Unofficial English translation for information only. In case of discrepancy, the Turkish text prevails. This translation is not legal advice.
Turkish source: Law No. 6458, Official Gazette 11/04/2013, No. 28615. Turkish text as published on mevzuat.gov.tr, checked on 26 October 2026: mevzuat.gov.tr
PART ONE – Purpose, Scope, Definitions and Non-Refoulement
CHAPTER ONE – Purpose, Scope and Definitions
Article 1 – Purpose
(1) The purpose of this Law is to regulate the procedures and principles regarding the entry of foreign nationals into Türkiye, their stay in Türkiye and their departure from Türkiye, and the scope and implementation of the protection to be provided to foreign nationals seeking protection from Türkiye (…)[1].
Article 2 – Scope
(1) This Law covers acts and transactions concerning foreign nationals; international protection to be provided at borders, at border gates or within Türkiye upon individual protection applications by foreign nationals; and temporary protection to be provided urgently to foreign nationals who are unable to return to the country they were forced to leave and who arrive in Türkiye in large numbers (…)[2].
(2) In the implementation of this Law, the provisions of international agreements to which Türkiye is a party and of special laws are reserved.
Article 3 – Definitions
(1) For the purposes of this Law, the following definitions apply:
a) Family members: the spouse, minor child and dependent adult child of the applicant or the person holding international protection status,
b) European countries: countries that are members of the Council of Europe and other countries to be determined by the President of the Republic,
c) Minister: the Minister of the Interior,
ç) Ministry: the Ministry of the Interior,
d) Applicant: a person who has applied for international protection and whose application has not yet been subject to a final decision,
e) Child: a person who has not yet reached the age of eighteen and has not attained legal majority,
f) Sponsor: a Turkish citizen or a foreign national legally present in Türkiye who undertakes the expenses of foreign nationals coming to Türkiye for the purpose of family unity and is cited as the basis for the application by those applying for a residence permit,
g) Director General: the Director General of Migration Management,
ğ) Directorate General: the Directorate General of Migration Management,
h) Entry and exit control: control procedures at border gates,
ı) Migration: regular migration, meaning the entry of foreign nationals into Türkiye, their stay in Türkiye and their departure from Türkiye through legal channels; irregular migration, meaning the entry of foreign nationals into Türkiye, their stay in Türkiye, their departure from Türkiye through illegal channels and their unauthorized work in Türkiye; and international protection,
i) Residence address: the place where a person is registered in the address registration system in Türkiye,
j) Residence permit: a permit document issued for staying in Türkiye,
k) Consulate: the consulates general, consulates or consular sections of the embassies of the Republic of Türkiye,
l) Person with special needs: among applicants and persons holding international protection status, an unaccompanied child, person with a disability, elderly person, pregnant person, single mother or father accompanied by a child, or a person who has been subjected to torture, sexual assault or other serious psychological, physical or sexual violence,[4]
m) Unaccompanied child: a child who arrives in Türkiye without the accompaniment of an adult responsible for them by law or custom, or who becomes unaccompanied after entering Türkiye, unless placed in the effective care of a responsible person,
n) Travel document: a document replacing a passport,
o) Border gate: a border crossing point designated by Presidential decision for entry into and departure from Türkiye,
ö) Final decision: among decisions concerning an applicant’s application or the status of a person holding international protection status, a decision issued by the Directorate General where no administrative objection is filed and no judicial remedy is sought, or a decision that cannot be appealed on points of law as a result of judicial proceedings,
p) Convention: the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees dated 28/7/1951, as amended by the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees,
r) International protection: refugee, conditional refugee or subsidiary protection status,
s) Country of nationality: the country of which a foreign national is a citizen or, where a foreign national has more than one nationality, each of the countries of which they are a citizen,
ş) Stateless person: a person who is not connected to any state by a bond of nationality and is considered a foreign national,
t) Visa: a permit granting the right to stay in Türkiye for up to ninety days or enabling transit,
u) Visa exemption: a measure removing the requirement to obtain a visa,
ü) Foreign national: a person who has no bond of nationality with the State of the Republic of Türkiye,
v) Foreign national identification number: an identification number assigned to foreign nationals pursuant to the Population Services Law No. 5490 dated 25/4/2006,
y) (Added: 28/7/2016-6735/27 art.) Authorized intermediary institution: an institution or organization whose qualifications and scope of duties are determined by regulation and which is authorized by the Directorate General,
z) (Added: 15/8/2017-Decree Law No. 694/169 art.; Accepted verbatim: 1/2/2018-7078/163 art.) Inadmissible passenger: a person who arrives at a border gate to enter the country or transit through it but is not permitted to enter the country or transit through it because they do not meet the conditions required by legislation,
aa) (Added: 15/8/2017-Decree Law No. 694/169 art.; Accepted verbatim: 1/2/2018-7078/163 art.) Carrier: natural or legal persons who own road, air, sea and railway vehicles carrying foreign national passengers, or commercial road, air, sea and railway operators,
CHAPTER TWO – Non-Refoulement
Article 4 – Non-refoulement
(1) No one within the scope of this Law shall be sent to a place where they would be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment, or where their life or freedom would be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinions.
