German national visa D from Turkey

All national visa applications from non-Turkish nationals are handled by a single visa section — the Consulate General in Istanbul — and only people who genuinely live in Turkey may apply. Here is who meets the residence requirement, which booking channel to use and what the document set looks like.

Updated: September 17, 2026

A national visa D covers stays in Germany longer than 90 days: employment, the EU Blue Card, the Chancenkarte, studies, family reunification, self-employment. It is not a Schengen visa: the document set is built for one specific category, and the decision is taken by the mission together with the authorities in Germany. Turkey, however, works differently from Georgia or Serbia: there is a visa centre here, and every application from a non-Turkish national is handled by a single visa section.

Who may apply in Turkey

The main restriction is permanent residence. The Consulate General puts it this way: applications may be filed by non-Turkish nationals whose centre of life is in Turkey. In practice this means at least six continuous months of residence in the country without long absences as at the date of filing, and evidence of this has to be attached to the application.

It is stated separately that a Turkish residence permit or a share in a Turkish company is not enough if you actually live somewhere else. So the ikamet is not in itself the entry ticket — it confirms your right to be in the country, not that you live there.

There is one exception to the six-month rule: permanent residence is recognised straight away if you have a long-term right of stay in Turkey — for example the status of a registered refugee or a family reunification residence permit (aile ikamet izni).

The 60 visa-free days available to Russian citizens in Turkey do not meet the definition of permanent residence, and neither does a trip to Turkey made in order to file.

Where you file: one visa section for the whole country

Three German missions in Turkey work with visas: the embassy in Ankara and the consulates general in Istanbul and Izmir. The consulate in Antalya handles Schengen only. The consular districts are divided as follows:

• Ankara: central and eastern Turkey and the Black Sea region: Adana, Gaziantep, Mersin, Trabzon, Samsun
• Istanbul: Istanbul, Marmara and Thrace: Bursa, Kocaeli, Edirne, Eskişehir, Çanakkale
• Izmir: the Aegean region: Izmir, Aydın, Muğla, Denizli, Manisa, and also Antalya
• Antalya: Antalya, Burdur, Isparta (Schengen)

For non-Turkish nationals this division does not apply. All national visa applications from non-Turkish nationals are processed by the visa section of the Consulate General in Istanbul. If you live in Ankara, Izmir or Antalya, you still file in Istanbul, so plan for the trip unless your category is handled online right up to the appointment.

The RK-Termin booking system familiar from Tbilisi and Belgrade is not used for national visas in Turkey: Istanbul appears there only with its passport section for German citizens.

Step 1. Choose your category

Everything depends on the category: the booking channel, the document set, the fee and the processing time. The missions in Turkey use their own numbering for information sheets — "Bilgi Notu / Merkblatt" with a number: 01F for spouse reunification, 20F for the accelerated § 81a procedure in Istanbul and Izmir, 31F for academic professionals, 39F for bachelor's studies. The sheets are bilingual, Turkish and German; there is no Russian version. Work strictly from the sheet for your own category.

The key split for non-Turkish nationals is online versus iDATA:

If you are unsure about your category, the Consulate General itself points to the Visa-Navigator.

One category is closed: family reunification with people holding subsidiary protection (subsidiärer Schutz) is suspended until 23.07.2027, and registration in it is not possible.

Step 2. Two booking channels

Turkish and non-Turkish nationals book in different systems. Register in one only; a family with mixed citizenship registers together, in one system.

Auslandsportal: online application

This is the main route for the popular categories: digital.diplo.de/visa. Filed online are the Blaue Karte EU, skilled workers, the Chancenkarte, studies without a scholarship, vocational training, reunification with a German citizen and family members of applicants in these categories. Registration and filing through the portal are free.

