Chances are you have heard the word e-devlet mentioned at least once while in Turkey.
But what is this e-devlet?
It's a convenient digital portal where Turkish citizens and non-citizens (i.e., foreigners holding residence permits) can find important information about their health insurance (SGK), taxes, residency procedures, traffic fines, and a whole range of other topics.
In a nutshell, it is a government gateway that stores all your details and gives you access to (almost) all public services.
An array of official documents and forms can be accessed on the platform and printed out, saving you from having had to roam around the city and queue for hours at a governmental office to get a copy for something as simple as paying your internet bill.
As soon as you have an account on the platform, the easier your life will be.
How to Create an E-devlet Account
To sign up to the platform, the name of which translates to e-government, and open an account, you will first and foremost need a "yabancı kimlik numarası" (foreign national identification number).
If you have a Turkish bank account
- You don't need to get an e-devlet password and instead can use your internet banking credentials to log in.
If you don't have a Turkish bank account
- With your ID number, passport, Turkish cell phone, and residence permit, you will need to visit your nearest PTT (Turkish Postal Service) office.
- Once you tell the clerk you are there for an "e-devlet şifre" (password), they will put in your cell number, ask for TL 10 and send you via text your password to log onto the portal. You will be asked to change it after your first log in. Later, you can even set up e-signatures or mobile signatures for quicker access.
If you forget your password, you can utilize your mobile or e-signature to gain access or login via internet banking. If you still have trouble, you can always go to a PTT branch to reset your old password in exchange for TRY 10.00.
How to Get Proof of Address from E-devlet
To get proof of address, if you are a property owner, or renting you need to search for the word "nüfus" (population). This link will take you there.
The page will ask you to choose the appropriate options for the following questions:
- Belgenin Kimin için Alınacağı (for whom the document will be issued for)
- E.g. If you want it for yourself, choose "kendisi" or eşi/çocukları* if you need it for your spouse or kids.
*Children under 15 cannot use the portal. Their parents will access documents on their behalf if they have foreign IDs and a registered address.
- Belgenin Neden Verileceği (why the document will be issued)
- You will choose either kişi (personal) or kurum talebi or kuruma ibraz in the dropdown menu, requests made by persons or institutions, or submitting to an official entity.
The final page should show your name and registered address, as well as a QR code.
WARNING: You should not press the print screen to print it as the document will be invalid that way. You must click on the download button, which will download it as a pdf. The document issued electronically will meet the required certifications via the e- signature in the barcode.
A person can make one inquiry every 24 hours, and the document is only valid for a month.
How to Obtain a Criminal Background Check from E-devlet
The second most useful function of this portal is to obtain criminal record checks (adli sicil kaydı), which are requested by landlords and employers, among many others.
You will have 3 choices when it comes to types of institutions to choose from:
- "resmi" (official),
- "özel" (private) or
- "yabancı ülke -tercümeli" (foreign countries - with translation).
If you need a criminal record to get a driver's license, set up a business, consular procedures, or enrolment at a school, you should choose "özel."
You'll be asked to type the name of the receiving institution before the system creates the document.
WARNING: You can only make four inquiries every 24 hours.
If you have no previous criminal offenses, you will receive a translated background check in English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Danish.
You can get criminal records and court decisions apostilled through the Turkish e-apostille system since 2019.
Identity Registration Certificate Inquiry
This document shows details about the person, like gender, if they're married, etc., and is typically requested by immigration if your undertaking is from a Turkish citizen. (Vukuatli Nufus Kayit Ornegi) In most cases, you'll require this document for your immigration interview. This link will take you there.
Property Procedures
Besides getting proof of address, you can also use e-devlet to check details about properties registered in your name. "Tapu" is the Turkish word. You can check this information here.
To make tax declarations, you can visit here e-devlet.
Utilities
You can use e-devlet to check your utilities online, including seeing outstanding debt and checking the status of your subscriptions for water, electricity, internet, etc.
You can terminate your landline, mobile phone, internet or cable TV contracts (Türk Telekom, TTNET, Vodafone, Turkcell, Super Online, Digitürk, Türksat, D-Smart) through e-devlet.
You can also use the portal to register the mobile phone you brought from abroad and pay the registration fee.
How Can I Access the E-devlet Site in English?
If you scroll down to the very bottom, you should see the English button at the bottom left corner in the dark gray area under Anasayfa (homepage). However, only the main categories and a few services have English translations, and typing in English words into the search bar doesn't help either. Therefore, we would advise you to learn a few Turkish words for the services you'll use the most and employ Google's (or any other search engine's) automatic translation feature to help you navigate.
Mobile App
The portal is also available as a mobile app, but the only language supported is Turkish. The app comes in handy when generating HES codes (as part of track and trace efforts to combat COVID-19), but many users report problems accessing some of the services or downloading some documents.
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