Expats in Türkiye must now pay for family doctor services per new regulation

The Turkish Ministry of Health introduced a new regulation regarding the healthcare services in Türkiye for foreigners, requiring foreign residents to pay ₺3,000 (around $73) every six months in order to utilize family doctor services.

Many foreigners have reportedly been unaware of these new fees despite the regulation being in effect since July 2025.

As a result, many foreigners report being turned away from family practice centers, unable to receive routine healthcare simply because they had not paid the fee.

The payment process is completed online via the official portal.

However, lack of awareness means many remain unregistered—and unserved.

How foreign residents can choose a family doctor after payment

Once the required ₺3,000 (about $73) payment is completed, foreign residents can select their family doctor through two methods:

• District Health Directorate: By submitting the payment receipt and filling out a registration form directly at the local health directorate.
• Family Health Center: By completing the registration form at a family health center and submitting it with the payment receipt. The center will then forward the documents to the relevant health directorate.

About the author: Kagan Orhan is a human resource and immigration consultancy expert at Expat Solutions Turkey, dedicated to facilitating the adaptation processes of foreigners in Türkiye with expertise and knowledge in managing legal procedures such as residence permit applications, work permits, business establishment, real estate and citizenship processes for foreigners settling in Türkiye with their team of lawyers and consultants.

September 10, 2025 03:38 PM GMT+03:00