In 2026, the residence permit valuable-paper (card) fee is 964 TL, and no nationality is exempt from it. The charge amount varies by nationality: citizens of some countries are exempt from the charge under the reciprocity principle; for those not exempt, the first month is 348,10 TL per day (minimum 653,70 TL, maximum 3.359,90 TL), and 2.232,30 TL applies for each following month (Law on Fees General Communiqué Series No. 98 + Public Accounting General Directorate General Communiqué Series No. 97). These are official state charges; they are entirely separate from the consultancy service fee, and confirming the current amount on goc.gov.tr before applying is recommended.
A Government Charge Is Not a Single Item
The question “How much does a residence permit cost?” hides a structure more complex than it appears. In Türkiye, the amount to be paid to the state for a residence permit application does not consist of a single item; there are three separate layers that operate independently of one another: the valuable-paper (card) fee — a fixed amount charged to everyone, the residence permit charge — an amount set by law that varies by nationality and duration, and the single-entry visa fee that applies to some nationalities. These three rest on different legislation, apply under different conditions, and together determine the total amount payable.
There are also non-charge costs outside these official charges that vary according to the nature of the file — translation, health insurance, and the like. Below we go through these layers one by one; as with any figure, we are talking about amounts that can change within the year and by nationality, so confirming the current figure from an official source before applying matters.
There is a reason for this complexity: residence permit charges are one of the few official procedures that vary not only by the type of residence permit (short-term, family, student, long-term) but also by the applicant’s nationality. So instead of looking for a “general figure,” it is necessary to first determine which layer applies to your own file. (For the differences between permit types: Residence Permit Types.)
2026 Valuable-Paper (Card) Fee
The valuable-paper fee, which is the printing cost of the residence permit card, was set at 964 TL for 2026. This amount is based on the Public Accounting General Directorate General Communiqué (Series No. 97, Official Gazette dated 24 December 2025, Issue No. 33117) and is valid from 1 January 2026.
The most important feature of this fee: it has no exemption based on nationality. Even a citizen of a country exempt from the residence permit charge still pays the valuable-paper fee — these two items are independent of one another and should not be confused. The same amount applies to both the first application and the extension application; the card fee applied in case of loss or renewal may differ. Official source: Presidency of Migration Management — Document Fee and Charge Amount.
The Residence Permit Charge and Charge-Exempt Nationalities
The residence permit charge is set under the framework of Law No. 492 on Fees, and is a second item separate from the valuable-paper fee. The most notable aspect of this charge is that it varies greatly by nationality — because Türkiye has mutually abolished the residence permit charge with some countries under the reciprocity principle.
According to the official page of the Presidency of Migration Management, in 2026 citizens of Czechia, Denmark, Ireland, Kosovo, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkmenistan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Palestine are exempt from the residence permit charge. Since this list depends on mutual diplomatic agreements it may change over time; it is recommended that an applicant confirm the current status of their own nationality via goc.gov.tr or the YİMER 157 line.
The logic of the reciprocity principle is simple: in exchange for a country exempting Turkish citizens from the residence permit charge in that country, Türkiye extends the same exemption to that country’s citizens. This is not a one-sided gift but the result of a mutual agreement — so when the agreement changes or is renewed, the list can also be updated. This is why it is risky to assume “I was exempt last year, so I am exempt this year too.”
For nationalities that are not exempt, the charge amount depends not only on the permit duration but also on which month the application starts — because the first month is calculated daily, while following months are added as full months. So even for the same one-year residence permit, a difference of a few days can arise depending on the application date; the exact amount should be based on the calculation at the time of application.
For nationalities not on this list, the charge is calculated with a duration-based formula:
| Period | 2026 charge amount |
|---|---|
| First month (daily) | 348,10 TL/day (minimum 653,70 TL, maximum 3.359,90 TL) |
| Each following full month | 2.232,30 TL |
In other words, the charge grows cumulatively based on the permit duration given — the charge for a one-year residence permit and a three-month residence permit are not the same. The exact amount cannot be calculated until the permit duration is clear; so a case-by-case calculation is needed.
In practice this means: even if two people apply for the same type of residence permit in the same province in the same month — if one is a citizen of a charge-exempt country and the other is not — the total amount they pay can be completely different. This difference stems directly from official legislation tied to nationality, not from the consultancy fee, and no consultancy office can change this difference.
