The Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye hereby issues a press release to address the circulating allegations that “39 districts in Istanbul are closed to foreigners’ residence permits,” which have been shared on certain social media platforms. The purpose of this statement is to provide accurate information to the public and clarify the situation.
To prevent the concentration of foreign populations in specific areas, our Migration Administration regularly conducts density analyses of foreign residents in various neighbourhoods and districts across our provinces. Based on these analyses, appropriate measures are taken to promote dispersion and avoid spatial concentration.
In line with this approach, the registration of Syrians under temporary protection in Istanbul has been closed since 2019. Additionally, in January 2021, the districts of Fatih and Esenyurt in Istanbul were closed to new residence permit applications.
Following an evaluation conducted in October 2022, it was determined that apart from Fatih and Esenyurt, the districts of Avcılar, Bahçelievler, Başakşehir, Bağcılar, Esenler, Küçükçekmece, Sultangazi, and Zeytinburnu should also be closed to new residence permit applications. Consequently, a total of 10 districts are currently closed to new residence permits.
Furthermore, starting from July 1, 2022, a total of 1,169 neighbourhoods in 63 provinces across the country, where the foreign population exceeds 20% in comparison to Turkish citizens, have been closed to new foreign registrations. In Istanbul alone, there are 54 closed districts due to these density regulations.
Therefore, it is evident from this official statement that the claims suggesting the closure of 39 districts in Istanbul to residence permits for foreigners are not accurate. Currently, 10 districts are closed to new residence permit applications, and our monitoring and evaluation efforts to prevent spatial concentration are ongoing.
We kindly request the public to take note of this clarification. For further information, please visit the official website of Migration Department at www.goc.gov.tr.
