New Extended Turkey Visas for Yacht Owners and Crew

For our cruiser friends that are interested in what is happening today in Turkey regarding Visas.  On 14 May 2012, Turkey changed its Visa rules to better accommodate people arriving in Turkey via yachts.  I have written a summary of the application package/process that we experienced in Fethiye on 30 May 2012.  It is likely that things will vary in different ports and at different dates.  At the bottom of this posting, I included the notice of this change from the Turkish Ministry of the Interior.

The following was our application package for a 1 year residence visa:

• Special clear plastic binder that all of the following was bound into with a fold-away clip. (bought at a office supply store...the passport police insisted on this)
• Application form, typed and signed (1 copy each).   We had to hire someone to type the application form (can't be printed) that was 15 lira each.  We found a travel agent who typed the form for us. Update: Across the street from the passport police is a travel agency with "RHODES" painted in green on the window.  Phone +90 252 612 40 15 (rodos@yeslidalyanreavel.com).  They typed our application form...bring them the blank form from the passport police.
• 6 new passport photos (The passport police did not like what we had and we had to get new ones which had something written on the bottom of each photo in Turkish...this could have been the name of the shop...I don't know, but the photographer knew what we needed when we told him passport police Residence Visa) 10Lira per person for 8 photos...need 6 on the application
• Receipt of $80USD Turkish Tax paid and paid in Lira..(paid 148 Lira each, which is close to $80USD)
• 1 color copy of Passport Photo page and adjoining page 
• 1 color copy of your current Passport Turkish Visa page
• 1 color copy of Transit Log front sheet with a Fethiye Harbour Master's stamp (we checked into Turkey at Tasucu.  The Fethiye Passport Police wanted Fethiye's Harbour Master's stamp...this confused the Harbour Master, but he finally stamped a photo color copy of the first page of the log for each of us.  BTW, he only stamped the copies we brought him, not the original.
• A mailing address in Turkey where they can contact us...we gave them the Marina address where we will winter.
• A 1 Year Residence Visa fee of 172Lira each paid to the Passport Police...this was confusing.  The passport police said time and time again that the cost was $80USD, but when we paid the fee, he collected 172Lira...possible translation problem, but the sign on the wall said 172 Lira for 1 year residence visa.  BTW, I think you can buy up to 3 years if you want.

Total per person was just under $200.00 including taxi, copies, etc.

***************UPDATE 13 June 2012********************

We just received our 1 year Turkish Resident Visas and were surprised to learn that the starting date of the 1 year period is the first date we entered Turkey which was May 4, 2012, rather than the date of application or issuance date of the 1 year Resident Visa.  This will likely be an issue for us.  Had we known that this was the situation, we would have applied for 18 months.

Hope this helps folks following us.

Update 2014:

It is our understanding that Turkey has changed rules for residence permits yet again, and that now these are available only for a period of one year.  And if one stays out of Turkey for more than 90 days that the residence permit is no longer valid.