Health insurance in Turkey.
A residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
The rules
What Turkey asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Valid health insurance for the permit
The official document list for residence permit applications asks for valid health insurance. It must cover the full length of the permit you ask for.
Source: e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr - What counts as insurance
Any 1 of these is enough: a social security document under a bilateral agreement, an SGK provision document, proof you applied to join SGK general health insurance, or a private policy.
Source: e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr - Private policy: the minimum cover line
A private policy must say it holds the minimum cover set by the circular of 6 June 2014, no. 9. Bring the signed and stamped original when you apply.
Source: e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr - Students: SGK within 3 months
Students who ask for it join general health insurance within 3 months of registering at school. They must tell the migration office once they have it.
Source: e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr - Family permits
The person who sponsors a family permit must be insured, and the cover must include every family member.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - Long-term permit: insurance again
To move to a long-term residence permit you need 8 years of unbroken residence permits and valid health insurance, among other things.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - SGK after 1 year
A foreigner with a residence permit who has no cover from another country can join SGK general health insurance. This is possible once they have lived in Turkey 1 year without a break.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - SGK skips chronic illnesses you had before
Under Law 5510, SGK does not fund care for a foreigner’s chronic illnesses that existed before they became insured.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - EHIC and GHIC do not work here
The UK government notes that the European and Global Health Insurance Cards are not valid in Turkey.
Source: gov.uk
Foreigners with a residence permit and no cover abroad can apply to SGK general health insurance after 1 year of unbroken residence. You apply at your local SGK office. It is not forced: you are only added if you ask. Students can join sooner.
Source: en.goc.gov.trLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
For the permit, a private policy must carry a set line about the minimum cover. Check that before you pay, or the migration office can turn it down.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Turkey. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Turkey.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Turkey and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Turkey.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- SGK premium: 24% of the minimum wage
A foreigner who joins SGK pays 12% on a base of 2 times the gross minimum wage. That works out at 24% of the gross minimum wage each month, so it rises when the wage does.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - Doctor visit fee: 20 TL in law
Law 5510 sets a copay of 20 Turkish lira for each outpatient doctor visit. It rises every year with the official revaluation rate.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - Medicines: 10% to 20% copay
For outpatient medicines and external prostheses, SGK charges a copay of 10% to 20% of the cost.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr - Hospital stays: capped copay
For a hospital stay, your share cannot pass 1 quarter of the minimum wage, and no more than 1 full minimum wage in a calendar year.
Source: mevzuat.gov.tr
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Turkey.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- The permit wording
Ask the insurer to confirm the policy has the line about the 2014 circular and the minimum cover. A policy without it may be refused.
- Full length of the permit
The policy must run for the whole permit period you ask for. A 1 year policy will not support a 2 year request.
- Chronic illnesses you already have
SGK will not fund a foreigner’s chronic illness that existed before they joined. If you have one, check a private plan covers it, because SGK never will.
- After SGK starts
Once you can join SGK, check what it leaves out. A private or international plan can sit on top for the gaps.
Step by step
Getting covered in Turkey.
- 01Buy a policy with the 2014 circular wording. Pick a private policy that states it holds the minimum cover of circular no. 9 of 6 June 2014. It must run for the full permit length you will ask for.
- 02Apply for the permit on e-ikamet. Check the official document list on e-ikamet, the online residence system. Hand in the signed and stamped original policy with your file.
- 03Students: join SGK in the first 3 months. If you study in Turkey, you can ask to join general health insurance within 3 months of registering at school. Tell the migration office once you have it.
- 04Apply to SGK after 1 year. Once you have lived in Turkey for 1 unbroken year, apply at your local SGK office. Cover starts the day after you apply.
- 05Keep private cover for old conditions. SGK will not pay for chronic illnesses you had before joining. Keep a private policy for those if you need it.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Buying a cheap travel policy and expecting it to pass. The permit asks for a policy with the minimum cover wording.
- 02Buying cover for less time than the permit you ask for.
- 03Waiting for SGK in year 1. It opens only after 1 year of unbroken residence.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Do I need health insurance for a Turkey residence permit?+
Yes. The official document list asks for valid health insurance that covers the full length of the permit.
Does a private policy count?+
Yes. A private policy is one of the accepted options. It must say it holds the minimum cover set by the 2014 circular.
Can expats join the Turkish public health system?+
Yes, in many cases. After 1 year of unbroken residence, a foreigner with a permit and no cover abroad can apply to SGK general health insurance.
Do students need private insurance?+
Not if they join SGK general health insurance. They can do this within 3 months of registering at school and must tell the migration office.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.