When the Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection was published on Turkey Official Gazete No:28615 on 11.04.2013, provisions which are in the fifth section of the Law and which define duty, authority, establishment and organization of Directorate General of Migration Management came into effect of even date. Pursuant to paragraph b of Article 125 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection, the other four sections out of five sections are as follows:
in the first part information on Purpose, Scope, Definitions and Non-Renouncement, in the second part information on Foreigners, in the third part information on International Protection, in the fourth part information on Common Provision Regarding Foreigners and International Protection.
On 11 April 2014 the new Law for Foreigners in Turkey came into effect.
The process of carrying out the strategies and a subtle and deeper migration policy has gained speed for the interest of whole humanity.
Formed within this scope, the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458 has drawn attention by its first actions and a series of innovations regarding the field of migration.
Issues related to migration and asylum have been assigned to the management of a civil institution. Turkey Directorate General of Migration Management and Provincial / Sub-provincial Directorates of Migration Management within Directorate General have been assigned to perform activities and actions in the field of migration, implement migration policies and strategies, and facilitate coordination between the relevant public institutions and agencies and other stakeholders along with the new law.
Entry into and exit from Turkey shall be through the border gates with a valid passport or travel document. Foreigners are allowed to enter into Turkey by the consulates located in the country they reside in legally or in their country of origin in the event of receiving a relevant visa.
Types of residence permit in Turkey have been specified on the Law one by one, and special conditions, rights and obligations have been imposed for each. Foreigners may apply for a short-term residence permit, family residence permit, student residence permit and long-term residence permit according to the purpose of stay in Turkey provided that they fulfill the requirements.
A valid health insurance in Turkey shall be required from the applicants in the residence permits procedures, and those concerned shall be required to arrange an insurance in Turkey and from an insurance company operating in Turkey.
Furthermore, work permits are ever after regarded as residence permits according to a new regulation made for work permit in Turkey.
Delivery of the residence permits of which form and content are designated by law to the addresses has been started. Foreigners may ever after extend their residence permits inland. Foreigners applying for the extension of Turkish residence permit shall be required to hold a passport or travel document which is valid at least sixty days beyond the duration of the requested residence permit as of 01.01.2020.
Foreign students attending an associate, undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate programme in Turkey may work in the course of studying, provided that they obtain a work permit. Associate or undergraduate students are allowed to work after the first year of their study and that period shall not exceed a maximum of twenty-four hours a week.
The framework of the harmonization process, which is bilateral and based on voluntaries between foreigners, international protection beneficiaries and the society, has been enacted by law, and by means of this, the concept of “harmonization” has gained a legal status for the first time.
Foreigners and international protection beneficiaries are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be independently active in all areas of social life without being dependent on third persons not only within the period they stay in our country, but also within the period they reside in a country to which they resettle or within the period they reside in their country of origin to which they turn back.
The principle of ‘non-refoulement’ which emphasizes that no one within the scope of this Law shall be returned to a place where he or she may be subject to torture, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment or, where his/her life or freedom would be threatened due to his/her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion has been adopted and subsidiary protection status for those who could not gain refugee/conditional refugee status has been developed.
Special provisions for persons with special needs, particularly unaccompanied children, has been made and the system of temporary protection residence permit which would be provided in case of a mass influx has gained a legal basis
The Electronic Visa (e-Visa) Application System was launched on 17 April 2013 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey. This system allows visitors traveling to Turkey to easily obtain their e-Visas online in approximately three minutes. Please note that e-visa is only valid when the purpose of travel is tourism or commerce. For other purposes, such as work and study, sticker visas are given by Turkish Embassies or Consulates.
Decision on issuing a visa to foreigners at Turkey border gates entered into force after it was published in the Official Gazette dated 19/02/2014. Countries such as USA, United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Bahrain, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mexico and Armenia are ranked among the 89 countries to which visas shall be issued
Foreigners who need medical care assistance for Antalya dentist or Istanbul hair transplant can make Turkey doctor and dentist appointment.
Directorate General of Migration Management Department of Harmonization and Communications came together with different groups within the context of harmonization
activities in İstanbul on 14-18 April 2020.
The first meeting of Istanbul Meetings was held in Istanbul Governorship. The participants of the meeting held in Governorship premises were as follows: Head of Harmonization and Communications Department; Istanbul Deputy Governor; Delegate of Istanbul Bar Association; Provincial Director of İŞKUR, İstanbul Provincial Deputy Director of Migration Management, Chief of Foreigners Department, Istanbul Police Department and representatives of IOM, UNHCR; Provincial Directorate of Youth Welfare and Sport; Delegates of Provincial Directorate of Social Security Institution and within the framework of İstanbul Meetings, meetings with migrants from different nationals were held on the second day.
The first session was held with the foreigners of Russian nationality, the second session was with the foreigners of African origin and the third session was with the foreigners of Philippines nationality. In these meetings; questions, problems, requests and suggestions concerning migration were discussed with the migrants.
On the third day, consultation meetings devoted to integration policy were held with the municipal authorities. Having been held in Rectorship building of Marmara University which is situated in Sultanahmet, the meeting was made with the participation of Marmara Municipalities Union, The Dean of Faculty of Political Sciences of Marmara University and the relevant authorities of district municipalities of İstanbul. In the meeting, general evaluation about the issues of migration and integration policy in Turkey and the cooperation with the local administrations were carried out.
