Temporary Protection FAQ (Syrians)

Temporary protection (geçici koruma) is a group-based status established by Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 for foreign nationals fleeing the post-2011 Syrian conflict. It is distinct from individual international protection under Law 6458; holders are protected as a group rather than after case-by-case refugee determination, with the regime's duration set by the Council of Ministers / Presidency.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

Temporary protection holders are issued an identification card by the Presidency of Migration Management with an eleven-digit number that begins with 99 (commonly written 99XXX...). The 99-prefix is how Turkish institutions, banks and employers recognise the holder's TP status. The card serves as ID for most domestic purposes — banking, healthcare, schools — but is not a Turkish passport and does not confer citizenship.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

Yes — under the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection, TP holders can be granted work permits, with sectoral and regional restrictions tied to where the holder is registered. The employer applies through MoLSS, similar to ordinary work-permit filings, but with a TP-specific track. Self-employment options are limited.

Source: Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

Yes. TP holders are registered in a specific province and are expected to live within that registration; movement to another province requires authorisation and re-registration. Several provinces have been closed to new TP registrations at various points to manage local capacity. Working outside the registration province typically requires changing the registration first.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

International travel is restricted; leaving Türkiye and re-entering can result in loss of TP status unless prior authorisation has been obtained from the Presidency of Migration Management. Travel for medical, family or other compelling reasons is sometimes authorised on a case-by-case basis. Routine tourism abroad is generally not compatible with maintaining TP status.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

Yes. Temporary protection includes access to public healthcare through SGK enrolment (with the holder's 99-prefix kimlik), and minor children have the right and obligation to attend school in the registered province. Higher-education access has been progressively expanded under TP, with reduced or waived tuition at some state universities.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

Citizenship via TP status is not automatic. Some TP holders have been granted Turkish citizenship through the exceptional citizenship route under Article 12 of Law 5901 — typically based on professional skills, exceptional contribution, or length of integration — at the discretion of the authorities. The standard naturalisation route under Article 11 has the usual five-year continuous-residence requirement, which TP residence does not always satisfy in the same way as ordinary residence permits.

Source: Law 5901 (Turkish Citizenship Law / Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu) and the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs, Article 11 and Article 12

Conversion from TP to a standard residence permit (work, family, study) is possible but procedurally heavy and depends on the holder's individual circumstances meeting the new permit category. Marriage to a Turkish citizen, securing employer-sponsored work, or enrolling in higher education are common routes off TP. Authorisations from PMM are usually required and the legal pathway should be planned with a lawyer.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

No. The duration of TP is set by the Council of Ministers / Presidency and is tied to ongoing assessment of conditions in the country of origin. The regime can be ended, narrowed, or transitioned by government decision. TP holders should plan for the possibility of regime change rather than treating the status as a permanent solution.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection

TP is a group-based, decree-based regime for the Syrian mass influx, with rights and durations set administratively. International protection under Law 6458 (Articles 61–95) is a case-by-case refugee-determination system with three statuses (refugee, conditional refugee, subsidiary). Some non-Syrians arriving from Syria have applied for international protection rather than TP; the appropriate framework depends on individual nationality and circumstances.

Source: Council of Ministers Decree 2014/6883 (Temporary Protection Regulation) and the Regulation on Work Permits of Foreigners under Temporary Protection; Law 6458 (Law on Foreigners and International Protection / YUKK) and the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM / Göç İdaresi)