TURKEY AND MIGRATION
Entry into Turkey and Exit from Turkey                                               

- Entry into  and exit from Turkey are through  the border gates with a valid passport and travel document.
- Foreigners; should submit their passport or travel document or document to the officials at the time of entry into exit from Turkey.
- Document checks regarding border crossings may also be carried out on vehicles while they are on route. Foreigners using the transit areas at the airports may be subject to (document) check by the competent authority.
- At the time of checking, persons regarding whom  a comprehensive check is needed may only be held  for maximum four hours. Within this time period, the foreigner may either return to his/her country at any time or may wait for completion of the actions for amission into country, without limiting with the four-hour period.

Visa

- Foreigners who wish to stay in Turkey for up to ninety days on condition that provisions on visa exemption will be reserved  shall obtain a visa that indicates the purpose of their visitation to Turkey.
- The period of stay in Turkey provided by the visa or visa exemption  cannot exceed ninety days within a period of one hundred and eighty days.
- Visas do not confer an absolute right of  entry into Turkey.
- Visas shall be issued by the consulates and, in certain circumstances by the governorates at border gates.

Residence

- Foreigners may stay in Turkey by getting short term residence permit, students’ residence permit, long-term residence, humanitarian residence permit, victims of human trafficking residence permit.
- Foreigners may enter at the borders by the valid residence permit without visa.
- A valid work permit as well as Work Permit Exemption Confirmation Document shall be considered a residence permit.
- Foreigners who would stay in Turkey beyond the duration of a visa or a visa exemption or, [in any case] longer than ninety days must obtain a residence permit.
- Applications for residence permits shall be lodged with the consulates in the foreigner’s country of citizenship or legal stay. However, Governorates will accept applications by foreigners who have come to Turkey by the visa validity or visa exemption without residence permit until a second regulation.
- Foreigners applying for a residence permit shall be required to hold a passport or a travel document valid at least sixty days beyond the duration of the requested residence permit.
- It is essential that inland applications should be made before expiry date of visa validity or visa exemption.
- The assessment of] the applications shall be finalised no later than ninety days.
- Residence permits shall be issued separately for every foreigner depending on the purpose of stay.
- Residence permit documents are posted to the current residential address.
- Residence permit applications and applications for renewal shall be made via e-Residence.                        
- In case of first residence permit application, foreigners must be present at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, where they stay, on the date and time of appointment given by the system.                                     
- In case of application for renewal, required documents must be sent to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, where to stay, as return receipt requested post or cargo.
- Applications for renewal shall be made to the governorates within sixty days prior to the expiration of the residence permit and, in any case, before the expiration of the residence permit.
- Foreigners who apply for the extension of the duration of the residence permit shall be issued a document not subject to fee by the e-Residence system. Such foreigners may reside in Turkey by virtue of this document pending a decision regarding their application, even if their residence permits have expired. In case that foreigners wish to exit Turkey, they must have their application documents ratified by the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, where they stay.

Law on Foreigners and International Protection

Procedures and principles relating to foreigners for whose entry into Turkey, stay in Turkey and exit from Turkey are regulated by the Law  no: 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection puplished Official Gazette dated 11 April 2013.
 
Directorate General of Migration Management 

The Directorate General of Migration Management has been established under the Ministry of Interior in order to;

• implement migration policies and strategies, ensure coordinationamong relevant agencies and organisations,
• carry-out functions and actions related to the entry into, stay in and exit from of foreigners in Turkey as well as their removal,
• international protection, temporary protection,
• and the protection of victims of human trafficking;
• facilitate harmonization of foreigners into society.

General Directorate Contact :
Phone               : +90 312 422 05 00 / +90 312 422 05 01
Fax                   : +90 312 397 52 76
e-mail               : gocidaresi@goc.gov.tr
Address             : Lalegül Çamlıca Mahallesi 122. Sokak No:4 06370 Yenimahalle / ANKARA
Web                  : http://www.goc.gov.tr