Subtype · Treatment
Medical Treatment Residence Permit
The medical-treatment short-term permit is issued under Article 31(d) of Law 6458 to foreigners undergoing medical treatment at an authorised Turkish health institution and to their first-degree relatives caring for them.
Legal anchor
Law 6458 — Article 31(d)
- Türkçe
- Tedavi amaçlı kısa dönem ikamet izni
- English
- Medical Treatment Residence Permit
Overview
The treatment permit (tedavi amaçlı kısa dönem ikamet izni) is one of the more specific Article 31 sub-paragraphs and is widely used by patients pursuing health-tourism in Türkiye — fertility, oncology, orthopaedic, cardiac and dental treatments are among the common reasons.
Eligibility hinges on a current letter from the treating health institution (sağlık kuruluşu yazısı) attesting that the applicant is under active treatment, the expected duration of treatment and the institution's authorisation to treat foreigners. Treatment must be at a public hospital, university hospital, or a private hospital authorised by the Ministry of Health.
First-degree relatives accompanying the patient (parents, spouse, adult children) can also apply on the same Article 31(d) ground. The financial-means test is relaxed where the treatment is documented and the patient demonstrates the ability to pay for it.
Eligibility
- The applicant is under active medical treatment at an authorised Turkish health institution.
- Treatment is documented by an official institutional letter (sağlık kuruluşu yazısı) detailing the diagnosis, planned treatment and expected duration.
- The institution is a public hospital, university hospital, or a private hospital authorised by the Ministry of Health to treat foreign patients.
- Sufficient financial means to pay for the treatment course and the daily subsistence costs.
- First-degree relatives accompanying the patient may apply on the same ground (Article 31(d)) with documentary evidence of the relationship.
- Valid passport, address registration, and standard short-term documents (insurance, photo, etc.).
Documents required
- Hospital letter (sağlık kuruluşu yazısı) on official letterhead, signed and stamped, naming the patient, diagnosis, treatment and expected duration.
- Institution's authorisation document if it is a private hospital (showing Ministry of Health approval to treat foreigners).
- Proof of relationship for accompanying first-degree relatives (birth / marriage certificate, apostilled and sworn-translated).
- Bank statement / payment plan demonstrating ability to fund the treatment.
- Standard short-term documents: passport, photos, address proof, insurance.
Application process
- 1
Begin treatment and obtain the hospital letter
Schedule treatment and request the formal sağlık kuruluşu yazısı from the institution's foreign-patient office. The letter must be on letterhead, with diagnosis, treatment plan and estimated duration.
- 2
Register your address with NVI
Patients staying in hospital accommodation should still register the hospital address; outpatients use a hotel, lease, or host's undertaking.
- 3
Apply via e-ikamet selecting Article 31(d)
Upload the hospital letter, financial-means evidence and standard documents. Book the appointment at the provincial Göç İdaresi.
- 4
Accompanying relatives file their own files in parallel
Each accompanying first-degree relative submits their own e-ikamet application with proof of relationship and an institutional letter naming them as caregiver.
- 5
Pay the harç and card fee
Standard short-term fees apply. Some nationalities benefit from reciprocity exemptions for treatment.
- 6
Attend the appointment with originals
Bring originals of the hospital letter and identity documents. The officer may verify the institution's authorisation status.
Validity and renewal
Issued for the expected duration of treatment, typically 6 months to 1 year per grant. Renewable on presentation of an updated hospital letter showing continued treatment. Once treatment is complete, holders must convert to a different subtype or leave Türkiye on the next renewal cycle.
Fees
Standard short-term harç and card fee. Several bilateral health agreements grant fee exemptions for nationals of partner countries — check the current goc.gov.tr notice for your nationality.
Common rejection reasons
- Institutional letter not on official letterhead or missing key details (diagnosis, duration).
- Private hospital not authorised by the Ministry of Health to treat foreigners.
- Insufficient financial-means evidence to fund the treatment.
- Treatment classified as elective / cosmetic-only without medical justification.
- Accompanying relative cannot prove first-degree relationship.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Can I apply for a treatment permit before I arrive?
- No — Article 31(d) applications require an in-Türkiye institutional letter and an active treatment plan. You enter on a visa-free, e-visa or sticker visa, begin treatment, and then apply for the permit.
- Does cosmetic / elective surgery qualify?
- Cosmetic-only procedures with no medical indication generally do not qualify under Article 31(d) — those visitors stay on a visa-free / e-visa or apply for a touristic short-term permit. Hair transplants and similar elective procedures fall outside the treatment subtype in most cases.
- How many family members can accompany me?
- Article 31(d) is open to first-degree relatives — parents, spouse, adult children. Each applies separately with documentary evidence of the relationship and an institutional letter naming them as caregiver.
- Does treatment time count toward citizenship?
- Yes — time on a valid treatment short-term permit counts toward the 5-year continuous-residence test under Article 11 of Law 5901 if continuous, but most patients are in Türkiye for finite courses and do not chain renewals.
- Are treatment-permit holders covered by SGK?
- No. Treatment-permit applicants must demonstrate ability to pay for treatment privately. SGK enrolment is available only to foreigners working under a registered Turkish employer.
Source: Law 6458, Article 31
Source: Implementing Regulation, Article 32
Source: Law 6458, Article 31
Source: Law 5901, Article 11
Source: Law 5510, Article 60
Related subtypes
Related residence-permit subtypes
Kısa dönem ikamet izni
Short-Term Residence Permit
Article 31
The short-term residence permit is the most common ikamet izni in Türkiye — issued under Article 31 of Law 6458 to foreigners staying for tourism, business, study preparation, treatment, property ownership and several other defined reasons.
View permit detailsTuristik amaçlı kısa dönem ikamet izni
Touristic Residence Permit
Article 31(a)
The touristic residence permit is a sub-case of the short-term permit, issued under Article 31(a) of Law 6458 for foreigners visiting Türkiye for tourism for longer than the visa-free period allows.
View permit detailsEş için aile ikamet izni
Accompanying-Spouse Residence Permit
Article 34 (family permit, spouse sub-case)
The accompanying-spouse permit is the family-residence-permit sub-case for foreign spouses of Turkish citizens or qualifying foreign sponsors under Article 34 of Law 6458.
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