Making a significant leap in its political and economic development, Turkey is home to countless tourists and expats. A large population of expats travels from US to Turkey for work, education, or tourism purposes. Offering a unique combination of Islamic traditions and western vibes, Turkey is a unique country with a vibrant and rich heritage.
Having a dynamic economy and developing tertiary, Turkey is renowned for welcoming a huge number of expats to offer lucrative job opportunities. That said, if you are relocating to Turkey, you must be well aware of the relocation services.
Well, when it comes to packing and shipping, make sure you reach out to packers who deliver your goods safely, without damage. We at Earthrelo have got you covered with our top relocation services.
But before that, here is a glimpse of what Turkey has in store for you. Below is our guide that covers everything that you need to know before moving to Turkey from US. Without any further ado, let’s delve into the blaze of Turkey!
One factor that requires utmost attention while American moving to Turkey from US comprises the cost of shipping. That said, the cost of relocating entirely depends on a range of factors. Additionally, the transit time depends on the route of shipping as well.
While parcel shipping takes less time, ocean freight usually takes weeks. Having said that, below is an estimated table on the average cost of shipping a container to Turkey for your moving to turkey.
Estimated Cost Taken To Ship A 20-foot FCL Container To Turkey.
Below are the ocean freight rates for moving to Turkey from US.
| Monthly expenses | Average Monthly Cost | COST OF SHIPPING |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Aliaga | $631.00 |
| Savannah | Aliaga | $651.00 |
| Savannah | Mersin | $661.00 |
| New York | Mersin | $667.00 |
| Norfolk | Mersin | $667.00 |
LCL shipping is an affordable way to relocate less than container load shipment to Turkey from America.
Estimated Full Container Shipping Cost From US to Turkey.
This type of shipping is ideal for pallets, boxes, and full container loads from 250lbs. to 45000lbs.
| 20ft Container | 40ft Container |
|---|---|
| $891.00 | $1276.00 |
This is ideal for shipping pallets, boxes, and full container loads from 250lbs. to 20000lbs.
| LCL | Household Goods | Personal Effects |
|---|---|---|
| $70.40 per CBM | $587.40 | $486.20 |
Below is an estimated automobile shipping cost of moving to Turkey from America.
Estimated Automobile Shipping Cost for Moving to Turkey From America
This is ideal for shipping farming equipment, personal cars, machineries, and oversized vehicles, etc.
| Sedan(in-container) | SUV(in-container) | Sedan Via RORO | SUV via RORO |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1810.00 | $1860.00 | $1305.00 | $1405.00 |
Need to relocation services for Moving to Turkey from US? Check us at Earthrelo to schedule your in-home survey now. We have got you covered with appropriate calculations on all your shipping rates as per cubic footage, required services, and shipment method.
There are several expat destinations in Turkey. Although it is a beautiful place, most expats prefer the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. The working expats reside more in big cities like Ankara and Istanbul whereas the retirees and rest of the crowd prefer the coastlines having a thriving expat community. Below are a few expat destinations you can choose for your stay in Turkey, while moving to turkey.
This spot is known as one of the top holiday destinations in the entire country. Expats have been living in this region since the 1960s. Later, when buying property became legal in Turkey, more and more foreigners started residing in the region. Expats highly prefer the resort of Yalikavak due to the construction of the multi-billionaire Palmarina sheltering mega yachts.
Also known as ‘Great Britain’, Altinkum has a huge British expat population. This place is one cheap expat destination in Turkey that has a low cost of living and property. This place has excellent bars, restaurants, and British food. It offers an exceptional Turkish lifestyle for expats having three major beaches. All in all, this place is a famous holiday destination for Turks and expats.
This Region helps foreigners to buy property in their region with excellent value for money. Expats residing in the town centers and Calis Beach Areas. Anyone who wants to explore the country can easily take the D ‘400 highway connecting to Fethiye.
This region is the second most popular holiday destination in Turkey that is home to a huge number of foreigners. Several expats have settled in the coastal regions and resorts, each having distinct characteristics.
