Türkiye opened a dedicated route for remote workers in 2024: the Digital Nomad programme run through the GoTürkiye platform. In 2026 it remains one of the most searched ways to live in Istanbul, Antalya or Izmir while working for an employer or clients abroad. This guide sets out who qualifies, the documents, the three-step process, what the residence permit actually gives you, and the tax and work permit rules that catch people out.
Strictly speaking, there is no separate "digital nomad residence permit" in Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection. The programme works in three layers: a Digital Nomad Identification Certificate issued through goturkiye.com, a visa obtained with that certificate from a Turkish consulate or visa centre, and a short-term residence permit applied for after arrival. The certificate is a pre-approval, not a right of residence. The permit you end up holding is an ordinary short-term residence permit under Article 31 of Law No. 6458, with your remote work as the stated purpose.
The official requirements published by GoTürkiye are:
Citizens of other countries, including most of the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, cannot use the programme. They can still live in Türkiye as remote workers through the ordinary short-term residence permit routes, but without the certificate and with the stricter scrutiny that tourism-purpose permits now receive.
For the residence permit stage you will also need valid private health insurance covering the permit period, proof of address (a notarised lease agreement is required in Istanbul and most provinces), the application fee and card fee, and the application form printed from the e-İkamet system. Documents issued abroad must carry an apostille and a sworn Turkish translation.
Create an account on the GoTürkiye digital nomad platform, upload the scanned documents and wait for the review. If the documents are sufficient, the certificate is issued electronically. The platform publishes no fee for this step.
Apply at a Turkish visa centre or consulate with the certificate and the standard visa documents. Nationals of the eligible countries who can already enter Türkiye visa-free for 90 days within 180 days often enter on that basis; the certificate is then used to support the residence permit application. Check the current entry rules for your nationality before travelling, and keep the 90 in 180 days rule in mind if you plan to leave and return before the permit is issued.
After arrival, and before your visa or visa-free period expires, submit the residence permit application through the e-İkamet system and attend the appointment at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, or file through a notary under the 2024 protocol. Short-term residence permits can be issued for up to two years at a time. While the application is pending you remain lawfully in Türkiye; carry the application document at all times.
The residence permit card fee is 964 TL for 2026. The permit fee itself depends on nationality under the reciprocity principle and was updated by the Law on Fees communiqué of December 31, 2025; several European nationalities are exempt from the fee and pay only the card. Add the cost of private health insurance and the notary fees for the lease. Our complete residence permit guide lists the current figures.
For years, neighbourhoods with a high share of foreign residents were closed to new residence permit applications, which caught many remote workers who had already signed a lease. According to announcements attributed to the Directorate General of Migration Management, all previously closed neighbourhoods in Istanbul were reopened on June 10, 2026. Restrictions in other provinces are reviewed separately, so confirm the address before signing; see our guide to closed neighbourhoods for foreigners in Türkiye.
The certificate does not change your tax position. Under the Turkish Income Tax Law, a person who resides in Türkiye for more than six months in a calendar year is treated as a resident taxpayer and is, in principle, taxable on worldwide income, subject to the double taxation treaty between Türkiye and your home country. Short absences do not interrupt the count. Remote workers who stay under six months in a calendar year are normally taxed only on Turkish-source income, which for a typical digital nomad is none. Those who settle for longer should plan ahead; our guides on resident tax in Türkiye and double taxation agreements explain how the rules interact.
The programme is built on the condition that your employer or clients are outside Türkiye. Taking on a Turkish client, joining a Turkish company's payroll or founding a company and working in it requires a work permit. Working without one is a ground for a removal decision under Article 54 of Law No. 6458 and leads to an entry ban. If your plans change, the correct route is to switch to a work permit, which also serves as a residence permit, before starting the work.
A refusal can be challenged before the administrative courts within the legal deadline; see our guide on residence permit rejection and appeal.
We prepare the certificate application, review the employment and income documents against the GoTürkiye criteria, handle the lease and address formalities, and file the residence permit application so that it is complete at the first appointment. For remote workers who later decide to stay, invest or start a company in Türkiye, we plan the transition to the right permit and the tax position in advance. Contact us for a consultation in English.
