Turkey’s approach to accommodating digital nomads is quite interesting. While there isn’t a dedicated digital nomad visa, individuals looking to work remotely in Turkey can apply for a standard visa, which allows them to reside in any Turkish city as long as they comply with the country’s immigration regulations​​. To be eligible for this long-term residence permit, you need to demonstrate the ability to work remotely, either through an online job or as a freelancer. The visa is available to those who can operate their business from anywhere globally. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and provide evidence of financial sustainability during their stay in Turkey​​.
When applying, you’ll need to prepare several documents, including proof of income to confirm financial stability, medical insurance with worldwide validity, and possibly travel insurance, depending on the length of your stay. Proof of accommodation in Turkey and background checks from your country of origin are also required​​.
Once your application is submitted, there’s a non-refundable fee, and the visa process typically takes between 3-15 days. After approval, you complete your visa formalities upon entering Turkey​​. One significant benefit of this residence permit is the tax incentives it offers. If you’re a freelancer or remote worker, you can benefit from Turkey’s tax regime, which provides income tax exemption for foreign-sourced income that is transferred to Turkey. This means income earned from a company outside of Turkey will not be taxed while you reside in Turkey​​.
So, while the process may seem straightforward, it’s crucial to ensure all requirements are met and documents are correctly prepared. Btw, you can check out Rebookify to save some cash too…The tax benefits are a significant advantage, making Turkey an attractive option for digital nomads.

They are not giving Tourist Ikamets anymore unless you are Russian, Ukrainian, or perhaps from an Arab country. If you are from a western country, it will 100% be denied unless you know someone in the government that can help get it approved.

They’re happy to collect your application fees though.

The only way to guarantee your ikamet is by buying property worth $75k or more or marrying a Turkish citizen.

That being said, I really hated living in Istanbul. I’ve been maybe 10 times and spent 1+ year of my life there, but living there and visiting are very different things.

Source: American who applied with a lawyer and had my Turkish gf navigating everything for me. In my time in Istanbul Russians and Ukrainians were the only ones getting approved.

I would go there for a month or two before going through getting a visa like that to see if you even like it there, I would say that’s the catch. I like it there a lot, but I wouldn’t particularly want to live there.

But how are you going to stay for 6 months if the visas for foreigners are only 90 days

Residency permits for renting contracts are not available in many cities/neighborhoods. Even in places where they are supposed to be available you won’t have 100% guarantee of getting one - getting approved or rejected is very subjective.

1. You have to get a rental contract for a year and most likely pay for an entire year right away, wont be refunded in case of rp rejection.
2. Rejection rates were about 80% this spring.
3. Immigration agent could ask for a bank statement from Turkish bank (they would reject you without the residence permit) or your bank with an apostille (no bank can provide that).
4. They will reject if simply don’t like you personally.

But if you manage to get it… you will get unlimited access to Turkish payment cards and therefore cheaper subscriptions, and basically they don’t actually care about any taxes of tourist residents.

it used to be easy and now it’s not – most people have gotten rejected in the last year. you can apply for a student visa though and that’s pretty much guaranteed

(i’ve lived there the past two summers - falls)

Hope it’s helpful to point out that you generally don’t have to pay tax as visitor if you are not tax resident - which typically is triggered after 183 days (there are exceptions).

You will still be liable for tax in your “home” country - it’s not like Dubai.