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The Turkish economy has experienced an exceeding growth in the last few years. Besides the textile and agricultural sector, the electronics and tourism industry is pacing at a high rate with lucrative opportunities for expats. An essential factor to consider is to learn the Turkish language to get a proper job in Turkey.
Although obtaining a work permit in Turkey is tough, qualified experts dealing in medicals, engineering, and IT are welcome. Native speakers from the UK and the USA can easily relocate to Turkey and work as a foreign language or English teacher with your university certificate. You can even find great scope in tourism.
You can even consider approaching any UK multinationals like Marks & Spencer, Vodafone, BP, and HSBC. Giants like Google also seek experts. Red Bull and Colgate-Palmolive too have bases in the country.
The Turkish government has limited several professions to Turkish citizens only. Hence, being an expat, you will not be eligible to work in the mining or legal sectors.
The legal working hours per week are 45 hours. Businesses are open from 8.30 am to 5 pm. You will get a 14 days annual leave in case you work in an organization for 1-5 years. In total, there are 9 public holidays. In case you are pregnant, you will get a paid maternity leave of 16 weeks before, between, or after the birth. The minimum wage in Turkey that is currently set starts from €422.30 per month.
Daily Newspapers and weekend editions like Hürriyet, Milliyet, and Sabah and online searches on websites like Jobs in Turkey are excellent for English-speaking expats to find jobs in Turkey. Put this in mind when you are planning your moving to Turkey
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Capital | Ankara |
| Timezone | UTC+3 |
| Currency | Turkish Lira (TRY, TL) ; Symbol: (₺) |
| Population | 82 Million |
| Official Language | Turkish; Other Languages: English |
| Dialing Code | +90 |
| Emergency Number | 112 |
| Internet TDL | . istanbul and .ist |
| Driving | On The Right Side |
When you are moving to Turkey from US, you will discover that the healthcare system there is entirely different from the American system. To be more precise, there are no general practitioners. Hence, every legal resident and citizen can directly refer to a required professional in case of necessity.
Expats holding a valid responsibility residential permit for 1 year can easily apply for a public healthcare insurance scheme. The quality of healthcare services differs hugely from city to city. Most of the expat population opt for private healthcare insurance. Private clinics in Ankara and Istanbul have highly qualified doctors having years of experience.
After the launch of Genel Sağlık Sigortası (GSS), a universal healthcare system, each member is provided with a healthcare service easily at free of charge. In case you attend any public healthcare after registering with GSD, you can get several free treatments for Childbirth, Emergencies, Extraordinary events like injuries from war, Fertility treatment, Infectious disease, Medically necessary cosmetic surgery, etc. Several public hospitals provide dental services even if you approach private facilities. By using the GSS, you can cover the great cost of prescription drugs.
Note: The healthcare charges differ from city to city based on the quality of hospitalization, treatment, and location.
While Moving to Turkey, before you rent any house or apartment, bear in mind that rents in Turkey vary strongly according to the facilities and location. In larger cities like Istanbul, renting is generally higher for expats. A 4 bedroom apartment in Ankara will cost you around 1200TL-2000TL on an average basis. However, cities like Istanbul can be even more expensive.
Maximum apartment in Turkey comes along with 3 bedrooms, one kitchen, one bathroom, and one living room. If we speak generally, they are unfurnished. Furnished spaces hold more basic equipment along with the furniture. Being a foreigner, your landlord might ask you to pay your rent in USD. Additionally, it is normal in Turkey to pay rent 6-12 months earlier. All taxes and property repairs are charged by the landlord.
The standard rental agreement lasts for one year only. During this period, the tenant might also terminate the lease. However, this requires 15 days prior notice to end the lease term. Written leases hold taxes applied on them.
Renting by an Emlak generally denotes securing a one-year contract. Moreover, the accommodation is unfurnished. Your landlord can charge you a fee as well as take a security deposit. Some good sources to find housing include the Internet, local newspapers, etc. Daily newspapers like Hürriyet, Zaman, or Milliyet are excellent when it comes to house search.
In case everything fails, you can hire an English-speaking real estate agent. You can ask other expats in the country for genuine housing and accommodation.
