with a blue residence permit book. Before April last year, expats could apply for the blue book, which allowed between one and five years’ residency in the country; however, as of April, that was changed to just one or two years.
The 120-ruling initially only applied to foreigners applying after April last year, but now those who have the blue books have been told that the rule also includes them. A number of foreigners are now choosing to return to Britain and visit their adopted homeland on a cheap tourist visa that allows them to stay for 90 stays in a 180-day period for just £12.
For many years, a popular choice of living among the roughly 40,000 British expats in Turkey has been to spend most of the year in the Eurasian country before heading elsewhere, often to warmer climes, during the winter months.
However, that could all be about to change after the Turkish government changed their residency rules to state that any foreign resident who spends more than 120 days outside the country will have their permits revoked. This could lead to major lifestyle problems such as affecting their state medical insurance and stopping them from getting a vehicle, phone line or internet.
The new measure relates to foreigners who have the recently-introduced residence permit card as well as those with a blue residence permit book. Before April last year, expats could apply for the blue book, which allowed between one and five years’ residency in the country; however, as of April, that was changed to just one or two years.
The 120-ruling initially only applied to foreigners applying after April last year, but now those who have the blue books have been told that the rule also includes them. A number of foreigners are now choosing to return to Britain and visit their adopted homeland on a cheap tourist visa that allows them to stay for 90 stays in a 180-day period for just £12.
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