The Single-Entry Visa Fee for Exempt Nationalities
The table is not entirely empty for charge-exempt nationalities. According to various sources, citizens of some countries exempt from the residence permit charge pay a one-off single-entry visa fee instead of the charge on their first application; this item also has its own current amount and application conditions. This means the assumption “I’m exempt from the charge, so I pay nothing” is not always correct.
Since the amount of this item and which nationalities it applies to can change from year to year and according to reciprocity agreements, rather than giving an exact figure here we emphasize this framework: exemption from the charge does not mean exemption from all payments — the current amount specific to your file’s nationality should be confirmed with an official source or the relevant consulate before applying.
The practical consequence of this distinction is as follows: a nationality appearing on the “charge-exempt countries” list does not make that person’s residence permit process free. The valuable-paper fee is paid in every case, the single-entry visa fee applies on the first application for some nationalities, and non-charge costs (insurance, translation) are added depending on the nature of the file. When budgeting, it is important to keep in mind that none of these three layers automatically eliminates the other.
Non-Charge Costs
The official charge and card fee are only part of the total cost. Depending on the nature of the file, the main items that can be added to the budget are:
- Health insurance: valid private health insurance covering the residence permit period, or SGK coverage.
- Sworn translation: sworn translation may be required for documents arriving from abroad (birth record, marriage certificate, etc.).
- Notary and apostille procedures: notary approval or apostille/consular certification may be requested for some documents.
- Photo and additional document costs: biometric photo suited to the application format and other small items.
The amount of these items varies according to the person’s nationality, residence permit type and the state of their file; for this reason giving a single “total cost” figure would be misleading. A missing or incorrectly calculated item can lead to a delay in the application and additional cost — which document is required for your file becomes clear once your profile is assessed.
What these items have in common is that they are not tied to a fixed tariff like the official charge — they vary with market prices, the chosen insurance package or the translation office. So even for the same type of residence permit, two different applicants’ total budgets can differ; the government charge stays fixed while the non-charge items are variable.
When Is Payment Made?
The residence permit charge and the valuable-paper fee are requested not at the moment of application, but when the application is registered in the system or at the conclusion stage; the payment timing can differ by channel and file type. Those applying through the e-Residence system can see the items and amounts to be paid from the system. (For how the e-Residence renewal process works: e-Residence Online System Guide.)
The critical point is this: the charge and the valuable-paper fee are generally deposited separately, and if payment is not made within the set period, the application can be negatively affected. This is why following the payment schedule is a step as important as document preparation — a file’s delay most often stems not from a missing document but from a forgotten payment item.
Where and with which account code the payment should be deposited can also differ by application channel (tax office, online collection via e-Government, etc.). A payment made to the wrong account code may not match in the system even if it was actually collected, and can delay the application; so it matters that the code and reference number used at payment exactly match the application file.
How to Confirm the Current Amount
All amounts in this article are official figures valid for 2026 and are based on the relevant communiqués. However, government charges are updated every year with the revaluation rate, and exemption lists tied to reciprocity agreements can change over time. This is why confirming the current figure before applying is one of the simplest yet most frequently skipped steps of the process.
The main ways to confirm the current amount: the official document fee and charge page on goc.gov.tr, YİMER 157 the foreigners’ communication centre (157 from within Türkiye, +90 312 157 11 22 from abroad), and the provincial migration management directorate where the application will be made. Going by the previous year’s figure can lead to a payment being deposited incompletely or incorrectly — and thus to a delayed application.
Government Charge ≠ Consultancy Fee
A final and most important distinction: all the amounts described in this article are official government charges — they are set by law, paid directly to the state, and are independent of which consultancy firm you work with. A consultancy office’s service fee is entirely separate from this; it is the consideration for document preparation, application coordination and process follow-up.
At JS Vural Danışmanlık, we have been handling document and process coordination for foreigners’ residence permit files since 2003 — we make your application on your behalf with power of attorney, you wait. The public price range of our residence permit consultancy is 5.000–10.000 TL; government charges are not included in this range, we pass on the charge and card fee as they are, with no added margin. The exact service fee specific to your file is shared in the initial consultation, after your profile has been assessed.
In practice this distinction works as follows: we calculate and track how much government charge you will pay for which nationality, by which date and to which account; this information is set by law and is transparent for everyone. Our service fee, on the other hand, is the consideration for doing this calculation on your behalf, collecting the documents and presenting them in the correct order, and coordinating the process from start to finish. Keeping the two items from being confused lets you clarify your budget from the outset — no surprise item comes up.
Details: Residence Permit Consultancy. Official source: Presidency of Migration Management — Document Fee and Charge Amount.