For short stays all you need is a tourist visa, though if you plan to stay longer it is easy enough to get a residence permit.

If you are only visiting turkey for short periods then you only need a tourist visa, which is issued when you arrive. A tourist visa is valid for three months during which time you can come and go as often as you like. The cost of a tourist visa for British citizens is currently £10 which must be paid in cash before going through passport control. Visa requirements for other nationalities can be found at:www.mfa.gov.tr/MFA/ConsularInformation/ForForeigners Many people who want to say longer than three months simply leave and re-enter the country on a new tourist visa. This is simple in many of the coastal resorts where it involves little more than a day trip to one of the Greek islands. Staying in the country after your visa has expired will mean paying a hefty fine, calculated on the number of days you have overstayed, when you depart.

If you plan to stay in the country for extended periods you can apply for a residence permit. This involves a visit to the Foreigner’s Section of the local Police headquarters (Emniyet Müdürlüğü, yabancılar şubesi). In the main tourist areas the staff will be used to dealing with European applicants, but don’t count on anyone speaking English. It is a good idea to have a Turkish friend accompany you, or better still, your estate agent, a solicitor or a specialist local agency can deal with the application for you.

Your application is forwarded to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (İçişleri bakanlığı) for processing which usually takes about two months. The initial residence permit is valid for one year, after which you can apply for a two-year, then a three or five-year extension. The fees are £ 410, £ 1,200 and £ 2,140 for the one, three and five year permits respectively, plus you need to pay a £65 administration fee. A document certifying that you live where you say you do will also need to be obtained from the “muhtar”, an elected official in charge of your village or neighborhood. This is a good opportunity to introduce yourself as well. Finally, you will need to prove that you have a regular income or sufficient funds to support yourself in Turkey. This can be done with bank statements or a work contract. Your passport must be valid fort he entire permit period also.

You can apply for a temporary residence permit at the Turkish consulate in London before you travel. However, once you arrive you must still go through the same process to obtain a full permit, so there is little point in the extra work and expense involved.

A residence permit entitles you to live in the country but not work. If you intend to work or set-up your own business you will need to get a separate permit (see below).If you are shipping your household possessions, you will be liable for import duty unless you have a recidence permit.