PART TWO – Foreigners
CHAPTER ONE – Entry into Türkiye and Visa
Article 5 – Entry into and departure from Türkiye
(1) Entry into and departure from Türkiye shall be made through border gates using valid passports or documents replacing passports.
Article 6 – Document control
(1) A foreign national is required to present their passport or document or documents replacing a passport to officials upon entry into or departure from Türkiye.
(2) Document checks relating to border crossings may also be carried out while vehicles are in motion.
(3) Foreign nationals using airport transit areas may be subject to checks by the competent authorities.
(4) Upon entry into Türkiye, it shall be checked whether the foreign national falls within the scope of Article 7.
(5) In the implementation of this Article, persons considered to require comprehensive checks may be held for a maximum of four hours. During this period, the foreign national may return to their country at any time, or may wait for the completion of procedures relating to admission into the country without being limited to the four-hour period. Procedures and principles concerning comprehensive checks shall be regulated by a regulation.
Article 7 – Foreign nationals whose entry into Türkiye shall not be permitted
(1) The following foreign nationals shall be treated as inadmissible passengers and turned back by refusing them entry into Türkiye:[5]
a) Those who do not have a passport, a document replacing a passport, a visa, or a residence or work permit, and those whose such documents or permits are found to have been obtained by fraudulent means or to be forged
b) Those who do not have a passport or document replacing a passport valid for at least sixty days beyond the expiry of the visa, visa exemption or residence permit period
c) Without prejudice to the second paragraph of Article 15, foreign nationals listed in the first paragraph of Article 15, even if they are covered by a visa exemption
(2) Procedures carried out in relation to this Article shall be notified to foreign nationals who are turned back. The notification shall also state how foreign nationals may effectively exercise their right to object to the decision and their other legal rights and obligations in this process.
(3) (Added:6/12/2019-7196/70 art.) Foreign nationals within the scope of this Article shall be held in areas designated for them at border gates until the completion of procedures.
Article 8 – Implementation concerning applications for international protection
(1) The conditions set out in Articles 5, 6 and 7 may not be interpreted or applied in a manner that prevents the submission of an application for international protection.
Article 9 – Ban on entry into Türkiye
(1) The Directorate General may, after obtaining the opinions of the relevant public institutions and organizations where necessary, prohibit the entry into the country of foreign nationals whose entry into Türkiye is considered inadvisable on grounds of public policy (ordre public), public security or public health.[6]
(2) Entry into Türkiye of foreign nationals deported from Türkiye shall be prohibited by the Directorate General or the governorships.
(3) The ban on entry into Türkiye shall be for a maximum period of five years. However, where there is a serious threat to public policy (ordre public) or public security, this period may be extended by the Directorate General for up to a further ten years.
(4) (Amended:6/12/2019-7196/71 art.) A decision may be taken not to impose a ban on entry into Türkiye on foreign nationals whose visa or residence permit period has expired and who applied to the governorships to leave Türkiye before their status was identified by the competent authorities and against whom a deportation decision was issued, provided that they have paid their administrative fines and have not exceeded the periods of violation determined by the Ministry.
(5) A decision may be taken not to impose a ban on entry on persons invited to leave Türkiye pursuant to Article 56 who leave the country within the prescribed period.
(6) The Directorate General may lift the ban on entry or permit a foreign national to enter Türkiye for a specified period, without prejudice to the ban on entry.
(7) (Amended:6/12/2019-7196/71 art.) The Directorate General may make the admission of foreign nationals into the country subject to prior authorization on grounds of public policy (ordre public), public security or public health; the governorships may do so on account of administrative fines and public receivables.
(8) (Added:6/12/2019-7196/71 art.) The procedures and principles concerning the implementation of this Article shall be determined by the Ministry.
Article 10 – Notification of the ban on entry into Türkiye
(1) Notification concerning a ban on entry shall be made by the competent authority at the border gates to foreign nationals within the scope of the first paragraph of Article 9 when they arrive to enter Türkiye, and by the governorships to foreign nationals within the scope of the second paragraph of Article 9. The notification shall also state how foreign nationals may effectively exercise their right to object to the decision and their other legal rights and obligations in this process.
Article 11 – Visa requirement, visa application and competent authorities
(1) Foreign nationals who will stay in Türkiye for up to ninety days shall obtain, before arrival, a visa stating the purpose of their visit from the consulates in the country of which they are citizens or in which they are legally present. The period of stay in Türkiye granted by a visa or visa exemption may not exceed ninety days in any one hundred and eighty-day period.
(2) For visa applications to be considered, applications must be duly submitted.
(3) Visas do not confer an absolute right to enter Türkiye.
