whereTOemigrate
Get your free results
TR country scene

Refugee status — European-country events

TurkeyHumanitarian protection

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Explore pathways in Turkey Read the five questions ↓

What exactly is this: asylum, temporary protection, humanitarian admission, resettlement or another protection mechanism?

This is refugee status under Turkish international protection law, granted upon completion of the refugee status determination process. It is defined in Article 61 of the Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection dated 04/04/2013. It is a status determination by the Turkish State, not a resettlement or humanitarian admission programme.

See recorded sources
  • Refugee page, Presidency of Migration Management
    Refugee is a person who as a result of events occurring in European countries and owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his citizenship and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it, shall be granted refugee status upon completion of the refugee status determination process.
  • Refugee page, Presidency of Migration Management
    Refugee which is defined in Article 61 of the Law No: 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection dated 04/04/2013 also includes foreigners who come from Member States of European Council and apply for international protection in Turkey.

Which population, circumstances or geographic group does the mechanism cover?

It covers a person who, as a result of events occurring in European countries and owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of their citizenship and is unable or unwilling to avail themselves of that country's protection; or a stateless person outside the country of former residence as a result of such events who is unable or unwilling to return. The Presidency states that the definition also includes foreigners who come from Member States of the Council of Europe and apply for international protection in Türkiye. Türkiye signed the 1951 Convention with a geographical restriction, which is why events occurring outside European countries lead to conditional refugee status instead.

See recorded sources
  • Refugee page, Presidency of Migration Management
    Refugee is a person who as a result of events occurring in European countries and owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his citizenship and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it, shall be granted refugee status upon completion of the refugee status determination process.
  • Refugee page, Presidency of Migration Management
    Refugee which is defined in Article 61 of the Law No: 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection dated 04/04/2013 also includes foreigners who come from Member States of European Council and apply for international protection in Turkey.
  • Conditional Refugee page, Presidency of Migration Management
    Turkey signed the 1951 Convention with a “geographical restriction” by using ıts right of choice for place which has been stipulated in Article 1 of the Convention.

Where can protection be requested, and is this a direct application, border/in-country request, referral or other process?

Applications for international protection are made to the governorates, that is to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, in person. Applications cannot be lodged through a legal representative or lawyer and must be carried out personally, although an applicant may apply on behalf of accompanying family members whose applications are on the same grounds. Law No. 6458 sets no time limit for applying. Where the person wanting to apply is an unaccompanied child, the process continues in contact with protection tables and the provincial directorates of Family, Labour and Social Services.

See recorded sources

What happens after the request: registration, family handling, major support and rights where officially stated?

Applications for international protection are decided within six months of the application date; if the decision cannot be made in that period the applicant is informed by the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management and the process continues. Applicants and status holders without health insurance and without the ability to pay are covered by the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510 for one year from the registration of the application. Applicants and persons with international protection status can work in Türkiye within the framework of Article 89(4) of the Law. Against inadmissibility and accelerated procedure decisions, an appeal may be made to the competent administrative court within fifteen days.

See recorded sources

Which competent authority, UN body or official assistance channel should the person use?

The competent authority is the Presidency of Migration Management and its Provincial Directorates, where the application is made in person. UNHCR Türkiye states that the State of Türkiye is the principal provider of protection in the country and that registration with the Turkish authorities is the most important way of securing rights there. Legal aid for appealing negative decisions is provided by the Legal Aid Bureaus under each Bar Association in Türkiye.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official pages read here contain no fraud or scam warning for asylum seekers.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

Explore more pathways in Turkey · All pathways

Your story.
Your next step.

Explore pathways in Turkey →