Introduction
In the past decade, Turkey has digitized many of its government-related bureaucratic procedures. Civil procedures, including address registration, have also enjoyed the benefits of this transformation. In 2006, with the Law on Population Services, Turkey introduced the Address-Based Population Registration System (Adrese Dayalı Nüfus Kayıt Sistemi), and nowadays it is known as the Population Registration System (Adres Kayıt Sistemi) or AKS for short.
This central registering system keeps up-to-date electronic records of the address information of both Turks and foreigners domiciled in Turkey.
The relevant law states that foreigners who arrive in Turkey with residence and work permits shall register in the Turkish address registration system within 20 working days of their date of entry. The exact time limit is also applied to address changes, where you are obliged to report such changes to the civil registry or provincial migration authorities as soon as possible.
If you do not report a change of address in due time, you will face an administrative fine, which varies.
It is necessary to be registered with AKS to apply for the renewal of a work permit, residence permit, or humanitarian residence permit.
Why Register Your Address in Turkey?
Any foreigner who intends to stay in Turkey for longer than 6 months must register their address in Turkey.
And there are several reasons why you will need to register your address in the electronic AKS system eventually.
The following procedures and transactions require you to register your address within AKS:
- Renewing your residence permit,
- Renewing the residence permits of your dependents,
- Writing for a gas/water/electric supplier when you are a tenant (to get invoiced for utilities),
- Opening a bank account,
- Getting married,
- Getting a birth or death certificate,
- And similar bureaucratic procedures.
How to Register Your Address
There are some steps you need to follow to complete your address registration process in Turkey.
To register your address, you first need a foreign national identification (ID) number, which starts with 99 or 98. To get a foreign ID, you must have received your residence permit card first. Then, try out one or two of the suggestions listed below.
- A new appointment system in Turkey for registering your address, the Randevu Appointment System, is discussed here.
- If you live in Istanbul, you need to visit the designated Provincial Directorate of Migration Management after making your appointment.
- Live in a city or district other than those listed above. You must go to the District Population Directorates in your district and, in some situations, the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management, which is the exact location where your interview took place. First, make an appointment.
- Do not succumb to the temptation to rent in a restricted zone or use paid or bought addresses; renting in a restricted zone is illegal and will cause headaches going forward with rising home inspections.
When applying for a residence permit extension, foreigners must complete the address registration process within the active residence permit period and prior to the appointment date to be considered for the extension.
Applications of foreigners who do not complete the registration process in due time can be evaluated negatively.
The Documents You Will Need for Your Address Registration Appointment
Gather the necessary documents in your name, such as a water, electric, or natural gas bill to submit to the government. In highly unusual circumstances, a domestic telephone-style internet bill will suffice. Only those whose water and electricity bills are paid by their complex, as with community buildings, will benefit from this.
- Valid Passport: Provide a photocopy.
- Valid Residence Permit: Provide a photocopy.
- Property Documents: Provide a photocopy of the lease agreement along with the TAPU and DASK documents. If you are a property owner, provide TAPU and DASK only.
- Utility Bill: Provide a photocopy of a utility bill (water, electricity, or natural gas) in your name or a landline with an internet service contract.
When applying to register the address of your dependents and kids, in addition to the documents mentioned above, you'll be asked to submit the residence permit cards of your dependents or children, as well as the apostilled, translated, and notarized marriage and birth certificates.
If you are a student, you can inquire at your university's dorm and housing directorate to receive a document evidencing your stay. This residency document must be in Turkish. If you have housemates or flatmates, the papers should also detail their names.
After collecting these documents, you can visit the related government office to submit them and register. You will hear Turks referring to this as going to the "Nüfus." but for foreingers you attend Presidency of Migration Management.
Depending on the city and district you live in, you will either be asked to submit the documents to the Provincial Migration Management or the district's Civil Registry Office (Nüfus Müdürlüğü).
What Is Nüfus, and What Else Can You Do There?
The "Nüfus" or Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü (General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs) is the government office responsible for issuing and keeping the records of all Turkish citizens' identification cards, birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates as well as driver's licenses.
Every district in the 81 provinces of Turkey has a Nüfus office. You can see the list of these offices here.
For citizenship, including applying for Turkish citizenship, you will have to go to the Nüfus.
You will also be asked to go to the Nüfus to register your address when you want to renew your DASK or Compulsory Earthquake Insurance.
*If you need help reaching the population directorate or have questions, you can call their helpline 199.
Getting an Online Appointment for NUFUS
Although the Nüfus online appointment system used to only accept the ID numbers of Turkish citizens, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreigners can now also use it with their issued ID numbers. You will be asked to select your purpose of visit/reason for inquiry and fill in your contact information on the online portal to book your appointment and or find the closest location to you.
After you arrive at the office on your appointment date and time, you will be asked to take a number from the kiosk and wait for a little.
Getting a Copy of Your Address Registration Certificate
You can obtain this certificate (Yerleşim Yeri (İkametgah) ve Diğer Adres Belgesi Sorgulama) via e-Devlet (e-Government), Turkey's digital state service platform after successfully registering your address. This will save time and effort when asked for copies of your address registration certificate for other bureaucratic procedures.
How Can I Check If I Am Registered in the Address Registration System in Turkey?
By using the search engine on this portal to look up your address, you can determine whether or not you are already registered in the AKS database.
What If My Address Registered in AKS Is Wrong?
You can also utilize this service to double-check that your address has been correctly entered into the system. It is necessary to go to your Nüfus Müdürlüü to get your address altered if you discover that your actual address and the address stated in AKS do not match. This will save you from encountering complications later on.
It is possible that you will be subject to an administrative fine of TL 1,963 if you report a false address.
What if Someone Is Already Registered at the Address?
In most circumstances, the owner or agent will be expected to accompany the foreigner to the immigration authorities or NUFUS, make a statement, and sign a declaration if someone has been registered at the questioned location.
In certain circumstances, you may accomplish this yourself by visiting NUFUS and using the document migration management supplied.
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