The information on this page was collected from public resources.
Is there cash assistance available? Who is eligible? How does someone apply?You can apply for social assistance for one-time cash assistance. For this, you have to state the request, your address needs to be registered and your relevant document (International Protection Applicant or Beneficiary Identity) must be disclosed to the relevant Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations. Another way to get cash is through the "Conditional Cash Transfer for Education Program": The program provides cash payments to eligible families conditional on regular school attendance of their children (from kindergarten to Grade 12). Moreover, you could get cash through the "Emergency Social Safety Net": A card is provided to each family that is found eligible. Each month this card will be loaded with 120 TL per family member. The card can be used at any ATM machine to withdraw cash or in shops to buy items using a point of sale machine. Women who live alone, families with more than 4 children or families that have many dependent persons are eligible for the program. Applicants must have International Protection Applicant or Beneficiary Identity Document and be registered in the MERNIS database. Regardless of their citizenship, foreign nationals, on the condition that they meet the eligibility conditions for unemployment insurance, can apply for unemployment benefits to the Turkish Labor Institution, provided that they have a residence permit. The eligibility criteria are as follows:
For Ukrainians who fled the war to Turkey, a large-scale support project was launched by the ASAM international organization. This project is the only centralized initiative to support Ukrainians in Turkey. As part of the project, Ukrainian refugees receive:
For all questions of assistance within the framework of the project, call 0312 212 60 12 (Mon-Fri from 9:00 to 17:30). To continue in Ukrainian, press 6. The SGDD-ASAM office in Antalya is available by phone: +90 (312) 212 60 12. |
How do I set up a bank account?Anyone can to open a Turkish bank account, as long as they hold the required documents. Although the process of opening a bank account may differ from one Turkish bank to another, generally, there are standard procedures that must be followed while opening an account. -
The most preferred banks are as follows:
For the whole list of banks currently operating in Turkey, please see the website |
How do I withdraw cash or exchange my currencies?You can withdraw money from an ATM. To exchange cash, you can go the Currency Exchange Offices or to a bank. |
How do I pay taxes in a country?Individuals who are resident in Turkey (full liability taxpayers) are subject to tax on their worldwide income. Non-residents (limited liability taxpayers) are taxed only on earnings and revenues derived in Turkey. Employers and employees pay monthly contributions at varying percentages calculated on gross salary, subject to upper and lower limits stated in the law. While the mandatory social security premium payments of employees are directly paid by employers, taxpayers are required to file their tax returns (regarding other income) between 1 March and 31 March of each year. More information on the Turkish taxation system can be accessed via the website of the Turkeyโs tax authority There is no special tax regime for expatriates. |
If I already work remotely, how should I pay my taxes?The tax payable in connection with the wage of dependent employees is paid by employers. Resident tax payers are entitled to claim a credit for the taxes paid abroad on income derived outside Turkey and subject to tax in Turkey. Such credit amount can be applied against the tax to be paid in Turkey. Accordingly, please note that Turkey and Ukraine have signed a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation. There is no special tax regime for expatriates. For more detailed information, we recommend consulting a lawyer. |
How to avoid double taxation?There is an ingenious, but not perfect, solution โ to prove to the tax authority of the state in which the citizen does not plan to pay taxes that he is a resident of another country where he fulfills this duty. A natural person has such a right, as Ukraine has valid conventions and treaties on the avoidance of double taxation with 73 countries of the world. Among them are almost all European countries, as well as the USA and Canada. According to these conventions, Ukrainians who pay taxes in Ukraine have the right to avoid taxation in the country of residence. If such a situation arises in which a citizen falls under the criteria of a tax resident of Ukraine and at the same time another state defines him as its resident, he has the right to contact the tax authorities of the country of residence and make a request to the Ukrainian tax authorities to confirm that he pays taxes. That is, in order to prevent double taxation, it is necessary to determine the resident status of an individual and, if necessary, obtain a document that will confirm it. But this may require the help of specialists - tax consultants or lawyers. Specialists advise in advance to collect evidence of the presence of a center of economic interests in Ukraine (if you plan to pay taxes only in Ukraine). Among them may be:
If a citizen of Ukraine is recognized as a resident of Ukraine, but paid taxes in another country, the taxes paid can be credited in Ukraine. But if a person does not meet the criteria of a resident of Ukraine, it allows to change the tax resident status and consider another country as the place of tax payment. It is important to check the registration of a natural person as a subject of entrepreneurial activity in the Unified State Register. Even if the activity has not been carried out for a long time, but the registration has not been terminated, this is a criterion for recognizing a person as a resident of Ukraine, which is accompanied by the obligation to pay taxes on income received abroad in Ukraine. Being a citizen of Ukraine, but a tax NON-resident, you will still have to pay taxes in Ukraine for some types of income:
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How can I send money back to Ukraine?You can transfer money from Turkey to Ukraine via an international transfer or money transfer at a corresponding provider or a bank. For an international transfer at the bank you have to fill out a special form and usually pay fees. Other special money transfer providers (e.g. Western Union, Moneygram, Wise, Revolut, Paypal) are often a cheaper and faster alternative. |