LIVING IN TURKEY

People and daily life

The Turkish people are friendly and will always make visitors to their country feel welcome. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit since the economic collapse of the 60s to early 90s, the Turks have helped to rebuild their country’s economy and tourist industry. While family has always been central to Turkish life, there has been a lifestyle change as the younger generation seek more independence and an increasing interest in Western values. However, to the east, values remain more traditional. This is a poor, and predominantly agricultural, region and the people in this area tend to be more conservative in their attitudes and beliefs.

Visas, permits and residency

In order to enter Turkey you will need to secure a tourist visa which is valid for three months. This can be arranged prior to leaving the UK through the Turkish Embassy, or on arrival in the airport. Your passport will need to be valid for six months prior to entry and you must have the exact amount in cash to pay for the visa – it costs £10 – as cards and travellers cheques will not be accepted. Tourist visas can be renewed on leaving Turkey, which needs only be a short hop by ferry to one of the Greek islands.

Foreign property owners can apply for residency permits, although be aware that this can involve a considerable amount of paperwork and red tape. Generally you will need to apply for a residency visa eight weeks before departure to Turkey and the cost is £85. You can apply for a three-month visa or a residency permit lasting up to five years. Depending on your circumstances, EU nationals can generally secure a visa within a week, if necessary.

Not only will you need to prove you have enough income to support yourself, but in order to work you will also be required to secure a work permit. Foreigners with a visa who have been in Turkey for longer than five years don’t need to apply for residency visas after this period. See http://turkey.embassyhomepage.com for all details and online application forms.

Utilities

Once you get your property registered at the Tapu office, you will need to transfer utilities into your name. Many utility companies remain state run in Turkey, such as electricity, which is provided by Türk Elektrik Koruma. Bills can be paid by direct debit or via your bank. Electricity and natural gas are provided by the local distributing and retailing companies, with natural gas only supplied to a limited number of cities: mains gas is only available in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. In most parts of Turkey, your gas will be provided in a canister. Water is generally mains-supplied, although some areas will need to have water delivered by tanker. Utility costs generally vary from an average of £50 to £200 per month.

Telecommunications are provided Türk Telekom, previously state owned, but recently privatised to Oger Telecom (www.turktelekom. com.tr). The telephone network is good and wireless internet is now available in most cities and coastal regions.

There is a well-developed mobile phone network and the largest and most reliable operator is Turkcell (www.turkcell.com.tr). If you are living in a rural area you may struggle to get decent reception, though.

Cable television is widely available and a number of English-speaking channels can be received, including Eurosport and BBC World.

Currency and banking

In 2005 the new Turkish lira (YTL) replaced the old Turkish lira, whose value had suffered following years of high inflation. New lira coins are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 kurus and 1 new lira, while banknotes are available in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 new lira. One lira is worth 100 kurus.

It is recommended that you open a bank account in Turkey, but to do this you will need to take your Turkish tax number and some ID with you. Foreigners can open a standard bank account, and you can withdraw cash from ATMs with most credit or debit cards. Be aware that bank transfers to and from your Turkish bank account will take at least 10 days.

There is a large choice of high street banks in Turkey:

• Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, www.tcmb.gov.tr
• Citibank, www.citibank.com.tr
• BankEkspres
• Garanti Bank, www.garantibank.com
• Yapi Kredi Bank, www.ykb.com
• Demir Bank, www.hsbc.com.tr.

Taxes

In order for you to be classed as a Turkish tax resident you need to live as a permanent resident in Turkey for six months of the year. You will then be liable to pay tax on Turkish and worldwide income. If you are not classed as a tax resident then you are only taxed on your income earned within Turkey.

The income tax system in Turkey is progressive, with rates varying from 15% to 35%.

Tax %	The tax base (YTL)
15	0 – 7,000 (£0 – £2,594)
20	7,001 – 18,000 (£2,595 – £6,671)
27	18,001 – 40,000 (£6,672 – £14,826)
35	40,001 and over (£14,827+)

Corporate tax is levied at a flat rate of 20%, while capital gains tax for an individual is taxed at the same rate of income tax. You are exempt from paying capital gains if the property has been owned for five years prior to sale. There is a double taxation treaty in place with all EU countries and many others, including America, ensuring that you won’t be taxed twice on your income.

Insurance

There are a number of insurance companies in Turkey who can offer all the necessary cover you may need.