1. You register on the portal, fill in the form and upload scans
2. The portal checks completeness in advance — that is its main advantage
3. The Consulate General assigns an appointment
4. At the appointment you show the originals, give biometrics and pay the fee

Two points matter here. Registration on the portal is not in itself a legally valid visa application: the Consulate General stresses this separately. And non-Turkish nationals have to prove permanent residence already at this stage: the ikamet plus evidence of six months of living in the country. If the portal does not explicitly ask for it, upload it under other documents.

iDATA: the waiting list for the remaining categories

Registration goes through ulusalrandevu.idata.com.tr.

1. You complete a questionnaire in the iDATA system
2. Based on your answers the system either puts you on the waiting list for your category or sends you to Auslandsportal
3. Registration on the waiting list costs €12 and is paid in Turkish lira
4. Once you are booked you are told where to file: most often the visa section in Istanbul, possibly the iDATA office in Istanbul (Gayrettepe), and for reunification with holders of humanitarian status the IOM-FAP office in Istanbul

If your appointment is at an iDATA office, an iDATA service fee of €39.92 is payable on top of the visa fee, also in lira.

The only official partners of the German missions in Turkey are iDATA and IOM. The Consulate General warns explicitly against visa agencies and unofficial websites promising slots.

How long the appointment takes. There are no separate figures for the non-Turkish nationals' visa section in Istanbul — the benchmarks are given for the missions in Turkey as a whole: family reunification from 2 months to more than a year; studies 1–4 months; work from 1 month to more than a year; qualification adaptation measures 2–9 months. The portal is usually faster. Check the actual timing on your own waiting list.

Step 3. The Videx form

The form is filled in at videx.diplo.de, section langfristiger Aufenthalt. It is not the same form as for Schengen: the visa D has its own Videx.

• All fields are completed online, then the form is downloaded as a PDF and printed
• It is signed by hand, with the date and place
• It may be completed in German or English
• When filing through the portal the form is completed in the portal itself, so a separate Videx is usually not needed — follow what the portal asks for
• The place of birth is entered exactly as in your passport: transliteration plus RUSSIA

Step 4. Documents and fees

The basic set is the same for every category:

• The information sheet for your category (Bilgi Notu / Merkblatt) — print it from the missions' website and build the file strictly from it
• The completed and signed Videx form, or the form in the portal
• Passport and a copy of the data page
• Proof of permanent residence in Turkey: the ikamet plus documents showing that you have lived in the country for at least six months without long absences
• Biometric photo: 35×45 mm, no older than 6 months; the sheets ask for one, bring spares
• Health insurance: proof of cover for entry and the first period in Germany
• CV in German with contact details — in work and study categories
• The fee: €75, children €37.50

The Consulate General is detailed about completeness, and this is not a formality. Originals and copies are arranged in the same order as in the information sheet. How many copies you need is set out in your category's sheet: some sheets require two copies of civil status documents. Documents sent in after filing must go as the original plus a copy, with the case number on the envelope, otherwise they may not be added to the file. Foreign documents come with a German translation. An incomplete set is direct grounds for refusal.

The policy you need is one that covers the period from entry until statutory insurance takes effect. A cheap travel or "incoming" policy formally exists but may provide no cover for a planned long-term stay, and that only comes to light once you are in Germany. Expat health insurance from Feather is one option that fits.

The currency and payment method for the visa fee itself are not stated on the page for non-Turkish nationals. For other consular services the German missions in Turkey accept payment only in euro or by credit card and ask for the exact amount. It is sensible to bring both €75 in cash in exact notes and a card, and to clarify the method in the invitation letter for your appointment or through the Consulate General's contact form. One more discrepancy: several Turkish information sheets state €40 for children rather than €37.50 — check against your own sheet.

Additional documents by category

EU Blue Card

Filed through the portal. You need the Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis from the employer, a degree with its transcript and recognition via ANABIN: the combination of an "H+" university and a degree rated "entspricht / vergleichbar" is accepted, otherwise a Zeugnisbewertung from ZAB is required. The 2026 salary thresholds are €50,700 per year in general and €45,935 for shortage occupations and for graduates of the last three years. IT specialists without a degree need at least 3 years of comparable experience within the last 7 years; a regulated profession requires a Berufsausübungserlaubnis, plus proof of health insurance. The fee is €75 and processing takes 4 weeks once the set is complete. More on the Blue Card page and in the salary threshold calculator.

