Goreme1990

Avcilar is about one and half hours from Zincirlikuyu (which is near lots of vibrant areas) and is a very Turkish district. Unless your mother is fluent in Turkish or already has a good social network in Istanbul she might feel isolated. Your budget for a 3 bedroom apartment is quite low unless you pick remote suburbs. The price difference could be down to the number of metres squared, the quality of the materials used, if the apartment is in a site which includes a gatehouse, parking, gym and pool and lots of other variables. If you do buy a new property make sure the iskan (habitation certificate) has already been issued, use you own lawyer (not one recommended by the real estate agent selling the house) and make sure to check the tapu (title deed) information against the seller's kimlik (ID card).

Before you can ships things into Turkey you will need to have a residence permit. Then, you can bring in one shipment of personal belongings tax free, provided you do this no less than 2 months and no more than 6 months after your last entry into the country.

I just completed this quiz. My Score was 93/100 and my time was 283 seconds  

Ibrahim this calculator is really helpful. http://gibba.co.uk/index1.php

Thanks Chris, This is really helpful. Lisa

Thanks Chris. Maybe we can catch up again when we head your way next year.

Hi Everyone, We might be doing a jaunt through some Greek islands next year, around May. We want to get from Meis to Kas by ferry. Will there be any Turkish run boats we can get from Greece to Turkey? Price and weblink would be great. Thanks. Lisa

I don't know the answer to your last question. At the moment it appears the Turkish government is responding to the influx of Syrians and other immigrants & refugees into Istanbul by applying stricter, more limited grounds under which you can get a residence permit in order to ensure everyone there is entitled to be there. I think you should ask the uni (?) where you'll be doing the internship about your particular situation. As they are in Turkey they can call 157, the number for the department that deals with residence & work permit questions. The problem as I see it is timing. Even if you meet the criteria for a residence permit, you mightn't get an appointment until after your planned date to leave the country, which will make your final month in Turkey (assuming you stay only 4 months), illegal.

Hi Nathaniel, I know people have done this in the past, but I have no idea if it is legal. I suspect that it isn't. Turkey has a pretty sophisticated immigration entry/exit record keeping system and keeps track of individuals' coming and goings. Lisa

Hi Ken, In Istanbul now you don't get an appointment at the time you apply online. You get told the appointment date a few weeks later (or longer). As has always been the case, the appointment can be anywhere from 2 months to 6 months later. The problem for Nathaniel is that although having the appointment paper makes you legal to stay in Turkey after your e-visa expires, if you leave before actually completing the appointment (and requested and received permission to leave Turkey for 15 days - this paper is no longer given automatically and now takes a few days to get), you are considered to have overstayed. Just getting an appointment for an ikamet makes your stay legal but not your exit, if you leave Turkey after your e-visa has expired but before your ikamet appointment. Lisa

Hi Nathaniel, I think you've been in contact with me via my blog. If you are the same person I know you will be coming to Istanbul. In that case, it is highly unlikely you can apply for and be granted a residence permit within the 4 months you are in Turkey. If you don't get it within the 4 months you will be considered to have overstayed your tourist visa, and possibly fined when you exit the country. Also, give the new rules of getting a residence permit in Istanbul (introduced a few months ago), unless you have a formal work contract, own immovable property or have a Turkish spouse, you are likely not to be granted one. You might want to rethink how long you plan to stay in Istanbul. Lisa

Thank you for your faith in me Ken!

Hi Eddie, According to Turkish law you will need to use a Turkish accredited guide. I can put you in touch with someone who might be able to help if you like.

Yes they do. They knock the old building down and dig a new hole and pour new foundations. The question is whether the concrete is any good.

The developer always builds a new building with more apartments than in the original building. For example, in my building (still not finished) there were originally 10 apartments and 2 shops. The new building will have 18 apartments and 2 shops. The extra 8 apartments belong to the developer. This is how they make a profit.