Advice wanted - relocation to Ankara or Istanbul or ?

[gurromat]

Hi Everyone,

I'm currently living in the UAE and having been in the Middle East now for 4 years I'm keen to move on somewhere a bit more interesting and it has always struck me that Turkey could be that place.

I travel throughout the Middle East and beyond for my work so I just need to be based somewhere with good international connections and live in reasonable proximity to the airport.

So far, so good, now to the difficult part - my employer does not have an office in Turkey, nor do they have any plan to open one. What are my options to obtain residency for me and my family? Is it possible to have a permit that would allow me to live there without working for a local company? Any idea how difficult & expensive it might be for my own company to setup a local office? Is it actually necessary to have a physical office?

Finally, are there any good online house rental web-sites? I would like to rent a 3 or 4 bed house with a budget up to about Euro2,000 per month (less preferably!), what areas of Istanbul or Ankara (within reasonable commuting distance from the airport) should I think about?

Thanks Everyone!

[t&a]

Originally Posted by gurromat

Hi Everyone,

I'm currently living in the UAE and having been in the Middle East now for 4 years I'm keen to move on somewhere a bit more interesting and it has always struck me that Turkey could be that place.

I travel throughout the Middle East and beyond for my work so I just need to be based somewhere with good international connections and live in reasonable proximity to the airport.

So far, so good, now to the difficult part - my employer does not have an office in Turkey, nor do they have any plan to open one. What are my options to obtain residency for me and my family? Is it possible to have a permit that would allow me to live there without working for a local company? Any idea how difficult & expensive it might be for my own company to setup a local office? Is it actually necessary to have a physical office?

Finally, are there any good online house rental web-sites? I would like to rent a 3 or 4 bed house with a budget up to about Euro2,000 per month (less preferably!), what areas of Istanbul or Ankara (within reasonable commuting distance from the airport) should I think about?

Thanks Everyone!

And if you want to move in Turkey. Definitley you should choose Istanbul !

[scully]

Choose Istanbul if you don't mind traffic, apart from that it's a lovely and interesting city. You'll find reasonably cheap houses near the airport but you might think it's too far away from the city center..

[gurromat]

Originally Posted by scully

Choose Istanbul if you don't mind traffic, apart from that it's a lovely and interesting city. You'll find reasonably cheap houses near the airport but you might think it's too far away from the city center..

Thanks Scully, I am leaning towards Istanbul alright. I don't need to be close to the airport by any means, just somewhere within reasonable travel distance (within approximately an hour's drive would be fine). Can you suggest any suitable residential areas to look at?

[belgarath]

Originally Posted by gurromat

Thanks Scully, I am leaning towards Istanbul alright. I don't need to be close to the airport by any means, just somewhere within reasonable travel distance (within approximately an hour's drive would be fine). Can you suggest any suitable residential areas to look at?

2000 euros will allow you to rent in a nice neighborhood. not a villa of course, but a good quality apartment can be found at this price. Remember that in Turkey fridges, ovens, washers etc are usually not part of the deal and you will have to buy these.

Working permit is difficult for you unless you have an office or a lawyer to help you. It is a long and expensive process. Then there is the matter of tax payment, health insurances, etc. Residency is much more challenging.

You should get some professional assistance if you have a mind to settle.

[gurromat]

Originally Posted by belgarath

2000 euros will allow you to rent in a nice neighborhood. not a villa of course, but a good quality apartment can be found at this price. Remember that in Turkey fridges, ovens, washers etc are usually not part of the deal and you will have to buy these.

Working permit is difficult for you unless you have an office or a lawyer to help you. It is a long and expensive process. Then there is the matter of tax payment, health insurances, etc. Residency is much more challenging.

You should get some professional assistance if you have a mind to settle.

Hi Belgarath,

That sounds rather daunting! Will 2000 Euro not get me a house somewhere in the outer suburbs or in a town nearby to Istanbul perhaps?

If I do move there, I'm really not clear on the work permit situation - I would not be working on projects in Turkey or even meeting with Turkish clients, the company I work for has its HQ in the US and as I said has no intention of locating in Turkey. I have read elsewhere that in this case I may just need to be able to show that I have sufficient finance available to support myself in the country, does that make sense?

Do you know of any good real estate websites to check out for rentals in and around Istanbul? I seem to be only finding short-term holiday lets.

Thanks!

[scully]

Originally Posted by gurromat

Thanks Scully, I am leaning towards Istanbul alright. I don't need to be close to the airport by any means, just somewhere within reasonable travel distance (within approximately an hour's drive would be fine). Can you suggest any suitable residential areas to look at?

you're welcome! i know a few turkish rental residents sites. hurriyetemlak com is good, and it is in english too, i guess.
if you want somewhere nearby the airport, atatürk havalimanı, there's bahçelievler, bağcılar, yeşilköy, avcılar, ataköy.
if you wanna be in the city center, (I'm talking about european site, as atatürk airport is the better one imo) there's beşiktaş, taksim, şişli.. but there's no guarantee of 1-hour-distance (drive) to the airport. the traffic is often crazy, but you can get the tram and all.

[belgarath]

Why not take a one week vacation in İstanbul first for some recon? This will give you some ideas about thecity

[aysem]

I have lived 10 years in Ankara and for the 18 years in Istanbul. Although Ankara is the capital, it is relatively small.
Living in Istanbul...you will experience a terrible traffic and cope with rough city-life but I have to admit, it is still magical.
Regarding work permits, it is difficult, seriously difficult.
If you are not planning to establish a legal entity but just will be based in Istanbul, you will only have to deal with residency permit however it is not easy as well.
Regarding the websites for real estate, hurriyetemlak has the widest choice. 2000 euros per month is a good budget which will allow you to find a nice apartment.
There are 2 airports in Istanbul, one in Anatolian site (Asian side of the city) and the other one is in the European site. (the airport in european part of the city called Ataturk International is much bigger and most of the international flights arrive and depart from here) In either case, if you want a place near to the airport, you will be far away from the city center, that would not mean you will be isolated but will be far away from the main attractions.
One of the most favorite district near to Ataturk International Airport is Atakoy. Relatively new building and generally nice floor plans. You will find some nice apartments in Yesilkoy and Florya as well. However never forget, Istanbul is located in earthquake area and a serious shake is being expected in the next 20 years. So try to stick with young buildings, which are built especially after 2001.

[gurromat]

Originally Posted by aysem

you will only have to deal with residency permit however it is not easy as well.

Thanks for your advice Aysem. I will only be looking for a residency permit as you say - do you have any idea of what the requirements are for this? Would you even be able to point me to the right place to find out?