On the fourth day, a round table meeting devoted to migrants was held with the participation of non-governmental organizations. In the meeting, firstly the structure of Directorate General of Migration Management; then the reforms which the Law introduced on visa, residence and international protection were explained briefly to the participants.
On the last day of İstanbul Meetings, another round table meeting was also held with the participation of academicians. In the meeting, theoretical debates on integration in the world and the migration terminology were discussed. Furthermore the practices and differences about harmonization on a local and global scale were dealt.
Department of Harmonization and Communications performed integration activities in Didim, Bodrum and Marmaris Approximately 400 foreigners who reside in the region attended to the activities performed in the districts which are Didim, Bodrum and Marmaris for 3 days on 19-21 February 2020. In the activities performed with the aim of facilitating the mutual integration of foreigners with the society in our country, upskilling them and expanding their knowledge which would ease their acting independently in their daily lives in our country and in their country when to return; experts in their field informed about “Common Law System, e-visa System, Access of Foreigners to Health Services and Acquisition of Property Turkey System while Head of Harmonization and Communications Department introduced the New Migration System of Turkey.
In the activities where the applicants’ questions regarding issues they wonder about living in Turkey were answered, the pleasure of the establishment of a single authority which would meet the needs and solve the problems of foreigners more efficiently, was frequently expressed.
A meeting was held in Didim Chamber of Commerce Meeting Hall with the participation of Head of Harmonization and Communications Department; Borough Master; British Consul of Izmir; Deputy Director of Aydin Provincial Migration; Director of Aydin Provincial Disaster and Emergency; Deputy Manager of Aydin Land Registry Office; Head Doctor of Didim Public Hospital; Aydin Bar Association; the authorities of Aydin Directorate of Province and Public Health and approximately 75 British migrants residing in Didim.
A meeting on “The Integration Activities of English Nationals Residing in our country” was held in Nurol Cultural Center. Head of Harmonization and Communication Department; Deputy Governor of Muğla; District Governor of Bodrum; District Governor of Mentese; Deputy Director of Provincial Directorate of Migration; Pro Consul of Consulate of the British Consulate in Bodrum as well as more than one hundred foreigners participated in the meeting. Following the meeting, District Governor of Bodrum was visited in his office by exchanging views on new foreigners system.
Before the meeting, Head of Harmonization and Communication Department, and migration assistant experts visited, Governor of Muğla. Information was given on new migration system, Law on Foreigners and International Protection, activities of Migration Management and also Integration Activities. Following the visit, we departed to Marmaris District. Deputy Governor of Muğla, District Governor of Marmaris, District Governor of Ortaca, District Governor of Seydikemer, District Governor of Datça, District Governor of Köyceğiz, Deputy Director Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, Pro Consul of Consulate of the British Consulate in Bodrum with almost 200 foreigners in Marmaris participated in the meeting held in a hotel. the needs and solve the problems of foreigners more efficiently, was frequently expressed.
Under the Harmonization Activities, Directorate General of Migration Management met the foreigners residing in Bursa. A representative of Foreigners Working Group of Bursa City Council and a group consisting of 50 people who are the citizens of different countries residing in Bursa through residence permits participated in the meeting held on 10 March 2020.
The meeting started with the Turkey iResidence opening speech, Head of Harmonization and Communication Department regarding the Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Directorate General of Migration Management and new migration system of Turkey. Following the questions of the participants, the meeting ended with the closing speeches of, Deputy Governor of Bursa, Representative of Foreigners Working Group.
The focal point of the meeting was work permits of the foreigners.
Short-term residence permit ARTICLE 31 (1) A short-term residence permit may be granted to those foreigners listed below who: a) arrives to conduct scientific research; b) owns immovable property in Turkey; c) establishes business or commercial connections; ç) participates in on-the-job training programmes; d) arrives to attend educational or similar programmes as part of student exchange in Antalya.
Part Two Foreigners 39 programmes or agreements to which the Republic of Turkey is a party to; e) wishes to stay for tourism purposes; f) intends to receive medical treatment, provided that they do not have a disease posing a public health threat; g) is required to stay in Turkey pursuant to a request or a decision of judicial or administrative authorities; ğ) transfers from a family residence permit; h) attends a Turkish language course; ı) attends an education programme, research, internship or, a course by way of a public agency; i) applies within six months upon graduation from a higher education programme in Turkey.
Short-term residence permits shall be issued with maximum one year duration at a time.
The Directorate General of Migration Management was established by the Law numbered 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection which entered into force with all provisions on 11 April 2014. Article 103 of the mentioned Law arranges the establishment of the DGMM:
‘ARTICLE 103 – (1) The Directorate General of Migration Management has been established under the Ministry of Interior in order to implement migration policies and strategies, ensure coordination among relevant agencies and organisations, and 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 in Turkey.
The official website of the Directorate General of Migration Management www.goc.gov.tr is activated for publice use and foreigners entering Turkey for migration.
In addition to the institutional and organizational information on the Directorate General of Migration Management, the website contains news, activities, announcements, brochures, and leaflets relating the DGMM, as well as much information about migration management, and is regularly updated.