“Travel health insurance” covering the duration of stay will be requested from the foreigners who request a residence permit in Turkey for less than a year. If the travel health insurance does not cover the whole residence permit duration, the residence permit is given to the foreigner but she/he is notified that the residence permit should be used by extending the insurance duration; otherwise, cancellation of the permit may be possible.

Private or public health insurance is not required for those who can benefit from the health care services in Turkey within the framework of bilateral social security agreements, provided that they document this situation

For the residence permit applications for a year or more; a) Residence permit procedures of those who prove that they have applied to the Social Security Administration to have general health insurance will be concluded without seeking for the valid health insurance condition. However, they should apply to the Social Security Administration after receiving the residence permit and inform the authority, which they have received the residence permit from, after finalizing this insurance. Otherwise, their residence permits will be cancelled. (Valid health insurance is not required for the relatives of these people, whom they are liable for looking after.) b) “Private health insurance for one year” covering the costs of outpatient and inpatient treatments and the costs of medicine and medical equipment is required for those who have not applied to the Social Security Administration. (If the foreigner has foreign private health insurance but this insurance does not cover her/his relatives she/he is liable for looking after, a valid health insurance is not required for her/his relatives.)

Foreigners who apply for student residence permits are included within the scope of general health insurance if they make a request within 3 months of the first registration date. Thus, the conditions set for a valid health insurance do not apply to these foreigners. However, the foreign students who do not apply within 3 months as of the registration date are required to obtain an annual private health insurance “covering inpatient and outpatient treatments”.

The condition of any valid health insurance is not required for the foreigners who are being treated or brought to our country to be treated for free in our country within the scope of the agreements, protocols and the relevant legislation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided that document this situation.

As of 20 June 2014, statement of compliance with the Law No. 6458 will be sought in the insurance policy. Undersecretary of Treasury has notified the insurance companies about the required standards.