A foreigner needs a Turkish tax number (vergi numarası, formally vergi kimlik numarası) almost immediately after arriving: without it you cannot open a bank account, register a tapu (title deed) or set up utility contracts. It is issued free of charge, online or at a tax office, and takes a few minutes. Here is how it works in 2026 and what changes once you have a residence permit.
What the number is
The vergi kimlik numarası is a ten-digit identifier assigned to a taxpayer by Türkiye's revenue administration (Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı, GİB). A foreigner who does not yet hold a Turkish identification number is issued what is known as a "potential tax number" (potansiyel vergi kimlik numarası) — it is tied to the passport and serves for any transaction where you need to be identified.
The number does not expire, there is no charge for it, and it is valid only within Türkiye. It creates no tax obligations by itself: holding the number does not make you a Turkish tax resident.
What you actually need it for
- Banking. You cannot open an account without a tax number — it is the first thing a branch will ask for. The details are in our guide to a bank account in Türkiye.
- Property transactions. The number appears on the tapu and in land registry documents, and duties are paid against it. See our article on the tapu.
- Utility contracts. Electricity, water, gas, internet — contracts are set up against the tax number.
- A SIM card. Operators register the line against the holder's identifier.
- Insurance. The compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK) and any other cover.
- Residence permits. The state fees for an ikamet are paid quoting the number — see our guide to residence permits.
- Cars, notaries, company registration — anywhere a party has to be identified.
What the tax number does not give you is access to the government services portal: to log in to e-Devlet you need a Turkish citizen identification number or the foreigner identification number described below. This is a common disappointment for people who have just bought an apartment and expect to log straight in.
How to get it online
The quick route is an application through the GİB digital tax office. The service used to live at the interactive tax office address (ivd.gib.gov.tr); today applications by foreigners go through the "Digital Tax Office" (Dijital Vergi Dairesi) at dijital.gib.gov.tr, in the section for foreigners — "potential tax number".
The form asks for:
- your first name and surname in Latin script — exactly as they appear in your passport;
- sex, date and place of birth;
- your mother's and father's names;
- citizenship and country of residence;
- passport number;
- address and mobile telephone number;
- your foreigner identification number, if you already have one.
The result appears on screen immediately and the document can be downloaded as a PDF. There is no fee. If you obtained a number previously under the same passport number, the same page offers a lookup and lets you download the document again.
The cardinal rule: the Latin script in the application must match your passport character for character. Any discrepancy — an extra letter, a different transliteration variant, a diacritic instead of plain Latin — will surface later at the bank and at the land registry, and correcting it means going back through the tax office.
How to get it in person
The second route is to walk into any tax office (vergi dairesi). In Alanya that is the municipal office, which operates on a general queue.
Bring with you:
- your passport (the original) and a copy of it;
- the completed application form — blank forms are handed out on site;
- a contact address in Türkiye;
- sometimes a notarised translation of the passport data page (yeminli tercüme + noter onayı). The requirement depends on the particular office, so check in advance.
The procedure takes a matter of minutes and the number is issued the same day on a printed form. The service is free. A representative may file on your behalf under a notarised power of attorney, provided it expressly states authority to act before the tax authorities.
What changes once you have a residence permit
Here is an important point that is almost always overlooked. A foreigner who obtains a residence permit in Türkiye (as a general rule for at least six months), a work permit, or international protection status is assigned a foreigner identification number — yabancı kimlik numarası (YKN). This is an eleven-digit number beginning with the digits 99, printed directly on the ikamet card.
Since 1 July 2010 the rule has been that anyone holding a YKN uses that number in place of the tax number. In other words, the tax number is not "cancelled" by any separate decision — it simply stops being your working identifier, and the YKN is what appears in all tax operations.
What that means in practice:
- Once you have your ikamet, report your YKN to the tax office so that the records are linked together.
- Update your details at the bank — otherwise the account stays tied to the "potential" number and some online services will not work.
- Quote the YKN in subsequent property transactions and before a noter.
- If the tapu was registered before you obtained your residence permit, link your YKN to the property — otherwise it will not appear for you in the Web-Tapu land registry system.
Until you have a residence permit, none of this applies: a tourist or a non-resident owner is not assigned a YKN, and the "potential" tax number is sufficient for every task listed above.
How to look up or recover your number
A lost number does not have to be obtained afresh. Through the section for foreigners on the digital tax office portal you can retrieve it using your passport details and download the document again. For a YKN, look at your residence permit card or ask the provincial migration directorate.
Check separately that you have not accidentally ended up with two numbers — this happens when someone first obtains a number online and then obtains another in person with a different transliteration of their name. Duplicates cause problems at the bank and when registering transactions; the tax office merges the records on application.
Common mistakes
- Different spellings of your name across passport, tax number, bank and tapu. This is the number one cause of refusals and delays.
- Paying an intermediary for the "service". The number is issued free and takes five minutes — the only thing worth paying for is assistance with an interpreter, if you are not prepared to go yourself.
- Assuming a tax number means access to e-Devlet. It does not; you need a YKN.
- Ignoring the change of identifier after a residence permit. Records drift apart, and you then have to reconcile them across several authorities at once.
- An incorrect or borrowed phone number on the application. Tax office notifications and confirmation codes are sent to it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Turkish tax number cost?
It is issued free of charge — both online and at a tax office.
Do I need a residence permit to obtain a number?
No. A valid passport is enough; tourists obtain them too.
Does the number expire?
No, it has no expiry date. But once you obtain a residence permit, your YKN becomes your primary identifier.
Can I open a bank account with a "potential" number?
Yes. The bank will additionally ask for your passport, a correspondence address, and often a Turkish mobile number.
Is a notarised translation of my passport compulsory?
Not for an online application. For an in-person application the requirement depends on the particular tax office, so it is best to check in advance.
Can a representative obtain the number for me?
Yes, under a notarised power of attorney with the relevant authority expressly stated — see our article on powers of attorney in Türkiye.
Does having a number create tax liabilities in Türkiye?
The number itself creates no obligations. Taxes arise from facts: owning property (emlak vergisi), earning rental income, selling a property. Add aidat, the mandatory service charge, to an owner's fixed costs.
This article is provided for general guidance and does not replace legal advice. The requirements of Türkiye's migration service, land registry and tax authorities change regularly, and practice differs between local offices — check the current rules with the relevant authority or with a lawyer before filing your documents.
Need help?
New Time Investment supports buyers and residents in Alanya and across Türkiye: we can help you obtain a tax number, open an account, check a property and prepare the documents for a transaction or a residence permit. If you are still planning your trip, we will tell you what order to take these steps in so that you do not end up redoing the same thing twice.