Apps & Websites Every Foreigner Should Know About When Moving to Turkey

By Justin Mays:

With so many foreigners moving to Turkey every year, this country is on its way to becoming the most preferred destination for expats and retirees. When you arrive in a foreign country, it is terrifying and anxious for some. It will be fair to say that you are like a blind newborn kitten learning to walk. Meanwhile, you are learning to adapt to how things are done and handled here in Turkey. To make the transition easier, we outline all the reliable websites and apps that every foreigner should know about when moving to Turkey to make the moving process a comfortable one:

Food Delivery Apps: Yemeksepeti & Getir

Yemeksepeti and Getir are the two leading food delivery apps that foreigners should have on their phones. They are the best options because both have countless eateries for users to choose from and even go through the reviews for all the restaurants and cafes.

For Communication: Google Translate

Google translate will be your best friend until you enroll in a Turkish language course to familiarize yourself with the language. While Turkish isn’t a very hard-to-learn language, gaining fluency still requires a lot of practice and consistency. So, until then, you can use google translate to get things done.

So, whether you are shopping, using public transport, or just socializing with the locals, google translate is an excellent tool. Many local websites also only have a Turkish version, so you can use google translate to translate Turkish text into English in no time!

Transportation Apps: BiTaksi, Moovit, Istanbul kart

The top transportation app to have in Turkey is the BiTaksi app. This is a local ride-hailing app, much like Uber, allowing locals to call a taxi whenever and wherever they want. It is a much better option than the typical cabs driving around since it keeps you safe from taxi scams and prevents you from being over-charged.

As extensive as the public transport in Istanbul is, it can be extremely complicated to understand maps and transport routes for foreigners. And while many of the station signboards have some English on them, there is a high chance that the staff cannot speak English. The Moovit app is functional in different parts of the country and guides you to go from one location to another using various modes of transport without needing help from anyone else. 

And lastly, the Istanbul Kart is an essential app for Istanbulites who use public transport. You can connect your Istanbul kart to this app and top-up your pre-paid card with the app without the need to go to any store. Additionally, you can also view your remaining balance using this app.

Government Apps: E-devlet, E-nabiz, MHRS Application

E-devlet means E-government. This one is the most useful and widely known of all the apps and websites.

If you have a touristic resident permit, work permit, or Turkish citizenship, you have an e-devlet account automatically.

You can get the username and password from any branch of PTT in your area for 2 Turkish liras. There are other ways to sign in to the account, such as e-signature, mobile signature, internet banking, etc.

Your e-devlet account gives you easy online access to all the facilities and services from the state. These services include inquiry, payment, document generation, subscription, application, etc.

E-nabiz is an application by the Turkish ministry of health. It is an easy and accessible way to accumulate all your health data in one place.

You can make and sign in to e-nabiz through your e-devlet account. It contains all the information about your health, doctor visits, vaccination records, examinations, and treatments.

You or your physician can access this information with a single mouse click from anywhere in the world. The application allows you to download and print documents such as vaccination certificates and much more.

MHRS stands for Merkez Hekim Randevu Sistemi. In case you get sick or have a health scare during your stay; you can get an appointment in a state-run hospital or polyclinic with this app.

It shows you all the hospitals, doctors, and polyclinics within the vicinity of your location, along with available appointment time slots. 

You can arrange your covid vaccinations with the MHRS system, too.

Now you don't have to pay an arm and a leg in a private hospital for a health report or a simple physical examination. Just use the MHRS app, and a government hospital will do it at a fraction of the cost.

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