Istanbul Opens One Stop Office for Foreign Investors

Istanbul Opens One Stop Office for Foreigners

A new One Stop Office has started operating at the Istanbul Finance Center, providing a single point of service for foreign investors, employees of companies operating at the financial center and their family members.

The new office brings together several immigration and employment-related procedures in one location. The initiative is designed to simplify interaction with government institutions and reduce the number of separate visits required by foreigners.

What Services Are Available at the One Stop Office

According to information from the Turkish Directorate of Migration Management, the One Stop Office provides services related to:

• Residence permit procedures;
• Work permit applications;
• Residential address registration;
• Issuing a foreigner identification number;
• Fingerprinting;
• Other biometric procedures.

The project is coordinated by the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of Türkiye.

Who Can Use the New Service?

Important: The One Stop Office is not a general immigration centre for all foreigners in Istanbul.

According to official information, the service is intended for foreign investors, employees of organizations operating at the Istanbul Finance Center and their family members.

Applicants should therefore check in advance whether they belong to an eligible category and whether a digital application is required.

How the Procedure Starts

Digital procedures are organized through the official portal.ifm.gov.tr portal.

Before visiting the office, applicants are advised to check the reception address and the current document submission procedure. Documents or money should not be given to intermediaries who promise access to the office without confirmed legal grounds.

The unified service format simplifies coordination between government institutions, but it does not remove existing document requirements or eligibility criteria for obtaining the relevant permits.

What the One Stop Office Means for Foreign Businesses

For companies operating at the Istanbul Finance Center, the new office may reduce the number of separate visits to different government institutions. This is particularly relevant for foreign specialists and their family members who need to complete immigration and administrative procedures.

However, opening the One Stop Office does not mean automatic approval of a residence or work permit and does not create a new type of residence permit.

Each application will continue to be assessed according to the applicable rules, requirements and submitted documents.

The new One Stop Office is designed to simplify administrative procedures for certain categories of foreigners, but not all foreign citizens living in Istanbul will be able to use its services.