Foreign nationals who are currently in overstay (illegal stay) status in Türkiye may regain legal status if they meet certain conditions and obtain a work permit for domestic services.
This opportunity mainly applies to foreigners who will work in elderly care, patient care, or childcare.
The application process is carried out jointly by the foreign employee and the employer. In the first stage, a short-term residence permit is obtained, followed by the work permit application.
Conditions to Benefit from the Amnesty Programme:
Foreign nationals with overstay penalties must meet all of the following conditions in order to benefit from this programme:
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The foreigner must have entered Türkiye legally (with a visa issued by the Directorate of Migration Management or through visa exemption).
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The overstay penalty must have occurred in 2025 or earlier.
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The foreigner must not have been transferred to a removal centre.
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The foreigner must not have committed any criminal offence.
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There must be no police report issued against the foreigner.
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The passport must be valid for at least 8 months.
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The employer’s official monthly income must be at least 120,000 TL (as of 2026).
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The employer must meet the criteria determined by the Ministry regarding the employment of foreign workers.
In the first stage of the application, a short-term residence permit must be obtained.
The process proceeds as follows:
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The employer (and their spouse, if married) prepares a notarised undertaking letter.
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In this undertaking, the employer declares that a work permit will be obtained for the foreigner and that all responsibilities, including address registration, will be assumed by the employer.
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The employer and the foreigner with overstay status apply together to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.
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During the first stage, the foreigner’s fingerprints are taken and a security check is conducted.
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The residence permit application is completed after the required documents are prepared.
During the application, the employer (or the spouse who signed the undertaking) and the foreign national must be present together.
Applications are evaluated by the relevant Ministry. If the required conditions are not met, the application may be rejected and the foreign national may be requested to leave Türkiye. The evaluation process usually takes 1–2 months.
Important Note: If the residence permit application is approved, the work permit application must be submitted without delay.
Domestic Services Work Permit Application Process:
After the residence permit is obtained, the second stage is the application for a domestic services work permit.
The process proceeds as follows:
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An electronic signature (e-signature) is obtained for the employer.
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The employer’s income documents are prepared, and the employment contract and necessary petitions are arranged.
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The application is submitted through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security system.
Applications are usually concluded within 4–6 weeks.
Once the work permit is approved, the work permit card is sent to the foreign employee’s address via PTT courier.
Employer’s Legal Obligations:
After the work permit is approved, the employer has the following legal obligations:
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Creating an SGK workplace registration within 30 days (if no previous registration exists).
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Submitting the SGK employment entry declaration for the foreign employee.
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Paying monthly social security premiums regularly.
The residence permit and work permit application processes described above are professionally managed by our company. Applications are carried out through our experienced lawyers.
As immigration and work permit regulations may change, we recommend obtaining updated information from our expert team before starting the process.
