Apply for Asylum in Turkey: Steps, Rights and Appeals

Last updated: 8 October 2026. This guide is based on the current text, as published on mevzuat.gov.tr, of the 6458 sayılı Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu (Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection), including the amendments made in 2019 by Law No. 7196; on the Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanununun Uygulanmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik (Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection); on the official pages of the Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı (Presidency of Migration Management); and on decisions of the Danıştay (Council of State) and the Anayasa Mahkemesi (Constitutional Court).

In Turkish law, an asylum application is called an uluslararası koruma başvurusu (international protection application). It is the application that a foreigner who fears being persecuted or suffering serious harm if returned to their country makes in person to the valilik (governorship) of the province where they are in Turkey, that is, to the İl Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü (Provincial Directorate of Migration Management) (Law No. 6458 Art. 65/1). The Law sets no final day for applying, but the application is expected to be made within a reasonable time (Art. 65/4). As a rule, the applicant stays in Turkey until a final decision is made; the decision is made within six months at the latest from the date of registration (Art. 78/1). A case against a rejection decision can be filed at the idare mahkemesi (administrative court) within 30 days of notification, and against inadmissibility and accelerated procedure decisions within 15 days (Art. 80/1-ç).

Who qualifies for asylum in Turkey? The three statuses compared

The Law calls all three statuses, mülteci (refugee), şartlı mülteci (conditional refugee) and ikincil koruma (subsidiary protection), “international protection” (Art. 3/1-r). Which status you receive is determined not by your nationality but by the risk you personally face and the reason for that risk.

European countries are the member states of the Avrupa Konseyi (Council of Europe) and other countries designated by the Cumhurbaşkanı (President of the Republic) (Art. 3/1-b). According to the Presidency of Migration Management, Turkey accepted the 1951 Geneva Convention with a geographical limitation; therefore a person fleeing events outside Europe receives conditional refugee status, not refugee status, even if they meet the conditions of the Convention. In short, the procedure known in Turkey as a “refugee application” (mülteci başvurusu) is legally an international protection application; for a person coming from outside Europe, the possible statuses are conditional refugee and subsidiary protection.

Status depends on your personal risk, not your nationality

The decision is made separately for each person; the general conditions in the country of origin and your personal circumstances are assessed together (Art. 78/2-3). If it is concluded that you could live safely in one part of your country and could reach it safely, it may be decided that you are not in need of protection (Art. 78/4). According to the Constitutional Court, the burden lies first on the applicant: you must reasonably explain what the risk is and submit information and documents supporting it; once this is done, the administration and the court are obliged to investigate the real risk in detail. The Court held that dismissing, without such an investigation, the deportation case of an applicant who had consistently described the allegation of ill-treatment violated the prohibition of ill-treatment (Anayasa Mahkemesi Bireysel Başvuru [Constitutional Court, individual application], B. [application no.] 2021/32172, T. [date] 18.12.2024).

Some people are excluded from protection even if they meet the conditions; for example, a person about whom there are serious reasons to consider that they committed the acts in Article 1(F) of the Convention, or a person currently receiving protection from a UN agency other than the Birleşmiş Milletler Mülteciler Yüksek Komiserliği (BMMYK; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR) (Art. 64/1). A person about whom there are serious indications that they pose a danger to public order or public security is excluded from subsidiary protection (Art. 64/5).

How to apply for asylum in Turkey, step by step

1. Go in person to the right place. The application is made in person to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in the province where you are (Art. 65/1); a lawyer or legal representative cannot apply on your behalf (Regulation Art. 65/1). According to the Presidency's FAQ page, the place to apply in Istanbul is the Kumkapı Koordinasyon Merkezi (Kumkapı Coordination Centre). An application made to the police or the jandarma (gendarmerie) at a border gate or inside the country is reported to the governorship without delay (Art. 65/2).
2. Explain why you came. Your statement is taken in a language in which you can express yourself; at this stage, say why you cannot return to your country and mention any special needs (such as pregnancy, illness or being a victim of violence) (Regulation Art. 65/3). An interpreter is provided if you request one (Art. 70/2).
3. Register. Give your identity details correctly and hand in your passport, ID and travel documents (Art. 69/2). At registration you are asked why you left your country, what you went through on the way, how and by which route you entered Turkey, and whether you have applied for protection in another country (Art. 69/4). You are given a copy of the registration form you sign; keep it (Regulation Art. 70/7).
4. Listen to the briefing. During registration you are told about your rights and obligations and about appeal procedures and time limits (Art. 70/1); the date and place of your interview are also notified at this stage (Art. 69/5).
5. Get your ID document. Once registration is complete, you and the family members who came with you are issued an Uluslararası Koruma Başvuru Sahibi Kimlik Belgesi (International Protection Applicant Identification Document) (Art. 76/1).
6. Go to the province you are assigned. The province where you will live is determined; you go there within the set period and register your address (Regulation Art. 72; Law Art. 71/2).
7. Attend the interview and wait for the decision. The interview is held within 30 days of registration; the decision is made within six months of registration at the latest (Art. 75/1, Art. 78/1).