(4) Visas shall be issued by consulates or, in exceptional cases, by the governorships to which the border gates are attached. Applications made to consulates shall be concluded within ninety days.
(5) Visas may be issued ex officio to foreign diplomats by the embassies of the Republic of Türkiye. Such visas shall be notified immediately to the Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the general procedure for issuing visas. These visas are not subject to a fee.
(6) Visas may be issued ex officio, by way of exception, by ambassadors of the Republic of Türkiye to foreign nationals for whom issuing a visa is considered beneficial, taking into account the interests of the country. Visas issued for this purpose shall be notified immediately to the Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the general procedure for issuing visas. These visas are not subject to a fee.
(7) The procedures and principles concerning visa types and procedures shall be regulated by a regulation.
Article 12 – Visa exemption
(1) The following foreign nationals shall not be required to obtain a visa upon entry into Türkiye:
a) Citizens of countries exempted from visas under agreements to which the Republic of Türkiye is a party or by Presidential decision
b) Those who hold a valid residence or work permit as of the date on which they will enter Türkiye
c) Holders of valid stamped passports for foreign nationals issued pursuant to Article 18 of the Passport Law No. 5682 dated 15/7/1950
ç) Those found to fall within the scope of Article 28 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 dated 29/5/2009
(2) The following foreign nationals may not be required to obtain a visa upon entry into Türkiye:
a) Among foreign nationals on vehicles compelled to use Turkish air and sea ports due to force majeure, those who will go into the port city
b) Persons arriving at sea ports who will visit the port city or nearby provinces for tourism purposes, provided that the visit does not exceed seventy-two hours
Article 13 – Visas issued at border gates
(1) Foreign nationals arriving at border gates without obtaining a visa may exceptionally be issued a visa at the border gates if they document that they will leave Türkiye within the prescribed period.
(2) Border visas shall be issued by the governorships to which the border gates are attached. The governorship may delegate this authority to the law enforcement unit on duty at the border. Unless a different period is determined by the President of the Republic, this visa grants the right to stay in Türkiye for a maximum of fifteen days.
(3) When issuing a border visa, the health insurance requirement may be waived for humanitarian reasons.
Article 14 – Airport transit visas
(1) Foreign nationals transiting through Türkiye may be required to obtain an airport transit visa. Airport transit visas shall be issued by consulates for use within a maximum of six months.
(2) The foreign nationals required to obtain an airport transit visa shall be jointly determined by the Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 15 – Foreign nationals who shall not be issued a visa
(1) The following foreign nationals shall not be issued a visa:
a) Those who do not have a passport or document replacing a passport valid for at least sixty days beyond the period of the visa requested
b) Those who are banned from entering Türkiye
c) Those considered inadmissible on grounds of public policy or public security
ç) Those who have one of the diseases considered to pose a threat to public health
d) Those who are accused or convicted of an offence or offences that constitute grounds for extradition pursuant to agreements to which the Republic of Türkiye is a party
e) Those who do not have valid health insurance covering their period of stay
f) Those who cannot justify on valid grounds the purpose of their entry into Türkiye, transit through Türkiye or stay in Türkiye
g) Those who do not have sufficient and regular financial means during their period of stay
ğ) Those who refuse to pay receivables arising from a visa violation or previous residence permit, or receivables that must be pursued and collected pursuant to the Law on the Procedure for the Collection of Public Receivables No. 6183 dated 21/7/1953, or who refuse to pay debts and penalties pursued pursuant to the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237 dated 26/9/2004
(2) Notwithstanding their falling within the scope of this Article, a visa may be issued, with the approval of the Minister, to persons for whom issuing a visa is considered beneficial.
Article 16 – Cancellation of a visa
(1) Visas shall be cancelled by the authorities that issued them or by the governorships in the following cases:
a) It is determined that the visa has been subject to forgery,
b) It is understood that erasures, scraping or alterations have been made on it,
c) The visa holder is banned from entering Türkiye,
ç) There is strong suspicion that the foreign national may commit an offence,
d) The passport or document replacing a passport is forged or has expired,
e) The visa or visa exemption is used for a purpose other than that for which it was granted,
f) It is understood that the conditions or documents on which the visa was based are not valid,
(2) If a deportation decision is issued concerning a foreign national during the visa’s validity period, the visa shall be cancelled.
Article 17 – Notification of visa decisions
(1) Decisions concerning the rejection of a visa request or cancellation of a visa shall be notified to the person concerned.
Article 18 – Authority of the President of the Republic concerning visa and passport procedures
(1) The President of the Republic is authorized;
a) To conclude agreements concerning the determination of procedures relating to passports and visas, and, where deemed necessary, to unilaterally abolish the visa requirement for citizens of certain states, to introduce visa facilitation, including exemption from visa fees, and to determine visa periods,
b) In the event of war or other extraordinary circumstances, to impose conditions and requirements concerning passports for foreign nationals in a part or all of the country,
c) To take any measure making the entry of foreign nationals into Türkiye subject to certain conditions or restricting such entry,