Chancenkarte

Also through the portal. Proof of funds — at least €1,091 per month, €13,092 for the year: a Sperrkonto in Germany, your own account or a formal declaration of commitment under §§ 66, 68 AufenthG. From the age of 45 you need either a salary from €4,648 per month (€55,770 per year) or confirmed pension provision. In addition: a motivation letter describing what exactly you are looking for and where you plan to live, a CV, a language certificate (German A1 or English B2) and insurance for the whole visa period. Then there are two routes: a qualification fully recognised in Germany, or at least 6 points in the points system together with recognised vocational or higher education and a ZAB-Bescheinigung. Points are awarded for a qualification measure, a shortage occupation, work experience, language, age, previous stay in Germany and the partner's potential — count them in the points calculator; the conditions are covered on the Chancenkarte page.

One detail specific to Turkey: telc certificates are currently not accepted by the visa sections here as proof of language. Take Goethe or ÖSD.

Studies

Without a scholarship this is filed through the portal. You need a Zulassungsbescheid (admission) or proof that you have applied to a university. Proof of funds — €992 per month, €11,904 for the year; if you are going without admission, to look for a study place, it is €1,091 per month, €13,092 for the year. Then: school certificates and degrees, a motivation letter, a CV in German, proof of language (usually B1: Goethe, TestDaF, or IELTS/TOEFL for English-taught programmes), for minors the notarised consent of both parents, and insurance. Processing takes 5 weeks once the set is complete.

A stand-alone language course that is not preparation for studies cannot be filed through the portal: it goes through iDATA registration only.

Spouse reunification

Added to the basic set are the marriage certificate and, for previous marriages, divorce or death certificates. Under sheet 01F civil status documents are submitted as the original plus two copies plus a German translation. Then: a copy of the passport or ID of the spouse in Germany and a Meldebescheinigung no older than 6 months, proof of housing at the future address, an invitation from the spouse and proof of income for the last 3 months or more, and insurance.

An A1 certificate in German is required from a recognised provider — the sheet names the Goethe-Institut ("Start Deutsch 1") and ÖSD; the original is submitted and must have been issued no earlier than 12 months before filing. telc is currently not accepted in Turkey. There is one language exception: if the spouse in Germany holds an EU Blue Card, an ICT or Mobile ICT Card, no language is required (§ 30 Abs. 1 S. 3 Nr. 5 AufenthG).

The channel depends on the spouse's status: with a German citizen — the portal; with a Blue Card holder or another skilled worker title — the portal, together with the main applicant; with an EU/EEA citizen or a holder of humanitarian status — iDATA. Family members filing together with the main applicant are asked by the Consulate General to register as a group. The fee is €75, free with a German citizen. Processing takes 8–12 weeks.

Check the two-year restriction as well: if the spouse in Germany holds a residence permit, has lived there for less than two years and the marriage was concluded after their entry, reunification before the two years are up is as a rule not possible. Exceptions apply to holders of the titles listed in § 30 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 AufenthG; if this is your case, it is worth writing to the Consulate General before filing. More on the family reunification page.

Self-employment and freelance work

Filed through the iDATA waiting list. You need a business plan in German: profile, financial forecast, market analysis, planned jobs; freelancers prepare a structured description of the project with supporting evidence — letters of intent and contracts. If a company already exists, add the Handelsregister extract, the founding documents and the list of shareholders. Then: proof of funds for a year, degrees and proof of qualification with German translations, a CV in German, from the age of 45 proof of sufficient pension provision, and an offer of private health insurance (an offer, not a signed contract). Processing takes longer than in the work categories, because authorities in Germany are brought into the case. Conditions are on the freelance visa page.

The accelerated procedure under § 81a

Work categories can be sped up considerably. The employer in Germany, or an authorised representative, obtains the Vorabzustimmung: the prior approval of the Ausländerbehörde under § 81a AufenthG. With that document the mission is required by law to give an appointment within three weeks and to decide on the application within three weeks of filing; accompanying family members are filed at the same appointment.

