FOREIGN residents over 65 will NO longer have to apply for compulsory health insurance as part of the residence permit application – provoking a storm of protests from younger members of the expat community.
In what is the FIFITH change to the application process for residence permits since it was brought in on April 11, the General Directorate of Migration Management announced the latest news on Wednesday.
The British Embassy – on its UkinTurkey facebook page – said in a statement: “We have recently received information from the General Directorate of Migration Management (GDMM) that the health insurance requirement for residence permit applications has now been lifted for applicants over 65 years of age.
“This has been decided as a result of a meeting between GDMM, the Treasury and insurance companies.”
It added: “In addition, for applicants below 18, if the child is covered by a family insurance policy then there is no need for a separate insurance for the child.
“We understand this update has been communicated to all provincial Turkish National Police Foreigners Department offices by the GDMM.”
Timothy Fisher, the British consul in Istanbul, said: “We are aware of the lack of clarity surrounding applications by British nationals for Turkish residence permits, and are concerned by the distress this continues to cause some residents.”
The consulate had raised its concerns with the head of the GDMM and the Ministry of the Interior and updated information would be posted regularly on the UKinTurkey Facebook page.
However, the fact that people over 65 no longer need health insurance caused a furore among expat circles saying the policy change had been badly thought out and was ‘ageist’.
The change means that those over 65 will be saving a small fortune in health insurance costs, with some British residents being quoted thousands of Turkish Lira and persuading them to sell up and move on or move back to the UK and the comforts of the NHS.
If the over 65s do want to shell out for health insurance, they can still apply privately or the state SGK service.