The international protection applicant ID document

This document carries your yabancı kimlik numarası (foreigner identification number), is not subject to any fee and replaces a residence permit (Art. 76/1, Art. 76/4). The Law leaves the validity period of the document and its extension to the İçişleri Bakanlığı (Ministry of Interior). According to the Presidency's documents page, the document is valid for one year and, if the application has not been concluded, is renewed for periods of one year each.

Is there a deadline to claim asylum in Turkey? The “reasonable time” rule

The Law sets no number of days for applying; the Presidency of Migration Management also states that no application period is prescribed, but that the application must be made within a period that can be considered reasonable under the rules of good faith. A person who applies of their own accord within a reasonable time and explains a valid reason for their illegal entry or stay is not subject to criminal proceedings because of that entry or stay (Art. 65/4). The Regulation also sets out the other side of this rule: criminal proceedings are applied to a person who cannot base their illegal entry or stay on a valid reason, and whether the reasonable time has passed is assessed separately for each person (Regulation Art. 65/4-5).

Delay has one more consequence. An application considered to have been made only to delay or prevent the enforcement of a decision that would send you out of Turkey is examined under the accelerated procedure (Art. 79/1-d). If the risk arose after you came to Turkey, explain this, and when you learned of it, clearly in your application.

Can you be deported after applying for asylum in Turkey?

As a rule, no, but this rule is not absolute. A person processed under international protection is allowed to stay in Turkey until the final decision (Regulation Art. 65/7); the permission to stay also continues while an appeal or court case is pending (Art. 80/1-e). Article 4 of the Law prohibits sending a person to a place where they would be subjected to torture or inhuman treatment, or where their life or freedom would be threatened because of their race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion.

The exception is in Art. 54/2: a deportation decision may be taken at any stage of the proceedings against an applicant or status holder who is considered to be linked to a terrorist organisation or a profit-oriented criminal organisation (Art. 54/1-b), to be a threat to public order, public security or public health (Art. 54/1-d), or to be associated with terrorist organisations designated by international institutions (Art. 54/1-k). In addition, the application does not stop other judicial and administrative proceedings, measures and sanctions concerning you (Art. 65/5). The time limit for filing a case against such a deportation decision is 7 days from notification; during the time limit for filing and while the case is pending, you are not deported unless you consent (Art. 53/3). This case is explained in detail in our guide to stopping a deportation order, and situations that prevent a deportation decision, such as the death penalty, a risk of torture or serious illness, are covered in our article on YUKK Article 55.

An application made while you are in a geri gönderme merkezi (GGM, removal centre) does not release you automatically; the application is taken into the accelerated procedure (Art. 79/1-ç). Administrative detention (idari gözetim) of an applicant is exceptional and cannot exceed 30 days (Art. 68/2, Art. 68/5). For details on applications made in detention, see our article on international protection applications and administrative detention, and for the ways out of a centre, our guide to getting out of a removal centre.

Where will you live? Assigned province, signature duty and leaving the province

An applicant cannot live in any city they choose in Turkey. Under the Law, the applicant may be required to reside in a designated reception and accommodation centre, a specific place or a province, and to report in the form and at the intervals requested; in practice, this reporting duty is called imza (“signature”) (Art. 71/1). The province where you will live is determined by the Presidency of Migration Management (called Göç İdaresi Genel Müdürlüğü, Directorate General of Migration Management, in the Law) or by the provincial directorate it authorises, taking into account your request, your health condition, your relatives and the capacity of the provinces (Regulation Art. 72/1, Art. 110/1).

