Moving to Turkey: we help with buying, paperwork and the authorities

Help with moving to Turkey: what we take care of

Moving abroad is more than packing a suitcase. It means a tax number from the tax office, an account at a Turkish bank, a purchase or rental contract, DASK insurance, health insurance, a residence permit application at the migration office, registration at the address office, electricity, water, internet and a phone contract. Each of these steps has an order, a form and an office that speaks only Turkish. We know them all, because we go through them every week with people from the UK and across Europe. You get a plan in the right order from us, and someone from our team sits next to you at the appointments.

This is what it looks like: Tuesday morning at the tax office in Antalya, twenty minutes, tax number in hand. Then the bank, account opened. Lunchtime tea at the harbour, in the afternoon a viewing of the apartment that ends up being yours. Two weeks later the land registry, Tapu in your name. Three weeks after that the residence permit appointment, with every document complete because we checked them first.

Step by step: how your move works with us

1. Conversation and plan. You tell us where you want to go, with whom, what you live on and when you want to start. We tell you which town fits, whether buying or renting first is better for you, and which papers to bring from home, such as pension statements, bank statements or an international birth certificate.

2. Tax number and bank account. Without a tax number nothing works in Turkey, with it almost everything does. We go with you to the tax office and the bank; you sign, we translate.

3. Finding a home. Apartment, house or villa from our network, seen by us first. If the property is to be the basis for your residence permit, we check before you buy that its value and district qualify. We are there with the notary, the bank and the land registry until the Tapu is in your name.

4. Insurance. DASK as compulsory insurance for the property and a health insurance that is valid in Turkey and accepted for the application. We connect you with an adviser who explains it in English.

5. Residence permit. Online application, appointment at the migration office, complete document folder. We fill in the application with you, check every page and accompany you to the appointment. Once it is granted, we register you at your address.

6. Settling in. Electricity, water, internet, phone contract, Aidat with the management, a moving company if needed, school for the children, an English-speaking doctor. Once that is running, you have arrived. And our number stays the same.

What you sort out at home

Deregistering where required, informing your pension provider, sorting out health insurance at home, asking your tax adviser about the double taxation agreement, selling your car or bringing it temporarily. Whatever you need from Turkey for this, such as proof of address or a life certificate, we get for you. Background on pensions, insurance and cars is in our guide Moving to Turkey.

Work, company and remote work

For many, living here also means working. Whether you want a job, set up a company or keep working remotely for your employer back home: each path has its own paperwork, and we go through it with you together with English-speaking accountants and lawyers from our network. Everything about it is under Working in Turkey.

Where to move: towns where foreigners settle in well

Alanya with the largest international community on the coast. Antalya as a big city with airport, hospitals and university, for families and anyone who wants city life. Side and Manavgat, quieter and flatter, good for retirees. Izmir and the Aegean for cooler summers and more green. Mersin for a more Turkish setting and lower prices.

What the help costs

Advice and support when buying cost you nothing; we earn from the sale. For official procedures the state fees apply, for example for the residence card, the sworn interpreter at the notary or certifications. We tell you these in figures beforehand, so there are no surprises. We take care of everything from A to Z, and you always know the next step.

Alpa Abi lives what he shows you

Alpa Abi moved here himself, lives in Antalya and has been showing for years on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok what life here is really like. More about everyday life and moving abroad is on alpa-abi.com. This page is the practical part: if you really want to do it, we walk the steps with you.