Relocation Services in Turkey (2026):
What They Do, What They Cost

A full-service Turkey relocation company manages the practical and administrative complexity of your move. Core services typically include: pre-departure planning and document preparation, visa and residence permit (ikamet) application support, housing search and lease negotiation, airport reception and settling-in assistance, utility connection (electricity, water, natural gas, internet), Turkish tax number (vergi numarası) registration, bank account opening assistance, school research and enrollment for families, Turkish SIM card and phone number acquisition, language support and translation, and local orientation tours. The scope varies significantly between providers — always confirm exactly what is and is not included.

Turkey relocation service packages typically range from: (1) Basic settling-in package: €500–1,500. Covers airport transfer, first-week orientation, and initial administrative setup. (2) Standard relocation package: €1,500–4,000. Adds housing search assistance, residence permit support, utility setup. (3) Full destination service: €3,000–8,000+. Comprehensive end-to-end management for individuals or families, including school search, multiple home viewings, ongoing support. (4) Corporate relocation: €5,000–20,000+ per assignee. Includes policy administration, vendor management, settling-in services, and repatriation support. Some providers charge hourly rates (€75–150/hour) for standalone services. These figures cover the service fee only — separate government fees (residence permit, notary, translations) always apply on top. Always request a detailed scope-of-services document before payment.

Legally, no. Many people successfully relocate to Turkey independently. However, Turkey's bureaucratic processes — particularly the residence permit system, tax number registration, and utility connections — are conducted largely in Turkish with limited English-language support at government offices. For families with children, for people moving for work on short timelines, or for those with no prior Turkey experience, a relocation service significantly reduces the stress and timeline of establishing yourself. The cost of a good relocation service is typically recovered in time savings, avoided mistakes, and the faster income-generating period for professionals.

Yes, most reputable Turkey relocation services offer residence permit (ikamet izni) support. They can assist with: identifying the correct permit type for your situation, compiling the required documentation, booking the e-ikamet online appointment, preparing for the PDMM (Provincial Directorate of Migration Management) appointment, and following up on application status. However, relocation services are not immigration law firms. For complex situations (previous visa overstays, non-standard nationality combinations, family permit variations), you should use a qualified Turkish immigration lawyer in addition to a relocation service. Relocation services handle the practical side; lawyers handle the legal and strategic side.

A property agent (emlakçı) helps you find, evaluate, and purchase or rent a property. A relocation service provides end-to-end support for your physical move and settlement in Turkey, which may include housing search assistance but extends to the full range of administrative, social, and practical needs of settling a new life in a foreign country. The two services are complementary, not alternatives. For a comprehensive relocation, you typically need both — a property agent for the housing component and a relocation service for the broader settling-in support. Some full-service relocation companies incorporate housing search within their service offering.

"Destination services" is the term global mobility professionals (bodies like EuRA, the European Relocation Association, and WERC, formerly Worldwide ERC) use for the on-the-ground support given to someone arriving in a new country: home finding, school search, area orientation, and settling-in assistance, as distinct from the physical moving of household goods. If your employer's HR policy mentions a "destination services provider," this is the piece of the relocation puzzle they mean — it usually does not include shipping your furniture, which is arranged separately with a freight forwarder.

Reliable sources: (1) Expat community recommendations — Turkish expat Facebook groups and forums are the most reliable source of genuine feedback on specific providers. (2) The EuRA (European Relocation Association) directory, which lists vetted destination service providers globally, including some with Turkey coverage — members are held to professional and quality standards. (3) Direct referrals from multinationals or international organisations that regularly relocate staff to Turkey. (4) Cross-checking providers through multiple independent reviews. Be cautious of: providers with no verifiable track record, suspiciously low pricing that suggests limited service delivery, and providers who promise outcomes they cannot guarantee — no relocation company can guarantee a government decision such as residence permit approval.

Yes — family relocation packages from reputable Turkey relocation companies include school research and enrollment support. They can: identify international or English-medium schools in your target city, advise on curriculum (IB, British, American, German, French), arrange school visits and admissions meetings, translate enrollment documentation, and liaise with schools on your behalf. Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya have the broadest range of international school options. School enrollment timelines in Turkey can be long — a good relocation company will advise you to begin the school search 6–12 months before your expected arrival.

The major Turkey relocation markets for professional and corporate relocations are: (1) Istanbul — by far the largest market, with the most relocation service providers and the broadest range of accommodation options. (2) Ankara — significant diplomatic and corporate relocation market. (3) Izmir — growing expat market, popular with European professionals and retirees. (4) Antalya — large residential expat market, particularly for European retirees and remote workers. (5) Bodrum and Fethiye — smaller market, primarily non-corporate lifestyle relocations. Some specialist companies focus exclusively on one city; others cover the major urban centres nationally.

Core documents typically needed: valid passport (at least 6 months validity beyond planned stay), birth certificate (apostilled if for residence permit), proof of income or financial means (bank statements, pension letters, employment contracts), marriage certificate (apostilled, if applicable), children's birth certificates (apostilled), health insurance policy documentation (mandatory for residence permit), police record from home country (some permit types), and recent passport-format photographs. The exact requirements depend on your nationality, permit type, and family composition. Your relocation service should give you a personalised document checklist at the start of the engagement.

It helps to get one early. A vergi numarası (tax number) is free and, for most foreigners, fastest obtained in person at any tax office with just a passport, usually within 15–30 minutes. It can also be requested online through the İnteraktif Vergi Dairesi (Interactive Tax Office), though that route is largely in Turkish and sometimes requires a Turkish phone number, so it is not always the quicker option. You will be asked for your tax number when opening a bank account, buying property, subscribing to utilities, and at several stages of the residence permit process — so it is worth getting before you engage other services rather than after.

Often yes, within limits. Used household goods and personal effects can be imported duty-free if you have owned and used them for at least 6 months and have resided outside Turkey for at least 24 months beforehand (a shorter history can still qualify if you lived abroad at least 5 of the last 10 years), provided the shipment reaches Turkish customs within 2 months before or 6 months after your entry stamp. New items are taxed, and imported goods cannot legally be sold or lent to someone else during your stay in Turkey. A relocation service or removals company experienced with Turkish customs can help you avoid the most common paperwork mistakes at this stage — see our guide to shipping household goods to Turkey for the full process.

Either can, but the requirement itself does not go away: under Turkish law, anyone applying for a residence permit must hold valid health insurance for the full requested period. For your first year in Turkey you generally need private health insurance, since the state SGK system only becomes an option after 12 months of continuous residence. Many relocation services offer to arrange a compliant private policy as part of their package; others expect you to source it yourself and simply confirm it meets the residence permit requirements.

Under a lump-sum policy, an employer gives the assignee a fixed budget to arrange their own move, including hiring any relocation help. Under a managed (destination services) policy, the employer contracts a relocation provider directly, and services are delivered and invoiced through that vendor relationship. If your move is company-sponsored, check which model applies before independently paying for services — under a managed policy, duplicate spending is the most common and avoidable relocation mistake employees make.

Some full-service relocation companies offer business setup support as part of an extended service offering, but this is a specialist area. For company formation in Turkey, you typically need a dedicated company formation service or a Turkish business lawyer. The overlap between relocation and business setup is real — particularly around tax number registration, bank account opening, and understanding local regulatory requirements — but the legal complexity of company formation in Turkey means a specialist service is recommended rather than relying solely on a general relocation provider. See our company formation services guide for Turkey.