Foreigners and citizenship law
Foreigners’ residence, work and protection applications in Türkiye, and objections and litigation against administrative decisions issued on those applications. Applications for acquiring Turkish citizenship and civil registry procedures also fall within this field. The office works in this area drawing on prior experience at the Presidency of Migration Management.
Applications are mostly processed through the provincial directorates of migration management and the e-residence system. If an application is rejected or a permit is cancelled, administrative objection and court routes are open; because the time limits are short, the date of notification of the decision matters. Turkish citizenship can be acquired through the general route (long-term residence), through marriage to a Turkish citizen, or through exceptional routes; applications are made through the provincial population and citizenship directorates.
Matters handled in this field
- Residence permit applications and follow-up of the process
- Objections and actions against cancellation of a residence permit or rejection of an application
- Work permit applications and follow-up of the process
- Objections and actions against rejection or cancellation of a work permit
- International protection and temporary protection applications
- Annulment actions against rejection of an international protection application
- Actions against deportation decisions
- Lifting of administrative detention
- Actions to lift entry bans
- Applications for Turkish citizenship by marriage, residence and investment
- Actions against rejection of a citizenship application
- Actions to correct name, surname and age; correction of civil registry records
- Recognition and enforcement of foreign court judgments
- Foreigners’ inheritance rights in Türkiye
How does the process work?
- Assessing the situationThe passport, existing permit documents and, if any, the administration’s decision are reviewed; the appropriate permit type, citizenship route or application route is determined.
- Preparing the documentsThe documents required for the application or lawsuit are prepared, including translation and apostille procedures.
- Application or lawsuitThe application is made, or an objection and lawsuit are filed against the decision; the process is followed before the administration and the court.
- Outcome and next stepsAfter the decision, next steps such as permit renewal or a citizenship application are planned.
Frequently asked questions
An action can be brought before the administrative court within 7 days of notification of the deportation decision. Because the period is short, you need to act without delay once the decision is notified.
Together with the rejection decision, a period is given to leave the country. Within that period, objection and court routes against the decision can be considered; the position varies according to the reasons for the decision.
You must have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years and the marriage must be continuing; conditions such as living in family union and general morality are also required.
You must have resided in Türkiye without interruption for five years counting back from the date of application; the other conditions are assessed together.
Many applications and lawsuits can be handled through a power of attorney given to a lawyer. The power of attorney can be issued at a consulate, or notarised and apostilled in the country where you are.
The information on this page is general in nature; each specific case is assessed on its own facts.