• AIG Sigorta A.S., www.aig.com
• Commercial Union Sigorta A.S., www.cusigorta.com.tr
• EGE Sigorta A.S., www.egssigorta.com.tr
• Ak Sigorta, www.aksigorta.com
• Demir Hayat, www.demirhayat.com.tr

Healthcare

Currently there is no reciprocal agreement in place between Turkey and the EU, so you will be required to pay for any treatment you may require. Consequently, it is essential that you take out private health insurance. If you are working in Turkey, then you will be paying the equivalent of national insurance payments and will be entitled to state health care. Private health care in Turkey is of a very high standard and you will find many English speakers, but outside of the private sector you will struggle to find staff who speak English.

Retirement

Turkey is a popular destination for retirees and as you can secure residency, it is possible to retire to the country, especially as you can receive your pension in Turkey. If your pension is not a UK state pension then it depends on the rules governing a private pension as to whether or not you can receive it in Turkey. Contact The Department of Work and Pensions (www.dwp.gov.uk) for more details.

Education

The education system in Turkey is run on the French model, and offers both a state and private school education – the best state schools, known as the Anadolu Lisesi, can offer higher standards of education than some private schools.

Foreign children are entitled to state education, but facilities can be stretched. The best option is one of the many private schools which can be found in most towns and cities. See www.english-schools.org/turkey for a comprehensive list.

Driving

Turkey has a good infrastructure which links all major towns and resorts as well as connecting to other European countries. Driving in large cities such as Istanbul can be a hair-raising experience and accident rates are high, so be aware.

In Turkey you drive on the right-hand side of the road, headlights must be switched on at all times and it is illegal to use your car horn, except in emergencies. You can drive with an International Driving Permit but it is illegal to drive while using a mobile phone and you are only allowed 50mg of alcohol in your bloodstream. Seatbelts must be worn at all times.

Speed limits are as follows:

• motorways: 120km/h (74mph);
• open roads: 90km/h (55mph);
• towns: 50km/h (31mph).

Getting around

Given the size of Turkey, there are internal flights between Istanbul, Bodrum, Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and other major cities. Onur Air (www.onurair.com.tr) and Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com) provide a number of services.

The Turkish train network covers 610,200km and overnight services can be a good alternative to flying. State run, the lines are old and buses are often a better alternative unless you are travelling between Turkey’s three main centres – Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. See www.tcdd.gov.tr for details on timetables, services and fares.

Buses are the cheapest and best way to get about, with long-distance buses popular and well used. Dolmuşes are one of the easiest ways to get around. This is a minibus service which travels between towns, cities and villages, and the concept is that they don’t leave until they are full. Their destination is clearly indicated in the front of the bus.

There are also many other bus companies in operation in Turkey, the following being the main operators:

• Asya Tur
• Hakiki Koç
• Hidayet Turizm
• Istanbul Seyahat
• Kamil Koç
• Metro Turizm
• Pamukkale Seyahat
• Ulusoy
• Varan.

For more information on travelling around Turkey, visit www.turkeytravelplanner.com.

Learning the language

Turkey’s official language is Turkish, although Kurdish, Arabic, Greek and Armenian are spoken by many of the population. A member of the Ural-Altaic language family, and closely related to Mongolian and Korean, its grammatical structure makes it very difficult for English and Latin-based language speakers to learn, although you should try to pick up some basic phrases.

Shopping

Modern supermarkets are easily found, especially in the southwestern resort areas of the country. However, there are a number of markets and bazaars where fresh fruit and vegetables can be purchased cheaply. Larger supermarkets do provide some imported products, although locally-produced goods are generally of a high standard. Shops are generally open from 9.30am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, in the larger resorts and towns. Most close on Sundays.

Post

The postal service in Turkey is state run and services are nearing a par with European levels of service. When sending letters, you will find there is a slot for international and a slot for internal mail, while parcels are best sent by a private courier. Post boxes are rarely found on the street. Details of prices and services are all available at www.ptt.gov.tr.

Crime, corruption and the police

Crime levels in Turkey are low when compared to Western Europe. Violent crime is a rarity, although pickpocketing is an increasing problem. Corruption is a much bigger issue, but has been targeted by the government in their attempt to secure EU membership. Foreign buyers will find that the major problems of corruption they are faced with involve unscrupulous vendors and dodgy title deeds.

The police generally treat tourists with respect and can be contacted on 155. However, they are unlikely to speak English, so try to get a local to ring for you.