One of the most frequently encountered situations for international students studying in Turkey is the process of changing universities or transferring horizontally. Especially in cases of transferring to a different faculty, gaining admission to another university, or continuing education in a different city, the procedures to be followed regarding residence permits are of great importance.

In this article, we clearly and simply address the steps international students who gain admission to Y University or transfer horizontally while studying at X University need to take regarding their residence permits.

University or Department Change Within the Same Province

If the international student;

Changes faculty or department within the same university

Or transfers to another university within the same province

and continues their education without interrupting their student status, their existing student residence permit remains valid.

However, the most important point to note in this situation is the following: The international student must notify the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in their province of the faculty, department, or school change within 20 business days from the date of the change. If the current residence permit period is shorter than the new study period, the residence permit is extended for the duration of the study period.

Transferring to a University in a Different Province

If the international student will continue their education in another city, the procedure is different.

In this case: The existing residence permit is terminated in the previous province, and a new student residence permit is issued by the governorship of the new province where studies will continue, based on the study period of the new university. This means if there is a change of province, a mere notification is not sufficient; a new residence permit application is mandatory.

Most Common Mistakes

In practice, the most common mistakes made by foreign students are:

Missing the 20-business-day notification period

Continuing to stay with the old residence permit despite a change of province

Inconsistency between the study period and the residence permit duration. Such errors can lead to consequences such as residence permit violation, administrative fine, and in the future, residence permit refusal.

Conclusion: Timely Notification is Crucial

In summary; foreign students who change universities, faculties, or departments must follow different procedures depending on whether there is a change of province. Thanks to timely notifications made in accordance with regulations, the student residence permit continues without issues.

In case of hesitation during the university change process, seeking expert legal support in the field of foreigners’ law to ensure the process is carried out without errors will prevent serious loss of rights that may arise in the future. A paper suggestion.