Turkish Visa doubts

[jimbaerselman]

Just when it seemed that the Turkish visa situation had been clarified, I've now heard that at least one marina has told its berth holders that the old visa renewal system (apply just before 90 days are up by nipping across to Greece and back) will still apply for major nationalities who own boats based in Turkish marinas.

I was aware that this was intended for any renewals before 1 February, but after that date, this would seem to conflict with the Turkish government bulletin. The visa paragraph on this page has been updated to reflect this uncertainty. See the "new" tag.

 

[Carmel2]

Thank you for the new update.

 

[GrahamM376]

Jim,

I can't get your link to work so the info I received from a friend this morning may duplicate.

Dear Med Section Member,

**Turkey Visa Update - Good news!**

We have been seeking clarification on the proposed new Turkish visa
regulations for some time now.

Before the Christmas break we had strong indications from Hasan
Kaçmaz (our HLR in Alanya) that the new visa regulations would not
apply to citizens from most of Europe, Canada, US, Australia, New
Zealand and several other countries. However, neither Hasan nor the CA
wished to make this public until final confirmation had been received
from the Chief of the Antalya Immigration Department.

This has now been obtained and the following notice has recently been
received from Hasan......

Dear Yacht Owners,

The below message is already forwarded to the Alanya Marina berth
holders and some clubs. Please inform your clubs and your friends
accordingly that there is or there was no problem related to Turkish
visa.

We have visited Antalya Immigration office experts and the chief
officer of the department on 19th December 2011, Monday. The visa
concerning 90 days in 180 days is not an issue for the yacht owners
except the countries citizens listed below.

There is no change at all for the visa procedure for the countries
except the list below. The rules are the same as before. The problem
is somebody has understand and translated a new official announcement
wrongly and forward this wrong information to some e-mail addresses.
We all know the cruising world. The wrong message is forwarded every
part of the world within a week.

The yacht owners may leave Turkey by yacht, ferry or plane to the
next country and on their return just at the same day or the day after
or whenever they wish, they can, they will receive new 90 days visa
automatically (except the list below).

Afghanistan

Hungary

Albania

Mexico

Brazil

Moldavia

Bulgaria

Moritania

Brunei

Paraguay

Djibouti

Portugal

Indonesia

Romania

Estonia

Ruisa

Croatia

Slovenia

Montenegro

St. Vincent

Cameron

Serbia

Quatar

Saudi Arabia

Kenia

Syria

Colombia

Sudan

Kosova

Tajikistan

Letonia - Latvia

Jordan

Libia

Ukraine

Litvania

Venezuela

Lebanon

Alanya Marina Management

While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the Alanya Marina
Management will not be held responsible for errors, omissions or
alterations of the above information. The Alanya Marina Manegement
cannot accept responsibility for any loss occasioned by the use of the
information on the above text.

Hasan Kaçmaz

Alanya Marina Coordinator (and CA HLR)

 

[miyagimoon]

will still apply for major nationalities who own boats based in Turkish marinas.

Jim, Are you/they saying that if we have a contract with a Turkish Marina then we can just pop over to Greece etc every 90 days whereas if we do not have a marina contract then we only get 90 in 180.

Graham M376, I and no doubt many other people have received a copy of the CA announcement. It's a brave statement to make. Hasan has asked the Alanya Immigration. They did not make the rule/law and I wonder if they themselves actually understand what this new law is.

Surely clarification can be obtained from the British Consulate, I have just e-mailed the Turkish Embassy asking for clarification.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Jim, Are you/they saying that if we have a contract with a Turkish Marina then we can just pop over to Greece etc every 90 days whereas if we do not have a marina contract then we only get 90 in 180.

Graham M376, I and no doubt many other people have received a copy of the CA announcement. It's a brave statement to make. Hasan has asked the Alanya Immigration. They did not make the rule/law and I wonder if they themselves actually understand what this new law is.

Surely clarification can be obtained from the British Consulate, I have just e-mailed the Turkish Embassy asking for clarification.

