Subtype · Commercial relations
Commercial-Relations Residence Permit
The commercial-relations short-term permit is issued under Article 31(c) of Law 6458 to foreigners visiting Türkiye for commercial relations or to establish a business presence.
Legal anchor
Law 6458 — Article 31(c)
- Türkçe
- Ticari bağlantı veya iş kurma kısa dönem ikamet izni
- English
- Commercial-Relations Residence Permit
Overview
The commercial-relations permit (ticari bağlantı veya iş kurma kısa dönem ikamet izni) is the Article 31 sub-paragraph for foreigners pursuing business activities short of taking up employment. It covers business-development visits, supply-chain meetings, customer-discovery trips, and the early stages of setting up a Turkish company.
It is NOT a substitute for a work permit. Once the foreigner takes up employment by a Turkish company — or becomes a director / manager of a company they have set up — a work permit under Law 6735 is required. The commercial-relations permit covers the period before that conversion.
Business owners and minority shareholders who do not work for the Turkish company can stay on Article 31(c) long-term in principle. Owner-managers who actually run the business should convert to a work permit (or, after 5 years of residence, an independent work permit under Law 6735 Article 10).
Eligibility
- Genuine commercial purpose — invitation letter from a Turkish business, partnership negotiation, supply-chain meetings, exhibition attendance.
- Or: setting up / partial ownership of a Turkish company (proven by ticaret sicili gazetesi).
- Standard short-term tests: passport, insurance, financial means, address registration.
- Not actively employed by the Turkish company — that requires a work permit under Law 6735.
Documents required
- Invitation letter from the Turkish company on official letterhead, or ticaret sicili gazetesi for the foreign applicant's own Turkish company.
- Tax-number registration in Türkiye for the foreigner.
- Standard short-term documents: passport, photos, insurance, financial-means evidence, address proof.
- If a director / shareholder of the Turkish company, a list of director / shareholder records from MERSİS.
Application process
- 1
Build the commercial-purpose evidence file
Collect invitation letters, ticaret sicili records, contracts under negotiation, exhibition registrations — anything that documents the genuine commercial purpose.
- 2
Register your tax number and address
All foreign business actors in Türkiye need a Turkish tax number (vergi numarası). Combine with NVI address registration.
- 3
Apply via e-ikamet selecting Article 31(c)
Upload the commercial-purpose evidence and book the appointment at the provincial Göç İdaresi.
- 4
Pay the harç and card fee
Standard short-term fees apply.
- 5
Attend the appointment with originals
Bring originals of the invitation letter or ticaret sicili. The officer may probe whether the activity is really commercial-relations or de-facto employment requiring a work permit.
- 6
Renew or convert as the business matures
When the foreigner starts drawing a salary or actively running the company, convert to a work permit under Law 6735.
Validity and renewal
Up to 2 years per grant under Article 33. Renewable as long as the commercial purpose persists. Once the foreigner takes up employment, an Article 31(c) renewal is no longer appropriate — switch to a work permit.
Fees
Standard short-term harç and card fee. Note that some bilateral commercial-relations agreements (e.g. customs union, free-trade frameworks) grant reciprocal exemptions or discounts — verify per nationality on goc.gov.tr.
Common rejection reasons
- PMM concludes the activity is de-facto employment requiring a work permit.
- Invitation letter generic or unverifiable.
- No commercial activity (no contracts, no MERSİS record, no ticaret sicili) demonstrable.
- Standard short-term tests not met.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Can I run a Turkish business on this permit?
- Article 31(c) covers commercial relations and business setup short of taking up employment. Once you actually run the business — drawing salary, signing on as a manager — a work permit under Law 6735 is required.
- Can my family join me?
- Yes — spouse and minor children apply for family residence permits under Article 34 with you as sponsor. The standard income and accommodation tests apply.
- Is there a minimum investment for Article 31(c)?
- No fixed minimum. Article 31(c) is purpose-based, not investment-based. Citizenship by fixed-capital investment under Article 12 of Law 5901 has its own USD 500,000 floor and is independent.
- Does commercial-relations time count toward citizenship?
- Yes — Article 31(c) is lawful residence and counts toward Article 11 of Law 5901 (5-year naturalisation) when continuous, and Article 42 of Law 6458 (8-year long-term permit) when continuous.
- What if I want to freelance for Turkish clients?
- Freelancing for Turkish clients is regulated work and requires an independent work permit under Law 6735 Article 10 after 5 years of continuous lawful residence. Article 31(c) is not a freelancer permit.
Source: Law 6458 Article 31; Law 6735 Article 6
Source: Law 6458, Articles 31 & 34
Source: Law 5901, Article 12
Source: Law 5901 Article 11; Law 6458 Article 42
Source: Law 6735, Article 10
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 detailsÇalışma izni / çalışma ikamet izni
Work Residence Permit
Law 6735 (cross-reference Law 6458 Art. 27)
Türkiye does not issue a stand-alone 'work residence permit' under Law 6458; instead, a work permit issued under Law 6735 (International Workforce Law) by the Ministry of Labour also constitutes a residence permit during its validity.
View permit detailsTaşınmaz mal sahibi olma kısa dönem ikamet izni
Property-Owner Residence Permit
Article 31(b)
The property-owner short-term permit is issued under Article 31(b) of Law 6458 to foreigners who own qualifying residential property in Türkiye and use it for accommodation.
View permit detailsUzun dönem ikamet izni
Long-Term Residence Permit
Articles 42–43
The long-term residence permit is open-ended and issued to foreigners who have lived legally and continuously in Türkiye for at least eight years and meet the integration and self-sufficiency criteria of Article 42.
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