Even though you hardly require a residence permit to buy a property in Turkey, you need a Foreign Identification Number (Yabanci Kimlik). You can receive this free of cost from the foreign department of The TNP(Turkish National Police). Under a recent law, property buyers can now purchase any property that spends over $250000 on a Turkish home. In fact, they are eligible for citizenship as well.
Citizens belonging to several countries do not require a visa for relocating to Turkey for a short period. If you are going to move from the US to Turkey for less than 90 days, you can easily apply for a tourist visa provided that your purpose of visit must involve business activities, tourism, sports, or cultural events. That said, below are the most popular types of visas that expats can apply for while moving to Turkey from US.
A Turkey visa processing time takes between 3 – 15 days but may extend beyond that in some cases. If your application is approved, you will be issued the visa.
The tourist/Business Visa category involves single transits, touristic visits, business meetings, conferences, sportive activities, official visits, etc.
Work Visa is usually suitable for expats who are immigrating to Turkey for Employment. There are two types of work visas.
Temporary: Temporary visas are issued for one year for a certain organization and occupation. You can renew your work visa after 3 years for the same organization and occupation. When you renew your visa a second time, it will be valid for 6 years. Moreover, your accompanying family members get a work permit as well after residing in Turkey for 5 years.
Permanent: Unlimited work visa cannot be issued unless you stay in the country for at least 8 years or have been working in Turkey for 6 years. The government grants a work visa to self-employed individuals only if they stay 5 consecutive years in Turkey.
This is granted on the basis of internships, certified education, or any other educational courses.
This visa falls under the miscellaneous category for purposes including accompaniment, seafarer visas, archaeological exploration, medical treatment, freight visas, researching, filming documentaries, tour operator, family reunification, etc.
Temporary Visa: Any foreigner who intends to reside in Turkey for over 90days can apply for a temporary visa/residential permit. However, this should be done within 30 days of arrival.
Permanent Visa: For permanent residency status, expats must reside in Turkey for a minimum 8 year period legally. You can even apply for a permanent residence if you initiate your business or buy a property in Turkey.
Any expat intending to work in Turkey needs a valid work permit.
Standard Employment: Generally, expats who have already obtained their residence permit that has a minimum of 6 months validity left on it can apply for a work permit during their stay in Turkey. However, expats visiting for tourism are not eligible. To get your work permit approved, you need to have a proper employment contract or job offer.
Self-Employment: If you have worked in Turkey for at least 5 years, you can apply for your independent work permit/self-employed permit. This permit enables you to work as a self-employed individual.
Turkey offers free and compulsory education for students at certain levels. The education system is divided into several stages.
Pre-School(optional): For students up to 6 years of age.
Primary(mandatory): This stage lasts for 8 years. 5 years in elementary and 3 years in secondary education. Mandatory for students from ages 6-14.
Secondary: This involves 4 years of high school(Lise), or vocational high school education. Several schools add another year of language study as well. The best part is, secondary education allows choices for students.
In Turkey, the government offers two schools: public and private.
Public High Schools(Normal Liseler or Düz Liseler): Kids who have completed their 8 years of elementary education can go to these schools. In case graduates complete their nationwide University Entrance Examination (ÖSS) and achieve an award of the Lise Diploması can proceed with higher education.
Private High Schools (Ozel Liseler): This is the Turkish private sector. There are several faith schools, ideally Islamic that focus strongly on religion (İmam Hatip Lisesi).
Furthermore, bear in mind that public education is taught in Turkish only. Hence, you can opt for private schools that contain English as a part of language instruction whilst you stay in Turkey. Maximum expats opt for private schools for the language barrier.
Additionally, While moving to turkey, you can even find several international schools in Turkey that teach the following British national curriculum and American syllabuses. Enrollment policies in schools differ from school to school. While some schools might take a proficiency test in maths/ English, some don’t.