I share your doubts. Hence the present statement on my web site (I've repaired the link. Sorry about that!)

http://www.jimbsail.info/drupal/going-foreign/countries/turkey

 

[bateau57]

Turkish Visa

Have just got back from Turkey on Monday and the Immigration Officers in both Finike and Kaş are saying that nothing will change (standard 90 day visas renewable). Visa runs to Kastelorizo are on again! (Bacon, pork and cheap wodka )

Graham

 

[satsuma]

On the basis that the situation has never really been clarified, despite Turkish Government announcements! (not an uncommon thing!) I spoke to a friend at the British Consulate this morning!

The situation remains unclear, because whilst the Turkish authorities have verbally informed them that the change will take place in February, they still have not given 3 months written notice, as previously promised, before any implementation.

In essence after February, if you arrive in Turkey, you may or may not be given a "90 in 180 day" stamp. Even better, by March or April it may or may not be applied as such and could remain/revert to a renewable 90 day visa!

There is still every chance that it will be implemented, and possibly later withdrawn or postponed (yet again)! There is also an equal chance that nothing will actually happen though, or that nobody noticed what should have happened!

Please do not assume that just because it is a "law", that it will actually be applied, adhered to, enforced or even acknowleged for that matter!

 

[jimbaerselman]

The situation remains unclear, because whilst the Turkish authorities have verbally informed them that the change will take place in February, they still have not given 3 months written notice, as previously promised, before any implementation.

In essence after February, if you arrive in Turkey, you may or may not be given a "90 in 180 day" stamp.

The advice then, is to check what your stamp says. If it's 90 in 180, play it that way. Either get a residence permit, or go to Greece for a significant period (remembering to check out on your passports)

If it's 90 days continuous, leave shortly before it's up, then re-enter and see what happens.

Don't ignore what the stamp says. Otherwise that's a finger wag for an hour or two (you plane was leaving after midnight!), a fine for a day or three, a big fine for longer periods - plus entry forbidden for some months.

 

[akyaka]

they still have not given 3 months written notice, as previously promised, before any implementation.

Yes they have . The law was gazetted in print last October

 

[Carmel2]

I am now told that it's back on, and a meeting was held at Yat Marina Marmaris yesterday to talk it through....................Anyone know the outcome?

 

[kaptainkrunchie]

I am in Fethiye now and have been advised, yesterday, to apply for residency, as usual half of Turkey says there is a rule change the other half . . . . so no change there then - btw the same confict it seems applies to grey stuff so lets not go there either.

business as usual

BUT, before you sign up for residency check that you won't be required to take out Turkish State health insurance.

http://www.landoflights.net/local-n...ish-health-insurance-deadline-looms-6058.html

 

[akyaka]

Its fact that if you have a Residence Permit, been resident for 12 months and have at least 12 months left on your RP that you have to register before 31 January 2012. What is uncertain is whether people who do not spend the whole year in Turkey but have a RP have to register

 

[Carmel2]

Our little blue books arived last week, there was no talk of Turkish State health insurance.

 

[akyaka]

Our little blue books arived last week, there was no talk of Turkish State health insurance

The new health service contributions law and in particular how it affects yabancis is a separate issue . Its just that it uses length of residency as a basis for establishing whether you are liable to pay if you come from a country which does not have a reciprical agreement on health such as UK.

 

[satsuma]

WHAT DO WE KNOW FOR SURE?

1. The SGK Compulsory health insurance scheme is asking all foreigners with a residency permit to report to the nearest SGK insurance office for registration before the 31st January 2012.

2. If you fail to register before 31st January 2012 you are subject to an 886TL fine
3. You must take along your original passport and Ikamet (Blue residency book) and photocopies of both.

4. The scheme will not cover any pre-existing or chronic conditions.

The British Consulate are looking into the following and update and will update answers ASAP to their website.

QUESTIONS YET TO BE ANSWERED.

1. Can you "opt out" if you can prove you have other health insurance, either state or private?

1.1 If so then what paperwork would be required to prove this, does it need to be translated or notarised and does this have to be done before 31st January 2012?

