The Civilized World Is Becoming More Expensive for russians: Türkiye Has Significantly Raised the Cost of Residence Permits

Türkiye has sharply increased the cost of issuing residence permits for russian citizens, marking yet another tightening of restrictions on russians abroad since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine.

For example, the cost of a one-year tourist permit has risen to over $620 from $44. A two-year permit now costs about $1,284, up from $144. The new fees are already reflected in the application forms. The fee consists of two parts: the cost of the plastic card and the main fee for the permit itself. For children, the price remains by about a quarter lower.

As of April, there are over 74,000 russians with residence permits in Türkiye. At the same time, over 11% of russian citizens who lived there left the country last year. By comparison, in January 2023, the number of russians with various types of residence permits exceeded 154,000 – the highest figure among foreigners.

The tightening of financial conditions in Türkiye is taking place against the background of a broader trend: a number of European countries have already restricted russians’ access to residency. In particular, Lithuania, Latvia, and the Czech Republic have suspended the initial issuance of residence permits for russian citizens. In 2026, Malta joined this list, halting the processing of new applications from russians and belarusians.

These measures are part of a broader policy to restrict the presence of russian citizens abroad following the start of russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In many countries, russians are increasingly facing financial, administrative, and political barriers, reflecting the negative attitude to them at the international level.