Turkey is not severely pricey. Nevertheless, the country is highly famous due to its historical and cultural development. Being the most preferred country to stay in, Turkey has a number of things to offer for every expats taste. Below is a quick table of comparison between Turkey and US on the cost of living for basic things.
| GOOD/SERVICE | AVG TURKISH LIRA | AVG US DOLLAR |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive restaurant | 35.00TL | $15.00 |
| Milk (1gallon, regular) | 22.94TL | $3.26 |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1lb) | 2.57TL | $2.48 |
| Rice (1lb, White) | 5.82TL | $1.80 |
| Eggs (regular, 12) | 14.58TL | $2.30 |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.10TL | $1.80 |
| Bottle Of Wine (mid-range) | 60.00TL | $12.00 |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 516.34TL | $166.83 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) | 0.76TL | $0.14 |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 117.00TL | $66.03 |
Ankara, Turkey's capital, is a modern city that serves as the political and administrative center of the country.
Izmir, a lively coastal city on Turkey's Aegean coast, is known for its picturesque waterfront, rich history, and vibrant cultural scene.
Bursa, often called the "Green City" of Turkey, is renowned for its lush parks, historic mosques, and its significance as the birthplace of the Ottoman Empire.
Yes, a US citizen can live in Turkey, but you will need to obtain the appropriate visa or residence permit. For short stays, up to 90 days within a 180-day period, a tourist visa is sufficient. For longer stays, you must apply for a residence permit, which can be issued for purposes such as work, study, or retirement. The application process involves providing necessary documentation, such as proof of income, health insurance, and a valid passport. Once granted, a residence permit allows you to live in Turkey legally for an extended period.
Turkey can be a good place to live for Americans, offering a rich cultural experience, diverse landscapes, and a relatively low cost of living compared to the US. Major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir provide a blend of modern amenities, historical sites, and vibrant social scenes. Turkey’s strategic location also offers easy access to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. However, it’s important to consider factors such as language barriers, the political climate, and differences in cultural norms when deciding if Turkey is the right place for you.
To move to Turkey, US citizens need to obtain a residence permit for stays longer than 90 days. The requirements for a residence permit include:
If you plan to work in Turkey, you will also need a work visa and a work permit, which typically requires a job offer from a Turkish employer. The application process should be started well in advance of your planned move.
A US citizen can stay in Turkey for up to 90 days within a 180-day period on a tourist visa. If you wish to stay longer, you must apply for a residence permit before your initial 90-day period expires. The residence permit can be issued for various duration, typically ranging from six months to two years, and it can be renewed as needed. For those planning to stay long-term or permanently, it’s essential to maintain valid residency status by renewing the permit on time.
Turkey is generally friendly to U.S. citizens, with a significant number of Americans living and working in the country. Turkish people are known for their hospitality, and many Turks speak English, especially in tourist areas and larger cities. While the political relationship between the US and Turkey has had its complexities, day-to-day interactions between Turks and Americans are usually positive. However, it’s important for U.S. citizens to respect local customs and laws to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience while living in Turkey.
Yes, a U.S. citizen can buy a house in Turkey. There are no restrictions on foreign property ownership in most areas of Turkey, making it possible for Americans to purchase homes for personal use or as an investment. The process of buying property in Turkey involves selecting a property, negotiating the purchase, and completing the necessary legal procedures, including registering the property with the Land Registry Office. It’s advisable to work with a local real estate agent and a lawyer to navigate the process smoothly and ensure all legal requirements are met.
Apart from offering a great opportunity for expats, Turkey is home to more than 82 million people. However, when it comes to moving to Turkey from US, ensure that you connect with the top and reliable international movers and shippers from the US to Turkey. That said, we at Earthrelo offer the most reliable and efficient international package services to Turkey. We offer the ultimate set of relocation services apart from completing all the essential custom processes.
Alongside, we also take care of the safety and security of your goods. Moving goods from US to worldwide with zero damage, our moving company to Turkey from US is committed to a comprehensive range of Moving services including packaging, shipping, and unpacking at cost-effective rates. Being licensed US to Turkey Movers, our professional assistant team is committed to offering the best reliable transportation services to help you in moving from the US to Turkey safely. Reach out to us today and get FREE quotations along with the ultimate shipping advice at reasonable rates.
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