As you may already be aware, detailed travel itineraries or travel plans were recently made mandatory for first-time residency applications in Turkey. In addition, on rare occasions when you want to renew your residence permit—depending on the region you live in in Turkey—you may also be asked to submit a travel itinerary.

You may have questions about Turkey travel itinerary templates and what you may need to create a good travel itinerary that will be accepted by Turkish immigration officials.

Keep reading to learn more.

Why Do I Need to Submit a Travel Itinerary?

Under reasons of stay, the government specifically states that for touristic residence permits, applicants may have to submit information or a document detailing their travel plans and accommodation arrangements.

Whether you are applying for a residence visa for the first time or renewing an existing one, the Turkish immigration officers who interview you may ask you a range of questions concerning your future travel plans and may even look through your itinerary.

(Read this blog post for all the questions officials may ask you during your residence permit interview.)

To apply for a residence permit in Turkey, you must have a plan for where you want to go.

Here at Ikamet, we can help you create a detailed travel itinerary and prepare for the residence permit interview. We can provide a template or format your travel itinerary for as low as $50. This service is included in the total cost of our immigration help service. Contact us to learn more.

What Should Be on a Travel Itinerary for Turkey?

Your itinerary for Turkey must span a period equivalent to or longer than the duration for which you seek a residence permit, and they must be completed in Turkish.

For example, consider the following:

  • Main heading title; i.e., Türkiye 2022-2023 Seyahat Planı

  • Include in your introductory paragraph (optional) the short- and long-term objectives for your stay in Turkey.

  • Subheading title; i.e., Turist Planı or Seyahat Planı

  • Group by Month, i.e., Ağustos 2022

    • An opening paragraph detailing your brief monthly objectives is optional.

    • Details about the city, location, and dates, i.e., Princess Islands (5–6 Ağustos) or Hagia Sophia Mosque (18 Eylül)

    • URL for TripAdvisor i.e. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ (location URL)

    • Reservation attached, i.e., for overnight or multiple night stays.

  • Closing paragraph (optional)

Because migration officers have no understanding of freelancing or nomadism, any topic of job or employment should be avoided.

Some regions in Turkey, such as Izmir, require proof of three to four paid local reservations for lodging, concert tickets, etc. Other cities require only reservations, regardless of whether they have been paid for.

Your intentions to travel may, in certain instances, include the purchase of real estate or the making of other investments in Turkey.

From our experience,  three reservations cover roughly three months of a residence permit, whereas four bookings cover approximately six months. Your bookings should begin in the region where your base is located and spread outward. If your base is in Izmir, then your four reservations should also be there.

If a travel itinerary is requested as part of your residence permit renewal process, you should save your travel documentation in your application file.

When it comes to renewing your residence permit, our advice would be that it is best to be over-prepared, as most of the time, it is up to the immigration officer's discretion. You don’t have to specifically emphasize that you have a travel itinerary in your application file either; let the officer take it from the folder.