Doctor Work Permit

Eligibility

• Medical degree from a recognised university with YÖK equivalency for non-Turkish degrees.
• MoH licensing decision (mesleğini icra yetkisi) under Law 1219 — typically requires examination and orientation depending on the country of original qualification.
• Tabip Odası registration with the relevant regional chamber of TTB.
• Employment offer from a private hospital, university hospital, or other MoH-permitted institution; public-sector MoH employment is generally restricted to Turkish citizens.
• Salary at or above the medical-role multiplier of minimum wage (historically among the higher multipliers in the table).
• Standard public-order, public-security and public-health clearance.

Documents required

• Standard e-İzin document set (passport, photograph, employment contract).
• Apostilled medical degree, internship and any specialisation certificates plus official transcripts.
• YÖK diploma equivalency (Tıp Doktoru Denklik Belgesi).
• MoH licensing decision (mesleğini icra etme yetkisi).
• Tabip Odası registration certificate.
• Employer's standard registration package (trade registry, SGK workplace, financials).
• Hospital licence and bed-capacity evidence for the employer.

Application process

1. 1

   Apply for YÖK equivalency for the medical degree

   YÖK equivalency for medical degrees is more rigorous than for most other disciplines and commonly requires demonstration of clinical training. File early.

2. 2

   Apply for MoH licensing under Law 1219

   The Ministry of Health evaluates clinical competence; depending on the country of original qualification an examination, orientation period or supervised practice may be required. The decision is the operative right-to-practise document.

3. 3

   Register with the Tabip Odası

   Once MoH licensing is granted, register with the regional Tabip Odası (medical chamber). Membership is mandatory for practice in private and most institutional settings.

4. 4

   Employer files the work permit in e-İzin

   With YÖK, MoH and chamber documents in hand, the employer files the standard Law 6735 application in e-İzin, attaching the regulatory documents.

5. 5

   MoLSS evaluation with MoH consultation

   MoLSS consults MoH on regulated medical roles. Typical processing time runs 4–8 weeks but extends with consultation; verify with the e-İzin portal.

6. 6

   Approval, harç, card and SGK enrolment

   On approval, the foreigner pays the harç and the kart bedeli. The card is delivered by PTT and the employer enrols the foreigner on SGK.

Validity and renewal

Standard Law 6735 1+2+3 progression: up to one year on first grant, then up to two, then up to three. Renewals require continued MoH licensing and Tabip Odası registration. Loss of MoH licensing automatically blocks renewal.

Salary thresholds and fees

Medical roles face one of the higher multipliers in the MoLSS table — historically around 4× minimum wage for general practitioners and higher for specialist roles, but always set as multipliers rather than fixed lira figures. The exact multiplier table is updated alongside minimum-wage revisions; verify the current numbers on the e-İzin portal as of your application date.

Common rejection reasons

• MoH licensing not yet granted, or licensing decision conditional on supervised practice not yet completed.
• YÖK equivalency missing or in process without sufficient progress evidence.
• Tabip Odası registration not in place.
• Employer is a public MoH institution where foreign doctors are not permitted.
• Salary offered below the medical-role multiplier of minimum wage.
• Outstanding tax / SGK debt at the employer level.

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