Abuja — Turkey has commenced a sweeping increase in residence permit application fees, raising certain categories for Nigerians, and nationals of about 36 other African countries by as much as 930 per cent, the Directorate General of Migration Management announced at the weekend
A total of about 140 other countries, across continents, including the United States of America are also affected by the new residence permit hike.
Almost all categories of residence permits are subject to the new rates--short-term tourist, family, for property owners, as well as permits related to investment and educational programs, including TOMER courses.
The fees for work visas have also increased significantly: a standard single-entry work permit now costs about 12,575 lira ($278), and a permanent one 125,800 lira ($2,784).
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Over 4,500 Nigerians, including football star, Victor Osimhen who plays for top Turkish club, Galatasaray, are officially resident in Turkey as of February 9, 2023.
Before the sharp increase which took effect on May 1, 2026, a Turkish lira equivalent of roughly $85 per year was charged as residence permit fee.
However, that framework has now been replaced with a sharply escalated tariff structure, with six-month permit now costing $315, and $631 for a one-year permit.
A two-year permit is now $1,263 and $1,857 for a three-year permit.
Other countries affected by the new residence permit hike include United States of America, Afghanistan, Germany, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, and United Arab Emirates.
The United Kingdom, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador, Indonesia, Eritrea, Armenia, Estonia, Palestine, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Grenada, Guatemala, and Guyana are also affected.
Also affected are Georgia, Haiti, India, Netherlands, Honduras, Croatia, Iran, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, Italy, Iceland, Jamaica, Cameroon, Canada, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Colombia, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, and Lithuania.
Others are Lebanon, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Moldova, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nicaragua, Norway, Central African Republic, Uzbekistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, and Romania.
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Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Saudi Arabia, Eswatini (Swaziland), Chile, Thailand, Taiwan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, New Zealand, Greece, Zambia and Zimbabwe equally made the list.
African countries excluded from the permit hike include South Africa, Seychelles, Morocco, Tanzania, Algeria, Egypt, Cote d'Ivoire, Sao Tome and Principe, South Sudan, Togo, Cabo Verde, and Zambia.
The Turkish Migration Directorate noted that certain categories remain partially insulated. University students (excluding TOMER language-course participants) and long-term permanent residence applicants will continue to pay only the residence card fee, with no additional tax surcharge.
All other categories, including short-term (touristic) residence permits, family residence permits, property-owner permits, residence permits linked to citizenship-by-investment applications, and TOMER (Turkish Learning Center) based permits, fall within the new pricing regime.
Foreign nationals who enter Türkiye visa-free through a consulate-free entry and whose prior residence or work permit is inactive will also be required to pay a single-entry visa fee upon applying. The fee has been jacked up to $208 from $174.
