Frequently Asked Questions about Residence Permit

If you are a new student at Sabancı University, you should make your online “first application” for student residence permit after your university registration. You should also check your visa and duration of stay period and follow up the residence permit application procedure accordingly. If you are abroad you cannot make residence permit application. After your arrival in Turkey, please contact us to make your residence permit application.

While filling the residence permit online application form, you can request a maximum validity period of up to 2 months before your passport expiry date. Therefore, Make sure you have passport that is valid for 6 months minimum.

• If you are a current student at Sabancı University and have a valid residence permit, you should make your online “extension application” before 2 months to its expiry date.
• If you are a current student at Sabancı University and your residence permit has already expired, you should apply for “first time application” within 10 days after your current residence permit expiry date.
• If you do not make any application after 10 days you should leave Turkey with a penalty due to not having an extension application. If you stay in Turkey more than 10 days without a residence permit card/application, in this case you will get penalty. When you come back you should apply online “first application” for student residence permit.

You can stay in Turkey 10 days after you graduate/leave/freeze. You should leave Turkey after your official graduation/leaving/freezing date. You can learn your official graduation date from only student resources. As you leave/graduate/freeze the student resources informs the immigration office to cancel your residence permit card. Your residence permit card will be canceled regardless of the validity period on the card. If you will stay more than 10 days, you will face with penalty in airport when you leave Turkey and also passport police may put a block on your passport. If you are planning to stay in Turkey after graduating/leaving/freezing you should apply for a short term residence permit within 10 days after your official graduation/leaving/freezing date. In this case, application process is totally your responsibility. However, please take advice from us before taking any action.

If you graduate, your residence permit card is canceled as of your graduation date (even if the card’s expiry date shows a later date). You can stay in Turkey 10 days after your graduation date. Also, you can apply for a short-term residence permit before your residence permit becomes invalid. If you will do further studies in Turkey, you can apply for student residence permit within 90 days.

Before taking any action please first contact irolegal@sabanciuniv.edu Our legal specialist will assist you regarding your legal matters.

You can stay in Turkey 10 days after you leave university or freeze the term with your valid residence permit. If you will stay more than 10 days after leaving university or freezing the term, you have to pay penalty at the airport when you leave Turkey. You can apply for a short-term residence permit before your residence permit becomes invalid.

If you graduate, your residence permit card is canceled as of your graduation date, even if the card’s expiry date shows a later date. You can stay in Turkey 10 days after your graduation date. You can apply for a short-term residence permit before your residence permit become invalid. If you will do further studies in Turkey, you can apply for student residence permit within 90 days.

You have to go to the nearest police center as soon as possible and get a report about losing your card. Then you have to pay your residence card fee (160 TL in cash) at the tax office and keep the receipt. Then, you have to go to the Kumkapı Immigration Office with the report, payment receipt and your passport to apply to get a new residence permit card (You do not need to get an appointment date before going there). Immigration Office officials will accept your application and will send your new card to the address you have mentioned.

Kumkapı Immigration Office

You have to submit your file personally to the appointment place you have chosen on your online application form.

Important Suggestions:

DO NOT receive assistance from anyone you do not know inside or outside the institution building except the Immigration Office employees. DO NOT pay people who are trying to offer you support in exchange for money. DO NOT show your passport to anyone other than the Immigration Office employees. DO NOT sign any documents other than those requested by the Immigration Office employees.

If you come from another university in Istanbul; you do not have to apply for residence permit. However, after enrollment at Sabancı you should submit us your new student certificate within 5 working days. We will notify the immigration administration on your behalf so that you will continue to use your existing card. Otherwise your card will be canceled. If you come from a university in a city other than Istanbul; you have to apply for residence permit within 10 days after you leave your old university and have to get a document as a proof of leaving your old university.

The immigration administration is fully authorized to approve or reject your application and to mail your card to you. The period between the processing of your application and the receipt of your card may take up to 30-45 days.

After completing the residence permit application online and collecting the required documents, you have to submit your file personally to the appointment place you have chosen on your online application. Please be aware of your SMS or email because the immigration office will send you an appointment SMS or email. After getting this information, please kindly send your appointment place, date and number to irolegal@sabanciuniv.edu

Once the Immigration Office goes over your files and approves your application file, the confirmation SMS / email for your application approval will be sent to you. After receiving the message, your card will be printed and posted by the Immigration Office. Your card is delivered to your contact address by the official carrier, PTT. You must be ready at the address you provided in the application form to receive the card card (In the most cases, it is the communication center at the campus). The postman will not hand over the residence card to anyone other than you. If the postman cannot find you at your address, the PTT will return your card to the Immigration Directorate.

Please be aware that tracking your residence permit card during the posting process is fully your responsibility. To receive your card, make sure you provide the correct address on the application form.

Be aware that the Immigration Administration might ask for some extra documents depending on your situation.

After receiving your residence permit card, please send a double-sided copy to studentinfo@sabanciuniv.edu

Attention: You cannot leave Turkey without obtaining your residence permit card. If you do so, you will receive a penalty depending on your case and your application will be cancelled by the Immigration Office.

In case you need to leave Turkey before you receive the residence permit card (we do not suggest this unless it is an emergency), please make sure you have an Approval Document (Müracaat Belgesi) and residence payment receipt with you at the airport that proves your application for residence permit.

To take this document, you need to go with your departure ticket to the Istanbul Department of Immigration (İstanbul İl Göç İdaresi) and submit it to the “Öğrenci Odası” (an office within the building) on the first floor and request the Approval document. Please make sure to get this document at least 5 days prior to leaving the country.

As another way, you can get it online by clicking https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/Ikamet/DevamEdenBasvuruGiris if this document is ready.

https://www.sabanciuniv.edu/sites/default/files/approval%20paper.png

Please be aware that, you are allowed to leave the country only for 15 days even with the Approval Document (Müracaat Belgesi)!

If your address or passport information is changed, after you received your card you must inform the immigration authority within 20 days. You must go to the Kumkapı Immigration Office.

If you have a valid short-term residence card, please send a copy to irolegal@sabanciuniv.edu by email. You should make a “transfer application” for student residence permit after your university registration. We will help you with your transfer application during the orientation week. If your card is already expired before university registration before taking any action please contact irolegal@sabanciuniv.edu