How to book an appointment to apply for a family reunification visa for Syrians in Turkey
Many Syrians living in Turkey want to bring their relatives over and reunite with them, whether from inside Syria or from other countries,
Conditions of the invitation
Only Syrians residing in Turkey may apply to be reunited with first-degree family members
(father, mother, spouse, children) in Syria, by going to the migration office, Göç İdaresi, in the province
where they are registered and submitting the required paperwork
How the invitation works
This visa requires someone who is legally resident in Turkey to invite their relatives to the country,
so if that person holds Turkish citizenship, the visa is called “a family reunification visa” whereas if
the person holds a work permit, a tourist residence permit or a temporary protection card, it is called “a visit visa” to Turkey,
valid for between 15 – 30 days, although it does allow the person to apply for a residence permit and settle in Turkey
once they arrive. The procedure is the same for both types, but the acceptance rate is higher when the person
holds Turkish citizenship, followed by work permit holders and then tourist residence permit holders
Preparing the paperwork: documents required for the invitation
1_ A copy of the applicant's temporary protection card (kimlik)
2_ A proof of residence from the mukhtar of the neighbourhood where they live
3_ Colour copies of the passports of the people named in the application who are in Syria
4_ A copy of the family record book (family statement) translated into Turkish and certified by a Turkish notary
5_ A bank statement covering the last three months
6_ If the invitation is for a spouse, a copy of the marriage certificate must be attached, and if there are children
a civil registry record for them must also be provided. These documents must be certified by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and translated into Turkish or English
7_ A new requirement has recently been added: a personal photograph of each person to be reunited, so that their identity can be verified
and matched against the photographs and documents “given the spread of smuggling, forgery and abuse of the reunification decision”.
_ Documents that improve your chances of acceptance
There are additional documents for both the host and the invitee that can be submitted to improve the chances of acceptance,
making it almost certain. The most important of these are:
For the host:
- Title deeds if they own a property, a car or a company in Turkey.
- Papers proving they have been invited to apply for Turkish citizenship, if they are a candidate for it.
For the invitee:
- A copy of the Turkish entry stamp if they have visited before, even if the visit was a long time ago.
- A bank statement, if available, which improves the chances of acceptance.
- Title deeds if the invitee owns a property or a car in Turkey.
- If the visa is for a visit, proof of ties to the country where they live must be provided
such as a university card or an employment contract.
How to book the appointment
Reunification begins by booking an appointment at the “Çamlıca” office in Beirut, set up by the Turkish embassy
there in order to ease the pressure on it. The appointment is booked through the office's website,
and the visa type must be selected “reunification for those who have been naturalised, and a visit visa for residence permit holders”
https://lb.visafg.com/ar/
If the application is made from outside Lebanon, it goes directly through the Turkish embassy's website,
booking an appointment after choosing the visa type.
_ How long acceptance or refusal takes
After between a month and a half and three months, the Turkish embassy replies with an acceptance or a refusal,
and if accepted, the applicant collects the passport with the visa in it and books a scheduled flight for the travel date,
and can then obtain a residence permit and stay in Turkey after arriving.