In Turkey, sheet 20F applies to Istanbul and Izmir. Booking goes through the same channel as without § 81a, depending on the legal basis:

• Auslandsportal: § 16a, § 18a, § 18b, § 18g (Blue Card), § 19c in combination with § 6 BeschV
• iDATA: § 16d, § 18d, § 19c in combination with §§ 3, 5, 24a BeschV

The Vorabzustimmung is attached at filing or uploaded to the portal. The prior approval of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit under § 39 AufenthG is not part of this procedure. The procedure is described on the Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren page and on Make it in Germany.

The language requirement is easy to misread here. The general § 81a sheets list proof of German for the specialist, the spouse and children from 16, but the sheet is written for ordinary work visas (§ 18a, § 18b). For the Blue Card (§ 18g) no German is required either from the main applicant or from the spouse — the spouse's exemption is set out directly in § 30 Abs. 1 S. 3 Nr. 5 AufenthG.

Points to note for Russian citizens

Permanent residence is the main barrier. Everything said above about six months and a centre of life in Turkey is where most cases fall down. Evidence of residence is attached to the application, and an ikamet alone is not enough for it.

The trip to Istanbul. People living in Ankara, Antalya or Izmir need to plan for a trip to file, unless the category is handled entirely online up to the appointment.

telc is not accepted. The visa sections in Turkey currently do not accept telc certificates as proof of language. If you are taking A1 for reunification or the language requirement for the Chancenkarte, choose the Goethe-Institut or ÖSD.

Apostille. Russian civil registry documents — marriage and birth certificates — and degrees should carry an apostille. Electronic apostilles with a QR code are often not accepted, because there is no way to verify them. The exact legalisation requirements are in your category's information sheet.

Translations. The baseline requirement is a German translation. Further requirements for the translator are set by the authority in Germany the documents go to next: the Ausländerbehörde and the Arbeitsagentur often accept only translations by sworn translators recognised in Germany.

Remonstration was abolished on 1 July 2025. A refusal can no longer be appealed by letter to the consulate. The refusal notice states the reasons and the legal remedies available; what remains is a new application with a stronger file, or the court route. The "45 days for processing" rule from the European Commission recommendation of 30 March 2022 applies to Schengen visas and not to the visa D.

You cannot apply for asylum through a diplomatic mission.: under the territoriality principle an application can only be filed on German territory.

Filing in Istanbul and receiving the decision

The German Consulate General in Istanbul is at İnönü Caddesi 10, 34437 Gümüşsuyu – Beyoğlu, İstanbul. The entrance to the visa section is from Çiftevav Sokak. Questions about national visas are handled by the visa section through the contact form on the website; case status is not given over the phone.

Filing is by assigned appointment only. Without an appointment only supplementary documents are accepted, at the visa section's security desk: Mon–Thu 09:00–15:00, Fri 09:00–12:00, entrance from Çiftevav Sokak. The postal address for sending documents in is: Alman Federal Cumhuriyetin Alman Başkonsolosluğu Istanbul, Vize bölümü (üçüncü ülke vatandaşları), İnönü Caddesi 10, 34437 Gümüşsuyu – Beyoğlu – İstanbul.

How the appointment works:

• The place of filing is stated in your appointment confirmation: the visa section of the Consulate General, the iDATA office in Gayrettepe or, for particular reunification cases, the IOM-FAP office in Istanbul
• Arrive on time and in person; every family member the visa is issued for attends personally
• Bring originals and copies arranged in the order given in the information sheet; when applying as a family, each person needs a separate complete set
• Biometrics are taken — fingerprints
• Visa section staff speak Arabic, English, German and Turkish. If you speak none of these, come with an interpreter
• Documents may be requested additionally on the spot or by letter, so check your email and spam folder

Entry rules — whether phones and bags may be brought in — are not described by the Consulate General on the page for non-Turkish nationals. Expect to be asked to leave electronics and bags behind, and clarify this in the letter with your appointment.

