APPLICATIONS for residence permits for foreigners have been suspended across Turkey until next Monday (May 18), Voices can reveal.
The suspension, which was enforced yesterday (Mon May 11), is due to a long awaited handover of the whole process from local police desks to newly opening regional offices of the Directorate General of Migration Management.
Since new laws were introduced on residence permits in April last year, the application process has been handled by local police teams across Turkey.
The newly created DGMM has since been stepping up its efforts to train up staff, with the promise that it would be opening regional hubs to handle the application process in all 81 provinces.
In an announcement posted to its website on May 11, the DGMM said that as of next Monday these regional offices would be opening.
The new Aydin address is: Efeler Quarter, 2275 Hurriyet Boulevard, Sokak no 17.
A full list of addresses for all provinces can be found by clicking this link: http://www.goc.gov.tr/icerik6/provincial-directorate-addresses_916_1052_5770_icerik
It’s statement read: “Directorate General of Migration Management was established as an affiliated institution of the Ministry of Interior by the Law No 6458 on “Foreigners and International Protection” after the Law was adopted in Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 4 April 2013 and it came into force on 11 April 2013 and it has largely completed its hard infrastructure, equipment, GÖÇ-NET software system and hardware, staff recruitment and training, subsidiary legislation practices.
“Directorate General of Migration Management has completed the organizational works in 81 provinces promptly and is prepared to take over the provincial services on 18 May 2015.
All the procedures regarding the foreigners, which have been performed by the Provincial Police Departments until today, shall be implemented by Provincial Directorates of Migration Management as of 18 May.”
Yesterday (Mon), it emerged that applications were no longer being accepted by the police foreign desk in Didim, with foreign residents being advised to hold off until next week.
However, it remains unclear for the moment whether this is just the administration handover (the paper/computer work and backroom running around) locally per province, or if the face to face RP application handling in with foreigners is changing.
Local translator Sami Isik, who has handled many applications for foreigners, confirmed the news: “Didim foreigners department service has stopped until next Monday due to the transfer of residency permits service to the Immigration department.
“Next Monday, the service will start running again. If you are planning to renew or apply for your residency visa this week, please postpone till next Monday.
“Last week’s applications have been completed successfully and they will get their residencies as normal. If you must apply for it urgently then you need to contact Aydın police station.”
It comes on the heels of news that the threat of the foreigners having their permits cancelled if they had exceeded a stay of 120 days out of Turkey may have receded until at least later this year.
Also, those looking to apply for long-term residence permits now have to go to Aydin foreigners’ police unit to apply – but that itself has been suspended while the present handover takes place.