So you’ve bought your property and are ready to make the move.
The good news is that we are here to help and moving over here is relatively easy as long as you plan ahead.
Before You Go
Ensure that your legal and financial affairs are in order. This includes telling your bank that you are coming to Turkey so they don’t freeze your cards for security reasons. If you are living on a pension, this can be paid into your bank account in Turkey. If you are still keeping a property in your home country, it is worth asking a close friend to keep an eye on it, and all bills can be paid online.
Otherwise, the only other thing you need to do is pack your suitcases. Some people want to bring their furniture over from the UK to Turkey, but this can cost a fortune and Turkish furniture is very well made and reasonable. It is much easier and cheaper to buy all your furniture here. Plus you get to decorate your house exactly as you wish. Small goods like cutlery and linens are also cheap and easy to purchase.
Learning the Language
Many people have good intentions of learning Turkish and then further down the road, beat themselves up because they are not as advanced as they hoped they would be. The truth is that in many of the expat resorts, the locals speak English and you can get by without knowing any of the language at all. However, to really feel at home it is better to try and learn. That way you can be more self sufficient. The worst case scenario, in an emergency you do not want to feel like you can't call for help.
Health insurance and Residency
A tourist visa only allows you to stay in the country for 90 days out of 180. If you want to stay for longer, you will need to apply for a residency permit.
This official government website enables you to complete the whole process online. It is not nearly as difficult as people would have you believe. We can help you every step of the way. Depending on your personal situation, the online system will inform you of the exact documents and costs. You will also need to have private health insurance for the first year. After one year you will be able to enroll into the government SGK scheme. Again, it is not difficult and we can help.
Taking your Car into Turkey and Driving
Foreign cars can stay in Turkey for 6 months at a time. After that, they have to be taken out of the country for another six months. Most ex pats prefer to buy a car in Turkey. You will be able to drive on your foreign licence for six months after you enter the country. You can then apply for your Turkish licence. However, public transport in Turkey is so frequent and cheap that many people don't feel the need to own a car.
The good news is that we are here to help and moving over here is relatively easy as long as you plan ahead.
Before You Go
Ensure that your legal and financial affairs are in order. This includes telling your bank that you are coming to Turkey so they don’t freeze your cards for security reasons. If you are living on a pension, this can be paid into your bank account in Turkey. If you are still keeping a property in your home country, it is worth asking a close friend to keep an eye on it, and all bills can be paid online.
Otherwise, the only other thing you need to do is pack your suitcases. Some people want to bring their furniture over from the UK to Turkey, but this can cost a fortune and Turkish furniture is very well made and reasonable. It is much easier and cheaper to buy all your furniture here. Plus you get to decorate your house exactly as you wish. Small goods like cutlery and linens are also cheap and easy to purchase.
Learning the Language
Many people have good intentions of learning Turkish and then further down the road, beat themselves up because they are not as advanced as they hoped they would be. The truth is that in many of the expat resorts, the locals speak English and you can get by without knowing any of the language at all. However, to really feel at home it is better to try and learn. That way you can be more self sufficient. The worst case scenario, in an emergency you do not want to feel like you can't call for help.
Health insurance and Residency
A tourist visa only allows you to stay in the country for 90 days out of 180. If you want to stay for longer, you will need to apply for a residency permit.
This official government website enables you to complete the whole process online. It is not nearly as difficult as people would have you believe. We can help you every step of the way. Depending on your personal situation, the online system will inform you of the exact documents and costs. You will also need to have private health insurance for the first year. After one year you will be able to enroll into the government SGK scheme. Again, it is not difficult and we can help.
Taking your Car into Turkey and Driving
Foreign cars can stay in Turkey for 6 months at a time. After that, they have to be taken out of the country for another six months. Most ex pats prefer to buy a car in Turkey. You will be able to drive on your foreign licence for six months after you enter the country. You can then apply for your Turkish licence. However, public transport in Turkey is so frequent and cheap that many people don't feel the need to own a car.