Applying in Istanbul does not mean you will stay in Istanbul. For applications made outside the uydu iller (satellite provinces), you are allowed to stay at a specific address in the province where you applied until your province of residence is determined (Regulation Art. 66/3). If you do not go to the province you are assigned within the set period, a decision is made that your application is deemed withdrawn (Regulation Art. 72/2).

• Signature: Failing to fulfil the reporting obligation three times in a row without an excuse leads to the application being deemed withdrawn (Art. 77/1-ç).
• Leaving the province: If needed, the provincial directorate may grant permission to leave the province for up to 30 days; the permission can be extended once for up to 30 days, after which the Presidency decides (Regulation Art. 91/1-3). Leaving without permission, or not returning when the permission ends, causes the application to be deemed withdrawn (Art. 77/1-ç; Regulation Art. 91/4).
• Changing province: You may request a change of province because of family ties, health or another reason (Regulation Art. 110/5); according to the Presidency, the petition is submitted to the directorate in the province where you are registered, and that directorate decides.
• Address: You must register in the address registration system and notify your address (Art. 71/2); you report changes of address, identity and civil status within 20 working days (Art. 90/1-c).

Persons granted conditional refugee or subsidiary protection status may also be required, for reasons of public order or public security, to reside in a specific province and to report (Art. 82/1). According to the Regulation, the province of these persons may be determined by the Presidency, or the person may choose from among the designated provinces (Regulation Art. 110/2).

Asylum seeker rights in Turkey: health care, education and assistance

While waiting for a decision, the applicant has access to basic services; these rights operate together with the reporting obligations.

The rights, other than education and basic health care, of those who do not comply with their obligations and of those whose application receives a negative decision may be restricted; a restriction decision is made individually and notified in writing (Art. 90/2).

Can asylum seekers work in Turkey?

Yes, but not immediately. An applicant and a conditional refugee may apply for a work permit or a work permit exemption six months after the date of the international protection application (6458 Art. 89/4-a; 6735 sayılı Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu [International Labour Force Law No. 6735] Art. 17/1). A positive opinion of the Ministry of Interior is required before this permit is granted, and a valid work permit does not give an absolute right to stay in Turkey (6735 Art. 17/2-3). If your application is withdrawn or deemed withdrawn, or your status ends, the work permit is cancelled (6735 Art. 17/5-a).

A refugee or subsidiary protection holder, on the other hand, may work as an employee or self-employed from the moment the status is granted; the ID document replaces a work permit, and this is written on the document (Art. 89/4-b). Jobs and professions closed to foreigners are excluded. For the general requirements and application steps for a work permit, see our work permit guide.

The asylum interview in Turkey: what happens and how to prepare

The interview is the main basis for the decision. It is held with you individually and with regard for privacy within 30 days of the registration date, and you are given the opportunity to express yourself in the best way (Art. 75/1). If you request it, your lawyer may attend as an observer; the Regulation requires a written request for this (Art. 75/1; Regulation Art. 82/1-b).

• Bring documents: You are obliged to submit all information and documents supporting your application (Art. 75/2); translations of documents not in Turkish are requested (Regulation Art. 102/3).
• Say everything the first time: The Danıştay did not find credible a claim of sect-based persecution that had not been raised at the application and interview and was put forward for the first time at the court stage; it also did not treat personal hostility with relatives as a ground of persecution, and found the rejection decision lawful (Danıştay İdare Dava Daireleri Kurulu [Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chambers of the Council of State], E. [docket no.] 2022/874, K. [decision no.] 2022/2589, T. 22.09.2022).
• Listen to the form and correct it: At the end of the interview the form is read to you; your corrections, explanations and additional information are written on the form (Regulation Art. 86/3). A record is drawn up at the end of each interview and a copy is given to you (Art. 75/6).
• Confidentiality: During the assessment, your information is not shared with any institution of your country of origin (Regulation Art. 116/3).
• If you cannot attend: If the interview cannot be held, a new date is set, with at least ten days between the two dates (Art. 75/4). The application of a person who fails to attend the interview three times in a row without an excuse is deemed withdrawn (Art. 77/1-b).
• Special cases: Persons with special needs, such as unaccompanied children, pregnant women, persons with disabilities or victims of torture, are given priority and their circumstances are taken into account at the interview (Art. 3/1-l, Art. 67/1, Art. 75/3).

How long does an asylum application take in Turkey?

