The tax number comes first, and it is free
The smallest piece of the move, and the one everything else waits on.
Last verified 2026-10-21Next review 2027-04-211 official source
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A Turkish tax number is a short identifier issued by the tax administration to anyone who needs to deal with it, including foreigners with no income in Turkey. It is free, and it is the first thing to get.
What it unlocks
Paying the residence permit fee. Opening a bank account. Buying property. Signing a utility contract. Later, applying for the Article 20/D exemption certificate, which is issued against it.
Nothing financial starts without it, which is why it sits at the front of every sensible plan.
What it does not do
Having a tax number does not make you a Turkish tax resident, and it does not oblige you to file anything. Residency comes from domicile or from more than six months in a calendar year. Plenty of people hold a number and file nothing, legitimately.
One practical note
Get it before you need it rather than on the day. The sequence that works is tax number, then bank account, then the permit fee, then the file. Doing it in the other order means waiting at each step for the one you skipped.
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We quote one fixed fee for your case and list the Turkish government fees separately, so you can check the numbers yourself.
Sources
Every legal, fee and procedural statement on this page is taken from the sources below and was checked on 2026-10-21. Where they change, this page changes.
- Income Tax Law No. 193, consolidated text (mevzuat.gov.tr) — Tax residency (Articles 4 and 5), source rules (Article 7) and the 20-year exemption (Article 20/D)
This page is general information about Turkish rules as published by the authorities named above. It is not legal or tax advice for your circumstances, and immigration outcomes depend on your nationality, documents and individual case. See our legal and tax information disclaimer.