Voices Newsdesk contacted Aydin Foreigners’ Department Help desk and the 2009 costs are:

6 MTHS:      306 TL

1 YEAR:       588 TL

2 YEARS:    1154 TL

3 YEARS:    1719 TL

4 YEARS:    2289 TL

5 YEARS:    2849 TL

There is a one-off cost of 90 TL for the residency visa book (the small blue book which states how long you are residing in Turkey). Fees are payable in Turkish Lira.

This compares to £10 for a three months visa on entry into the country. Residents, when their visa runs out, can opt for a ‘visa run’ to Greece. The cost will cover the boat trip, transfers and the £10 when re-entering the country. It is always advisable to compare all these costs to the cost of residency visa before making your decision on whether to go for a three-month visa or a minimum six month residency.

How to apply for your first residency permit and costs

For application within Turkey you will need 5 passport photographs, your TAPU ( Title Deeds) and a photocopy of your TAPU, a copy of your visa, your passport and up to 2 copies of the photograph page, and cash money in Turkish Lira. Also take your Turkish tax number, just in case.

You will need to take this to the Aydin Police Headquarters. You will be asked to complete a form and to pay an administration fee. You will then be given a receipt which you must take to the local government office where you will pay the residence permit fee, you will then be given another receipt as proof of payment. Take this back to the police station and give it to the applications officer. You will be asked to return approximately 1 week later to collect your residency visa.

Get a renewal visa at Kuşadasi

All you need is a photocopy of your passport the page with your photograph on, passport number etc and the page with your last visa stamp on. You will also need 3 photographs the same size as the one in your visa and your tax number.

The procedure is as follows:

1.  Go to the police station at the harbour where there is an office that deals with visas.

2.  The police person will write on a piece of paper your details and the amount you have to pay. They will sign and stamp it.

3.  Take the piece of signed paper with your fee to the tax office where you get an invoice from a counter person, then take that to the other counter where someone else will put the information into a computer. Another paper is then generated which is handed to the next desk where you will pay the amount required

4. You will get a receipt which you then take back to the police station where you will leave your photographs, passport photocopies and current visa.

5. You will then fill in another form (one side only) which is your personal details (sometimes this form is given on the first visit to the police station)

6. You will be asked to return in a week to collect your renewed visa.

For more information call the Aydin foreigners help desk on 0256  219 6120 or the British Consulate in Izmir on 0232.463 5151.