In the regular assessment, the decision is made within six months at the latest from the date of registration; if no decision can be made within this period, the applicant is informed (Art. 78/1); according to the Presidency, the decision process continues in that case. At the first stage, it is examined whether the application is inadmissible, and then whether it will be taken into the accelerated procedure (Regulation Art. 73).

Applications of unaccompanied children cannot be examined under the accelerated procedure; files whose examination will take a long time may be removed from this procedure (Art. 79/3-4). The accelerated assessment does not prevent a detailed examination of the application (Regulation Art. 80/2). A person whose application is deemed inadmissible on first country of asylum or safe third country grounds may stay in Turkey until being sent to that country; if that country does not accept the person, the application process continues (Art. 73/1, Art. 74/1).

The 2019 amendment: Law No. 7196 (RG [Resmî Gazete, Official Gazette] 24.12.2019) rewrote Art. 78/1, which governs the decision period (today: six months at the latest from registration; the Presidency may delegate this power to governorships), removed the words “valid for six months” from the applicant ID and “valid for three years each” from the status holder ID (Art. 76/1, Art. 83/1), limited general health insurance to one year (Art. 89/3-a) and added leaving Turkey to the grounds for cessation (Art. 85/1-f). Art. 80, which governs the appeal and court time limits, was not changed by this Law.

Asylum application rejected in Turkey: appeal deadlines and where to file

A negative decision is notified to you or your lawyer together with its factual reasons and legal basis; if you do not have a lawyer, you are also informed about appeal procedures and time limits (Art. 78/6). The time limit runs from notification and starts on the day after notification (Art. 80/1-ç; 2577 sayılı İdari Yargılama Usulü Kanunu [İYUK, Administrative Judicial Procedure Law No. 2577] Art. 8/1).

Do not rely on a Commission appeal and miss the deadline for going to court. The Law frames the 10-day Commission appeal as one that “may” be made; this route is optional. According to the Regulation, an appeal to the Commission does not stop the time limit for filing a case; if a case has been filed at the same time, the Commission stops its review (Regulation Art. 101/3). Art. 115 of the Law, which governed the establishment of the Commission, was repealed in 2018 by 703 sayılı KHK (Decree-Law No. 703), and the Presidency's international protection pages contain no information about the Commission; the Commission's current working arrangements could not be verified. The safe course is to go by the 30-day time limit for filing a case.

The time limits for filing a case are preclusive: in the words of the Danıştay, the time limit for filing a case is a matter of public order, and a case not filed in time is dismissed as time-barred without an examination on the merits (Danıştay 6. Daire [6th Chamber of the Council of State], E. 2021/6891, K. 2025/1707, T. 25.03.2025; İYUK Art. 15/1-b). The Law only says “competent administrative court”; in that case, the competent court is the administrative court of the place where the administrative authority that made the decision is located (İYUK Art. 32/1). Check the notified decision to see whether it was made by the Presidency or, through delegation, by the governorship (Art. 78/1).

When you file a case against an inadmissibility decision (Art. 72) or a deemed withdrawal decision (Art. 77), the governorship may grant you an insani ikamet izni (humanitarian residence permit) (Art. 46/1-ç); the requirements are explained in our article on the humanitarian residence permit.

What happens after the final decision?

The final decision is the administration's decision if no appeal or court route is taken; if a case has been filed, it is the court decision that cannot be appealed further (Art. 3/1-ö). If a person whose application is rejected, deemed inadmissible or deemed withdrawn, or whose status has ended, has no right to stay in Turkey under another provision of the Law after the final decision, a deportation decision is taken (Art. 54/1-i). According to the Presidency, after a final rejection the person's stay is assessed under the general provisions; a person who obtains another right to stay can continue to stay. The Regulation also provides that an entry ban may be applied to those whose application is rejected or deemed withdrawn (Regulation Art. 79/6). For residence options after a rejection, see our residence permit guide.

After you are granted status: ID card, travel document and cessation

A person granted status is issued an identity document with a foreigner identification number; the document is free of charge and replaces a residence permit (Art. 83/1-2). According to the Presidency, this document is valid for three years from the date of the decision and is renewed for three-year periods until the status ends or is cancelled. Refugees are issued the travel document provided for in the Convention; travel document requests of conditional refugees and subsidiary protection holders are assessed under Article 18 of the Pasaport Kanunu (Passport Law) (Art. 84).

