Whether you’re considering Turkey as a place to retire, move with your family, or invest, you must consider how you will live there and look after your health. Foreigners who want to live in a country with a high standard of living and a reliable healthcare system choose Turkey due to the outstanding reputation of healthcare in Turkey. Furthermore, the nation offers Turkish citizenship by investment program to attract expatriates and foreign investment.
Every year, thousands of people from all over the world go to Turkey to get medical care. This shows that healthcare in Turkey is getting better and better. Also, in recent research, Turkey’s healthcare system ranked 60th out of 195 countries globally. One of the primary reasons for this popularity is that it’s easy to find medical experts who speak English or private hospitals with translators in different languages who accompany the patients during their visit or stay at the hospital. So, it’s time to familiarize yourself with healthcare in Turkey if you plan to live in or invest in Turkey.
Can Foreigners access Healthcare in Turkey?
Yes, as a foreigner in Turkey, you are entitled to Turkey’s universal healthcare, known as ‘Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu’ (SGK), after one year of lawful residency. You will receive an SGK health insurance ID card when you enroll, and you can use it to access several services in state hospitals. All participants pay a monthly fee to support the program. It’s easy to enroll; fill out a preliminary application at your neighborhood SGK office. To complete the process, you should take your passport, residence permit, and address verification. After that, you will receive a provisional inquiry reply and be provisionally enrolled. Remember that the premium cost for the first month of coverage is your responsibility. After that, SGK healthcare coverage includes free treatment in Government (Devlet) hospitals, free or reduced prescription payment, and sometimes, discounts at private hospitals.
Private Healthcare in Turkey
To apply for a residency permit in Turkey, you must have full health insurance. Additionally, unless you have legally resided in Turkey for at least a year, you are not eligible to use the state healthcare system. So, in a nutshell, you require private health insurance for at least a year. While more expensive than SGK monthly payments, private health insurance is still relatively reasonable in Turkey. You can also avoid the lengthy lines at government-run hospitals. In addition, private clinics and hospitals typically offer multilingual translators, superior facilities, and highly qualified personnel. Finally, suppose you plan to stay in Turkey for an extended period or have a chronic ailment. In that case, you should consider purchasing private health insurance. Private health insurance generally falls into three categories in Turkey:
Basic Insurance
This type is commonly used for residency applications or renewals. It covers the length of stay for the residency application period and general medical issues. However, with this kind of insurance, you do not receive significant discounts on treatment costs in private or public hospitals. This insurance does not cover the cost of medicine. Despite this, it is inexpensive and straightforward to get.
Whether you’re considering Turkey as a place to retire, move with your family, or invest, you must consider how you will live there and look after your health. Foreigners who want to live in a country with a high standard of living and a reliable healthcare system choose Turkey due to the outstanding reputation of healthcare in Turkey. Furthermore, the nation offers Turkish citizenship by investment program to attract expatriates and foreign investment.
Every year, thousands of people from all over the world go to Turkey to get medical care. This shows that healthcare in Turkey is getting better and better. Also, in recent research, Turkey’s healthcare system ranked 60th out of 195 countries globally. One of the primary reasons for this popularity is that it’s easy to find medical experts who speak English or private hospitals with translators in different languages who accompany the patients during their visit or stay at the hospital. So, it’s time to familiarize yourself with healthcare in Turkey if you plan to live in or invest in Turkey.
Can Foreigners access Healthcare in Turkey?
Yes, as a foreigner in Turkey, you are entitled to Turkey’s universal healthcare, known as ‘Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu’ (SGK), after one year of lawful residency. You will receive an SGK health insurance ID card when you enroll, and you can use it to access several services in state hospitals. All participants pay a monthly fee to support the program. It’s easy to enroll; fill out a preliminary application at your neighborhood SGK office. To complete the process, you should take your passport, residence permit, and address verification. After that, you will receive a provisional inquiry reply and be provisionally enrolled. Remember that the premium cost for the first month of coverage is your responsibility. After that, SGK healthcare coverage includes free treatment in Government (Devlet) hospitals, free or reduced prescription payment, and sometimes, discounts at private hospitals.
Private Healthcare in Turkey
To apply for a residency permit in Turkey, you must have full health insurance. Additionally, unless you have legally resided in Turkey for at least a year, you are not eligible to use the state healthcare system. So, in a nutshell, you require private health insurance for at least a year. While more expensive than SGK monthly payments, private health insurance is still relatively reasonable in Turkey. You can also avoid the lengthy lines at government-run hospitals. In addition, private clinics and hospitals typically offer multilingual translators, superior facilities, and highly qualified personnel. Finally, suppose you plan to stay in Turkey for an extended period or have a chronic ailment. In that case, you should consider purchasing private health insurance. Private health insurance generally falls into three categories in Turkey:
Basic Insurance
This type is commonly used for residency applications or renewals. It covers the length of stay for the residency application period and general medical issues. However, with this kind of insurance, you do not receive significant discounts on treatment costs in private or public hospitals. This insurance does not cover the cost of medicine. Despite this, it is inexpensive and straightforward to get.
