Obtain a visa. Most Americans will be granted a visa at the Turkish port of entry. Americans receive a three-month visa that allows them to travel freely. Americans need a valid national passport when they enter Turkey. The passport must be issued by the American government and be valid for at least six months. At the port of entry the Turkish immigration officer will stamp the visa into your passport. You must leave Turkey or apply for an extension by the expiration date of your passport. If you stay in Turkey past your expiration date you will be assessed a daily fine.
Write a letter. You will have to submit a letter to the Local Police Department stating your current situation and why you need to stay longer in Turkey. You can list any reason, but your chances of being approved are greater if you can provide official documentation that verifies your contention.
Acquire all necessary documentation for your residency visa application. You will have to submit documentation verifying your reason for desiring a long stay in Turkey. This can typically be shown through a school acceptance letter, a work contract, or a marriage license.
Complete the residency visa application. The visa application can be downloaded as a DOC file from the Turkish Embassy website. The two-page application asks for citizenship and passport information and details on your itinerary and reasons for coming to Turkey.
Submit the application and additional documentation to the Alien's Branch of the Local's Police Department. The application must be submitted within 30 days after your arrival in Turkey. A temporary residency visa is generally issued for six to 12 months and as of 2010 it cost roughly $300 to file.