Status is not permanent. If you voluntarily re-avail yourself of the protection of your country, voluntarily return to your country, or the conditions that required the status cease to exist in a significant and lasting way, the status ends (Art. 85/1-a, ç, d; Art. 85/2). Under the provision added by Law No. 7196, without prejudice to Art. 84 on travel documents, voluntarily leaving Turkey, benefiting from the protection of a third country, being accepted by a third country for resettlement or on humanitarian grounds, or departing to a third country also ends the status (Art. 85/1-f). A status obtained with false documents, fraud or concealed facts is cancelled (Art. 86/1-a).

International protection is not a path to citizenship: Law No. 6458 contains no provision linking the status to citizenship, and refugees, conditional refugees and subsidiary protection holders are not given the right to switch to a long-term residence permit (Art. 42/2).

Resettlement to a third country from Turkey

A conditional refugee is allowed to stay in Turkey until resettled in a third country (Art. 62/1). Resettlement procedures are carried out under the coordination of the Presidency of Migration Management; permission to depart to a third country is granted by the Presidency or by the governorship it authorises (Regulation Art. 94). The Presidency states that these procedures are carried out together with UNHCR (BMMYK).

• According to the UNHCR Türkiye help page, resettlement is not a right and is not a process based on an application; the files of the most vulnerable persons referred by the Presidency are assessed.
• The person cannot choose the country they will go to; the final decision is made not by UNHCR but by the receiving country. The process can take months or more than a year, and being called to a resettlement interview is not guaranteed.
• The services of UNHCR and its partners are free of charge; anyone who promises resettlement for money is a fraudster.
• Being accepted by, or departing to, a third country under resettlement ends the status in Turkey (Art. 85/1-f).

Common misconceptions about asylum in Turkey

• “Once I apply, I cannot be deported under any circumstances.” Wrong; in the cases under Art. 54/2, a deportation decision can be taken at any stage.
• “International protection leads to citizenship.” No; status holders cannot even switch to a long-term residence permit (Art. 42/2).
• “Status is granted according to nationality.” The decision is individual (Art. 78/2-3); two people from the same country can get different results.
• “An applicant can live in any city they want.” The administration determines the province of residence (Art. 71/1; Regulation Art. 72/1).
• “An appeal to the Commission stops the time limit for going to court.” It does not (Regulation Art. 101/3).
• “My lawyer will apply for me.” The application is made in person; the lawyer attends the interview as an observer and represents you in the appeal and the court case (Regulation Art. 65/1; Law Art. 75/1, Art. 81/1).

Legal basis and sources

• 6458 sayılı Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu (Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection) Art. 3, Art. 4, Art. 42/2, Art. 46/1-ç, Art. 53/3, Art. 54, Art. 55, Art. 61-Art. 90; Art. 115 (repealed, KHK-703, 2018). Amended by Law No. 7196 (RG 24.12.2019): Art. 66, Art. 76, Art. 78/1, Art. 83, Art. 85/1-f, Art. 89/3-a.
• Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanununun Uygulanmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik (Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection) Art. 65-Art. 117 (international protection part; in particular Art. 65, Art. 66/3, Art. 72, Art. 79, Art. 91, Art. 94, Art. 101/3, Art. 110, Art. 116, Art. 117)
• 6735 sayılı Uluslararası İşgücü Kanunu (International Labour Force Law No. 6735) Art. 17
• 2577 sayılı İdari Yargılama Usulü Kanunu (Administrative Judicial Procedure Law No. 2577) Art. 8/1, Art. 15/1-b, Art. 32/1
• Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı: Uluslararası Koruma Sıkça Sorulan Sorular (Presidency of Migration Management: international protection FAQ)
• Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı: Düzenlenecek Belgeler (Presidency of Migration Management: documents issued)
• Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı: Hak ve Yükümlülükler (Presidency of Migration Management: rights and obligations)
• Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı: Şartlı Mülteci (Presidency of Migration Management: conditional refugee)
• UNHCR (BMMYK) Türkiye help page on resettlement to a third country (help.unhcr.org/turkiye)
• Anayasa Mahkemesi Bireysel Başvuru (Constitutional Court, individual application), B. 2021/32172, T. 18.12.2024
• Danıştay İdare Dava Daireleri Kurulu (Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chambers of the Council of State), E. 2022/874, K. 2022/2589, T. 22.09.2022
• Danıştay 6. Daire (6th Chamber of the Council of State), E. 2021/6891, K. 2025/1707, T. 25.03.2025