The non-Turkish nationals' visa section has no public collection list of the kind Belgrade runs as an Abholliste. Once a decision has been taken on your application, you receive the passport together with all original documents. How exactly to collect the passport, or to have it returned by post or courier, is explained at the filing appointment itself: write it down there. If you filed at an iDATA office, the status can be tracked in the iDATA system. If you receive a new passport after filing, tell the Consulate General in advance.

Processing times are counted by the Consulate General from the moment the set is complete: Blue Card, researchers, scholarship holders and work with the approval of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit — 4 weeks; other employment — 4 weeks; studies and language courses — 5 weeks; family reunification — 8–12 weeks. The wait for the appointment itself comes on top of that.

Types of Turkish residence permit

Since the ikamet plus six months in the country is the entry ticket to filing, these are the main types of residence permit according to the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi). Applications are filed online through the e-İkamet system, followed by attending the provincial migration office in person.

• Short-term permit (kısa dönem): tourism, renting or owning property, business ties, attending courses; issued for up to 2 years at a time
• Family permit (aile): for spouses and children of Turkish citizens and of Turkish residence permit holders, up to 3 years. For the Consulate General this is precisely the ground on which the six-month rule does not apply
• Student permit (öğrenci): for the duration of study at a Turkish institution
• Long-term permit (uzun dönem): after 8 years of continuous legal residence, issued indefinitely
• Work permit: issued by the Ministry of Labour; a valid work permit replaces a residence permit under Turkish law

Conditions, terms and restrictions change — including districts closed to foreigner registration and the practice of refusing tourist ikamet applications — so check the current rules of Göç İdaresi before you apply. And remember: what counts for the German Consulate General is not the document itself but the fact that you genuinely live in Turkey for at least six months.

Choosing the country of application is a separate task, and it is better solved before you move anywhere: sometimes filing outside Turkey is faster and cheaper. We can go through your situation in a consultation; material on individual visas is collected in the guides section. Always check the current requirements on the missions' page for non-Turkish nationals and in the section with current notices.

FAQ

Is there a visa centre for the visa D in Turkey?

Yes, iDATA — and it plays a bigger role than the visa centres in Georgia or Serbia. Registration on the waiting list (€12 in lira) goes through iDATA for categories that cannot be filed online, and in some cases the filing itself does too (a €39.92 service fee). The Blue Card, the Chancenkarte, skilled workers, studies and reunification with a German citizen go through Auslandsportal free of charge. The missions have no official partners other than iDATA and IOM.

Can I apply in Ankara or Izmir?

Not unless you are a Turkish citizen. All national visa applications from non-Turkish nationals are processed by the visa section of the Consulate General in Istanbul, whichever consular district you live in.

I have an ikamet but live in another country. Will my application be accepted?

No. The Consulate General states directly that a Turkish residence permit or a share in a Turkish company is not enough if you actually live somewhere else. You need a centre of life in Turkey and, as a rule, at least six continuous months of residence as at the date of filing. Visa-free entry and a trip made in order to file do not qualify.

How long do the appointment and the decision take?

The appointment: according to the missions in Turkey, from 1 month to more than a year depending on the category (family reunification from 2 months, studies 1–4 months, qualification adaptation measures 2–9 months); the portal is usually faster. The decision is counted from the moment the set is complete: Blue Card, researchers and work with BA approval — 4 weeks, studies and language courses — 5 weeks, family reunification — 8–12 weeks.

Can I use a telc certificate?

Not at present: the visa sections in Turkey do not accept telc certificates as proof of language. For A1 in reunification cases and for the Chancenkarte language requirement, take the Goethe-Institut or ÖSD.

How is the fee paid?

The iDATA charges are paid in Turkish lira. How the visa fee itself is paid at the visa section is not stated on the page for non-Turkish nationals; for other consular services the missions in Turkey accept only euro or a credit card and ask for the exact amount. Clarify the method in the letter with your appointment and bring both exact cash and a card.

Applying from other countries