Relocate from Iran

Moving to Türkiye from Iran

Türkiye is the largest destination for Iranians leaving Iran. Visa-free entry, established Iranian community in Istanbul, and accessible long-term residence.

Key facts

Visa-free entry
90 days per visit
Largest community
Istanbul (Esenyurt, Beylikdüzü)
Banking access
Hard — needs residence permit + buffer time
CBI route
Open · USD 400K property

Türkiye is the single largest destination country for Iranians leaving Iran in the 2020s. Visa-free entry, geographic proximity, established Iranian-language services in Istanbul (especially Esenyurt, Beylikdüzü, Şişli), and a relatively predictable residence permit pathway combine to make it the most-used relocation option.

The Iranian community in Istanbul has grown materially since 2018, with full Persian-language doctors, lawyers, schools (including Iranian-curriculum and bilingual options), real estate brokers and food businesses now widely available in the western European-side districts.

Türkiye allows visa-free entry for Iranian citizens for up to 90 days per visit. Longer stays require a Turkish residence permit, with banking and bureaucratic friction higher than for some other nationalities — plan extra time and document buffer.

Visa-free entry · 90 days

Iranian passport holders enter Türkiye visa-free for up to 90 days. Longer stays require a residence permit applied for in-country.

Largest Iranian community in Istanbul

Esenyurt, Beylikdüzü and Şişli have the densest Persian-language services, schools and businesses outside Iran.

Banking is harder

Opening a Turkish bank account as an Iranian typically requires a residence permit + tax number + active Turkish address. Plan for post-arrival timing.

CBI route is open

USD 400,000 property purchase remains an accessible route to Turkish citizenship for Iranian applicants.

Run the numbers for Iran

Calculators most relevant for Iranians

Istanbul Cost of Living Calculator

Istanbul is the primary landing city — most relevant cost benchmark.

Citizenship by Investment Calculator

CBI via property is an accessible route to a Turkish passport for Iranian applicants.

Residence Permit Cost Calculator

Iranian passport (Bracket-C) residence permit fees and document costs.

Tax Residency Calculator

Score your tax residency exposure — important without a comprehensive treaty.

Moving to Turkey Checklist

Pre-arrival and first-30-days task list, with banking timing flagged.

What do Iranians need to know before moving to Türkiye?

  • Bring fully apostilled copies of all key documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, education credentials). Iranian apostille is processed by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • The Bracket-C nationality fee tier in our residence permit calculator is the relevant range for Iranian applicants.
  • Most arrivals base in Istanbul (Esenyurt, Beylikdüzü, Şişli, Ataşehir). Smaller communities exist in Ankara, Antalya and Trabzon.
  • Persian-language schools and bilingual programs exist in Istanbul; international schools (English-medium) are also widely available for those not focused on Persian-curriculum continuity.
  • Translations: documents in Persian require sworn-translator translation into Turkish. Plan for ~2-3 weeks of paperwork lead time.

Do Iranians need a visa for Türkiye?

Visa-free for 90 days per visit. Longer stays require a Turkish residence permit. Iranian passports fall into the Bracket-C nationality range for residence permit fees in our calculator.

How are Iranians taxed when moving to Türkiye?

Türkiye and Iran do not have a comprehensive double tax treaty in force at the same level as EU treaty partners. Tax planning for Iranian residents in Türkiye should be done with a Turkish tax advisor familiar with Iranian-source income treatment.

How big is the Iranian community in Türkiye?

Estimated 70,000–120,000 Iranian citizens are medium-to-long-term residents of Türkiye, the largest concentration of Iranians in any country outside Iran.

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