Humanitarian Residence Permit in Turkey: Eligibility & Process

What the Humanitarian Residence Permit Is

The humanitarian residence permit (insani ikamet izni) is one of the residence permit types in Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection. Articles 46 and 47 of the law and article 44 of its Implementing Regulation set the rules.

• The governorate (valilik) grants it with the approval of the Presidency of Migration Management, called the Directorate General in the law.
• The conditions of other permits, such as income or health insurance, are not required.
• It can be extended while the reasons for it continue.

Who Can Get a Humanitarian Residence Permit

Article 46(1) of the law lists the cases. Turkish law letters them a, b, c, ç, d, e and f.

• (a) Best interest of a child. The case involves the best interest of a child.
• (b) Removal is not possible. A deportation or entry-ban decision exists, but the person cannot be removed from Turkey, or leaving Turkey is not reasonable or possible.
• (c) Protection from deportation. No deportation decision is taken because article 55 protects the person. Article 55 covers people facing a serious risk of the death penalty, torture or inhuman treatment; people who cannot travel safely because of serious illness, age or pregnancy; people being treated for a life-threatening illness that cannot be treated in the destination country; victims of human trafficking in a support programme; and victims of violence until their treatment ends.
• (ç) A court case is pending. The person has gone to court against a deportation decision (article 53), or against a decision that their international protection application is inadmissible (article 72) or withdrawn (article 77).
• (d) Return to a safe country in progress. The person's return to a first country of asylum or a safe third country is still being carried out.
• (e) Urgent reasons or national interest. The person must be allowed to enter or stay for urgent reasons, national interest, public order or public security, but something prevents them from getting any other residence permit.
• (f) Extraordinary situations.

Each case is decided on its own facts. Ground (a) can be relevant, for example, for a foreign parent of a child who lives in Turkey when no other permit fits. Whether it applies depends on the child's situation.

If you qualify for another permit, such as a family residence permit or a short-term residence permit, compare the options first. Time on a humanitarian permit does not count toward later permits (see below), so another permit is usually the better route when it is available.

How to Apply

You apply inside Turkey, at the governorate. In practice this means the provincial directorate of migration management. The law lets this permit be applied for in Turkey as an exception (Law No. 6458, article 22(1)(d)). The Regulation says the procedure starts at the request of the Presidency or the governorate (article 44(1)). The governorate then needs the Presidency's approval to grant the permit.

As of November 2026 there is no official document checklist for this permit. In practice, prepare:

• your passport or other identity or travel document;
• a written request (dilekçe) that explains which ground in article 46 applies to you and why;
• evidence for that ground, such as court documents, medical reports or documents about the child;
• foreign documents with an apostille or consular legalisation and a notarised Turkish translation.

A lawyer with a power of attorney can file the application for you.

Duration, Fees and Address Registration

• Duration. The permit is granted and extended for periods set by the Ministry of Interior. The law used to say "at most one year each time", but Law No. 7196 removed that limit in 2019. As of November 2026 we have found no published Ministry rule on a standard length.
• Fees. The permit is subject to residence fees under the Fees Law (Harçlar Kanunu). Unpaid fees from an earlier overstay do not block the permit (Regulation, article 44(6)). See our residence permit fees guide.
• Address. You must register your address in the address registration system within 20 working days of the date the permit is issued (Law No. 6458, article 46(2)).

What the Permit Does Not Give You

• No switch to long-term residence. While the permit is valid, you can apply for any other permit you qualify for, except the long-term permit (Regulation, article 44(3)). The law gives humanitarian permit holders no right to move to a long-term residence permit (Law No. 6458, article 42(2)).
• Time does not count. Time on a humanitarian permit is not counted when residence permit periods are added up under the law (Regulation, article 44(4)).
• No right to work by itself. A residence permit does not allow you to work. Employment needs a work permit. See our work permit guide.

Extension and Cancellation

While the permit runs, the governorate checks on its own whether the grounds still exist and reports to the Ministry. When the grounds end, the governorate cancels the permit or does not extend it, with the Ministry's approval (Law No. 6458, article 47; Regulation, article 44(2)).

• The governorate must tell you its decision on cancellation or extension at least 15 days before the permit expires.
• The decision is notified to you, your legal representative or your lawyer (Regulation, article 44(7)).

You can challenge a cancellation or a refusal to extend. The steps and deadlines are the same as for other residence permit decisions; see what to do after a residence permit refusal.

Related Guides

For the general rules, see our guide to applying for a residence permit and the residence permit FAQs. For permits for children, see residence permits for foreign children. If you have an entry ban, read what a restriction code is and why it is placed.

Official sources: Law No. 6458, articles 22, 42, 46, 47 and 55; Implementing Regulation of Law No. 6458, article 44.