Which countries are exempt from Türkiye’s residence permit fee?

Two costs, not one

A Turkish residence permit comes with two separate charges.

• The residence permit fee. This depends on your nationality and how long the permit lasts.
• The card fee. This pays for the physical residence card. For 2026 it is 964 Turkish lira, and every applicant pays it.

An exemption removes the first charge only. Nobody is exempt from the card fee.

The ten exempt countries

Türkiye applies the principle of reciprocity. Citizens of these countries do not pay the residence permit fee:

• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Ireland
• Kosovo
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Syria
• Turkmenistan
• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Palestine

They still pay the 964 lira card fee.

Not on the list? Students are still covered

Nigeria, Cameroon and most other African countries are not on the list. That does not matter if you come to study.

Students enrolled in a degree programme at a Turkish university are exempt from the residence permit fee, whatever their nationality. You pay only the card fee.

So a student from Lagos or Douala and a student from Dublin pay the same government fee for their student permit: 964 lira for the card.

Who may still pay

• Students on a Turkish language course only. Several 2026 guides report that language-course students are not treated as degree students for this exemption. Ask before you apply.
• Family members on a family permit. They pay the fee for their own nationality.
• Anyone on a short-term permit instead of a student permit.

Fees for non-exempt applicants are set each year and paid in Turkish lira, so the amount changes with the calendar year.

Other costs to plan for

The government fee is only part of the cost. Budget for:

• Health insurance, if your university does not include it
• Sworn translations of your documents
• Notary fees, where a document must be certified
• Passport photos and copies

Questions to ask before you apply

• Is my programme a full degree programme, or a language course?
• Does my student permit application need any translated documents?
• Is health insurance included with my enrolment?
• When must I apply after I enrol?

Your university’s international office can confirm the deadline and the documents for your case.

Sources, checked 20 October 2026 Presidency of Migration Management Dural Hukuk FFK Partner Hukuk