2. What will happen to all the foreigners who have residency but don't live in Turkey, maybe only visiting in the summer, will they be automatically fined 886TL when they go to register when they visit Turkey for the 1st time this year as there was no official notice of the new regulations till 1 week before the deadline?

3. Exactly what benefits are provided by the scheme and does it apply nationwide?

4. What restrictions are in the scheme?

5. How much will it cost?

5.1 We are told it will be in the region of 212TL per month, if you are married then this will cover you, your spouse and children to the age of 16, unmarried couples must pay twice, once per person.

5.2 Will it be means tested the same as for Turkish nationals (see the following details) and if not why are Turks means tested but foreigners not? - Those with an income of between 295TL and 886TL (the minimum wage) will pay 35.4TL per month. 886TL-1773TL will pay 106.4TL More than 1773TL (twice the minimum wage) will pay 212.80TL

6. When will payments and cover begin?

As far as I can tell, this is yet another half/barely thought out scheme, badly implemented and administered to varying degrees based on location obviously. Much the same as Visas, but at least they have officially informed the British Consulate over the health issue, there is still no official correspondance about visas!
The "government" here in Turkey are somewhat backward . . . . . . in their approach and implimentation of "legislation"!

 

[akyaka]

http://ukinturkey.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/

This is the latest announcement from the British Embassy which confirms that it is NOT compulsory for British citizens with Resident Permits ( Blue Book) to register and take out the new compulsory state health insurance.Other nationalities need to check with their Embassies.

 

[satsuma]

Issues by the Brıtısh Consulate Ankara, yesterday 25th January 2012:

CHANGES TO TURKISH HEALTH INSURANCE REGULATIONS

This is an update to our notice earlier today 25 January about the sudden changes to the Turkish health insurance system which have introduced compulsory state health insurance for foreigners when they have been in Turkey as registered residents for over a year. Foreigners in this category are required to join the system by the end of January or face a fine for non-payment.

The Ambassador and a consular team called on the Turkish authorities today. He set our concerns over the substance, cost, lack of clarity and short notice of the change that has been announced.

After further discussion, we have established with the Turkish authorities that the situation is now as follows:

- Following our representations, the new compulsory requirement to register for Turkish health insurance will NOT (NOT) apply to British residents in Turkey.

- But British residents who have already chosen to join the Turkish system will be allowed to continue in it.

- And other British residents will be allowed to join the Turkish scheme if they wish to do so.

- Under the rules in their current form, those who have been resident for over a year and delay joining the Turkish system beyond the deadline of 31 January 2012 can choose to join later; but they would have to make a backdated payment to cover the period from 31 January if they had been resident in Turkey for a year at that date, and pay a fine.

- We are in continuing contact with the Turkish authorities over all this, including about the fine given that the situation remains confused and that our resident community members have not had adequate time or information to make such an important decision.

- We will let you know as soon as we have more information.

 

[akyaka]

Sorry to pull you up on this but what you say above IS NOT correct,

Marsupial I think you will find that the notice referred to in satsumas post
supercedes the earlier notice which confusingly is tagged onto the bottom .

 

[bateau57]

Issues by the Brıtısh Consulate Ankara, yesterday 25th January 2012:

CHANGES TO TURKISH HEALTH INSURANCE REGULATIONS

After further discussion, we have established with the Turkish authorities that the situation is now as follows:

- Following our representations, the new compulsory requirement to register for Turkish health insurance will NOT (NOT) apply to British residents in Turkey.

Just a question and the wording of this legalize. I am a British resident (16yrs) but not a British Citizen (Australian). Should I read this as it is said? I am covered by NHS in the UK as a tax paying resident. I have a boat in Turkey and will get a residents permit to cover the possibility of my stay extending past 3 months in any 6 months etc.

In the context of this notice does this apply to British residents?

Any ideas?

Thanks
Graham

 

[akyaka]

Bateau 57

I would put the question to both the British and Australian Embassy in Ankara. In any event the requirement to register does not appear to kick in until 12 months after you get your first RP.