Insurance for Accidents, Medicine, and Exams
This next-level insurance type covers expenses relating to accidents, examinations, tests, and some medicines in Turkish hospitals.
Comprehensive Insurance
Insurance providers in this category offer a complete form of health insurance that addresses all procedures, treatments, and accidents and can be used in public and private hospitals.
Cost of Healthcare in Turkey for Foreigners
Compared to other European nations, healthcare in Turkey is considerably less expensive. Many choose the country for specialty procedures, reproductive treatments, dental work, and hair transplants. For instance, dental care is 50–70% less expensive than in the US, UK, and Europe. The average cost to get universal health insurance (SGK) is between 850 and 1200 TL in 2022. The cost of private insurance, on the other hand, ranges from 1300 to 2400 TL on average in the same year. It’s important to remember that these average costs can vary based on your age.
Turkey is a Hub for Medical Tourism
Healthcare in Turkey has earned such high esteem in recent years that international patients flock to the country for hair transplants, illness medications, dental treatments, and minimally invasive in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Foreign patients tend to gravitate toward nations that offer cutting-edge medicine, but their prices are often costly. In this way, Turkey is in a unique situation when it comes to medical tourism. Compared to the United States or Western Europe, the examination and treatment costs are far lower. Still, the quality of the administrative services provided remains competitively high. More than fifty Turkish clinics hold certification from the most reputable institution that evaluates the activities of clinical centers. This indicator places the country first in Europe and second worldwide. Furthermore, most private hospitals strongly emphasize treating patients from abroad and using cutting-edge medical technology.
Generally speaking, medical procedures in Turkey can cost up to 90% less, and 67 percent of people who travel overseas take advantage of this for their emergency clinic treatment. These figures convey a lot about how fair their clinical offers are. A therapeutic medical procedure costs 70% less in Turkey than in much of Europe. The fact that Turkey is sought after as a medical tourism destination is encouraging if you plan to relocate, as it highlights how well the infrastructure for healthcare in Turkey works.
Opportunities for Foreigners in Turkey with API Investment
API Investment is here to assist if you’re considering relocating to Turkey and need a knowledgeable advisor. In addition, our well-established business has Turkish roots, and we can support you in locating the ideal property to serve as both a fantastic residence and a profitable investment.
Our experienced consultants will advise you on healthcare in Turkey and how to apply for Turkish citizenship by investment. You can read our Turkish Citizenship blog to find out more about this. Contact our team immediately to learn about the investment options available in Turkey.
This next-level insurance type covers expenses relating to accidents, examinations, tests, and some medicines in Turkish hospitals.
Comprehensive Insurance
Insurance providers in this category offer a complete form of health insurance that addresses all procedures, treatments, and accidents and can be used in public and private hospitals.
Cost of Healthcare in Turkey for Foreigners
Compared to other European nations, healthcare in Turkey is considerably less expensive. Many choose the country for specialty procedures, reproductive treatments, dental work, and hair transplants. For instance, dental care is 50–70% less expensive than in the US, UK, and Europe. The average cost to get universal health insurance (SGK) is between 850 and 1200 TL in 2022. The cost of private insurance, on the other hand, ranges from 1300 to 2400 TL on average in the same year. It’s important to remember that these average costs can vary based on your age.
Turkey is a Hub for Medical Tourism
Healthcare in Turkey has earned such high esteem in recent years that international patients flock to the country for hair transplants, illness medications, dental treatments, and minimally invasive in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Foreign patients tend to gravitate toward nations that offer cutting-edge medicine, but their prices are often costly. In this way, Turkey is in a unique situation when it comes to medical tourism. Compared to the United States or Western Europe, the examination and treatment costs are far lower. Still, the quality of the administrative services provided remains competitively high. More than fifty Turkish clinics hold certification from the most reputable institution that evaluates the activities of clinical centers. This indicator places the country first in Europe and second worldwide. Furthermore, most private hospitals strongly emphasize treating patients from abroad and using cutting-edge medical technology.
Generally speaking, medical procedures in Turkey can cost up to 90% less, and 67 percent of people who travel overseas take advantage of this for their emergency clinic treatment. These figures convey a lot about how fair their clinical offers are. A therapeutic medical procedure costs 70% less in Turkey than in much of Europe. The fact that Turkey is sought after as a medical tourism destination is encouraging if you plan to relocate, as it highlights how well the infrastructure for healthcare in Turkey works.
Opportunities for Foreigners in Turkey with API Investment
API Investment is here to assist if you’re considering relocating to Turkey and need a knowledgeable advisor. In addition, our well-established business has Turkish roots, and we can support you in locating the ideal property to serve as both a fantastic residence and a profitable investment.
Our experienced consultants will advise you on healthcare in Turkey and how to apply for Turkish citizenship by investment. You can read our Turkish Citizenship blog to find out more about this. Contact our team immediately to learn about the investment options available in Turkey.
