Health insurance for a residence permit: private policy or SGK general health insurance

Every residence permit application and renewal needs proof of health insurance covering the whole requested period. There are two routes: a private policy that meets the minimum coverage set by the Directorate of Migration Management, or registration with the state scheme (SGK general health insurance, GSS). Which one you can use depends on how long you have been resident and your age. This guide explains both, what the policy must say, and how your other documents feed into it.

The private policy: what the Directorate requires

A private policy for a residence permit must meet the minimum coverage set out in the Directorate's circular on private health insurance for residence permit applications (first issued in 2016 and updated since). In outline: inpatient treatment covered without an annual limit and with no co-payment, outpatient treatment covered up to an annual limit with a co-payment of no more than 40%, and the words of the circular printed on the policy. Insurers sell this product under names such as "yabancı sağlık sigortası" or "ikamet sigortası". A travel policy, a policy from your home country, or a Turkish policy that does not quote the circular is refused at the counter.

The policy must start no later than the application date and run to the end of the requested permit period; a policy for one year does not support a two-year permit. The insured's name must match the passport exactly.

Premiums and age bands

Premiums are set by each insurer and rise with age. In 2026 a one-year policy for an adult under 40 typically costs a few thousand lira; from 50 the premium climbs steeply, and many insurers do not issue new policies to applicants over 65 or 70. Policies are sold only by licensed insurers and brokers; nobody else may sell them, and we do not. If you are near the upper age band, ask the broker about the insurer's new-policy age limit before you plan the permit duration.

The SGK route: general health insurance for foreigners

Under Law 5510 art. 60(1)(d) a foreigner who has held a residence permit for at least one uninterrupted year and is not insured in their home country may register for general health insurance at the SGK. The monthly premium is calculated as 3% of twice the gross minimum wage (that is, 6% of the gross minimum wage), which at the 2026 minimum wage is roughly ₺1,980 per month; the exact figure is published by the SGK. The registration covers the spouse and children as dependants at no extra premium and gives access to state hospitals and contracted private hospitals on the same terms as citizens. Employees on a Turkish payroll are insured automatically through their employer, and foreign students have a separate three-month window; see our student permit guide.

The GSS certificate (sosyal güvenlik kaydı or provizyon belgesi) is downloaded from e-Devlet and replaces the private policy in the permit file. Note the trap: once registered, premiums accrue every month until you deregister in writing; an unpaid GSS debt blocks later permit renewals.

How your other documents feed in

The insurer and the SGK both work from your identity documents. For a first permit, the insurer needs your passport and tax number; a mismatch between the passport name and the tax record produces a policy that the Directorate cannot match to your application. For SGK registration you need the residence permit, the address record and, if you claim exemption because you are insured abroad, a certificate from the foreign institution with a notarised Turkish translation (≈ ₺884 per page at the 2026 notarial tariff, paid by you to the notary). Nationals of countries with a bilateral social-security agreement (Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and others) may use the agreement forms instead of a Turkish policy; the SGK confirms which.

Common mistakes

• Policy bought for the permit but cancelled after the card arrives: the Directorate can revoke a permit whose conditions have ceased, and a cancelled policy surfaces at renewal.
• Policy period shorter than the requested permit; the permit is shortened or refused.
• Children left uninsured because the parent's policy covers one person.
• GSS registered and forgotten; the debt appears at the next renewal.

In every ROSTU residence pack the insurance step is a check, not a sale: we introduce a licensed broker, compare the policy wording and dates against the circular and your e-ikamet form, and tell you if the SGK route is open to you.

Sources

• goc.gov.tr — Presidency of Migration Management: private health insurance requirements for residence permits
• sgk.gov.tr — general health insurance for foreigners: registration, premiums
• mevzuat.gov.tr — Law 5510 art. 60 and 80; Law 6458 art. 32
• turkiye.gov.tr — e-Devlet: SGK coverage certificate

Questions