What Does the Amnesty Program Cover?

In Turkey, the residency and work permit processes for foreigners are continuously updated in accordance with current immigration legislation. Although the new regulation introduced by the Directorate General of Migration Management as of 2025 is referred to as “amnesty for foreigners” by the public, this application actually does not constitute a general amnesty. The regulation provides limited facilitation only for foreigners who meet specific conditions and will work in domestic services.

In this context, some foreigners who meet certain conditions and have become undocumented in Turkey due to visa or residency violations, can legalize their status by obtaining a work permit and a residence permit without paying an administrative fine. However, the scope of the application is quite limited, and not every foreigner can benefit from this regulation.

Is There a General Amnesty for Undocumented Foreigners in 2026?

There is no general amnesty regulation published in the Official Gazette that covers all foreigners. However, within the framework of the regulations dated December 30, 2024, a special application for foreigners who will work in domestic services has been introduced.

According to this application; foreigners whose residency application was rejected in 2024 or earlier, or who became undocumented due to a visa violation, can obtain legal status without paying an administrative fine by applying to work in domestic services, provided they meet certain conditions.

However, foreigners whose residency or work permit applications were rejected in 2025 cannot benefit from this application.

Many news reports on the internet stating “general amnesty has been declared” are not true. In case of an incorrect or incomplete application, the person may be deported or receive a re-entry ban. Therefore, it is important for the legal situation to be assessed by experts before making an application.

Conditions for Domestic Services Amnesty: Who Can Apply?

To benefit from this regulation introduced under domestic services, foreigners must meet certain basic conditions. First, the person must have entered Turkey through legal means. This means individuals who entered illegally cannot benefit from this application.

Additionally, the person must have fallen into an irregular status due to visa or residence permit violation as a result of their stay in Turkey expiring. Furthermore, the application must be made for the purpose of working in domestic services.

Among the conditions is that the foreigner must have a passport valid for at least 8 months at the time of application. Some foreigners who meet these conditions may have the opportunity to obtain a residence permit and work permit without paying an administrative fine.

Status of 2024 and Prior, and 2025 Applications

The most important distinction in the regulation is made between applications for 2024 and prior, and 2025 applications. Accordingly, foreigners who applied for a residence or work permit in 2025 and were rejected cannot benefit from this scheme.

Conversely, foreigners whose applications were rejected in 2024 and before, and who subsequently remained undocumented, can fall within the scope of this regulation. Similarly, individuals who have become undocumented solely due to a visa violation, without ever having applied for a residence permit before, can also apply.

Therefore, the date the individual became undocumented and their previous applications directly affect whether the application will be accepted.

Jobs Falling Under the Scope of Domestic Services

The regulation is only valid for jobs to be performed within the scope of domestic services. Domestic services refer to care or support activities carried out within the family and performed in a home environment.

The main jobs considered within this scope are as follows:

Childcare (babysitting or childminding)

Elderly care and companionship services

Home patient care (basic care services)

Household daily support tasks (cleaning, cooking, ironing, etc.)

Professions such as office cleaner, cafe or restaurant employee, factory worker, hairdresser, or workplace staff do not fall within the scope of this regulation. Therefore, the application must be made within the scope of domestic services.

Who Cannot Benefit from This Application?

This regulation, known as the domestic services amnesty, is not an amnesty that covers every foreigner. Some individuals definitely cannot benefit from this application.

For example, foreigners who entered Turkey illegally are not covered by this regulation. Additionally, individuals who do not have a valid passport or whose passport’s validity period is insufficient cannot apply.

Foreigners who wish to work in a job other than domestic services cannot benefit from this regulation. Furthermore, individuals who applied for a residence or work permit in 2025 and were rejected are also excluded.

Moreover, for deported foreigners, this regulation alone is not sufficient. For these individuals to re-enter Turkey, additional legal processes such as a court decision or an annotated visa may need to be completed.

How Does the Application Process Work?

Applications made within the scope of domestic services generally consist of a two-stage process and can be completed in approximately two weeks on average.

Stage 1: Foreigner’s Initial Application

In the first stage, the application is made personally by the foreigner, and the employer is not required to be present at this stage. During the application, the foreigner’s biometric photographs, passport photocopy, last entry stamp, identification details of the person to be cared for, and a residential address document must be submitted.

In addition, a notarized undertaking for domestic services, indicating that the applicant will work in domestic services, must be prepared. Furthermore, the petitions required for the application and some technical documents are generally prepared by experts and added to the file.

Stage 2: Application with the Employer

Following the initial application, in the second stage, the foreigner and the employer go to the application center together. At this stage, certain documents demonstrating the employer’s financial situation and capacity to employ a foreigner must be submitted.

Specifically, documents such as the employer’s bank statement for the last 6 months, electricity or water bill registered in their name, SGK service statement, detailed population registration extract, and 1-year health insurance obtained for the foreigner are requested.

During the application, certain official fees are also paid, such as the residence permit fee, single-entry visa fee, and card fee. The amount of these fees is determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on reciprocity, according to the foreigner’s nationality.

Caution Against Misinformation

Recently, headlines such as “general amnesty for everyone” or “general foreigner amnesty announced” frequently appear on social media and websites. However, most of these news items do not reflect the truth.

This regulation, introduced for domestic services, is only valid for foreigners who meet specific conditions, and not every application is automatically accepted. Incomplete or erroneous applications may be directly rejected, and in some cases, deportation procedures may be initiated against the foreigner.

Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly evaluate the applicant’s legal status and prepare the application correctly before submitting it.

Ev hizmetleri affı kapsamında başvuru yapan herkes otomatik olarak çalışma izni alabilir mi?

Hayır. Ev hizmetleri kapsamında getirilen düzenleme otomatik bir hak sağlamamaktadır. Başvuru yapan kişinin Türkiye’ye yasal yollarla giriş yapmış olması, pasaportunun geçerli olması ve kaçak duruma düşme tarihinin düzenlemenin kapsamına uygun olması gerekir. Ayrıca kişinin daha önce yaptığı ikamet veya çalışma izni başvurularının tarihi de değerlendirmede önemli rol oynar.
Göç İdaresi başvuru sırasında yabancının geçmiş kayıtlarını, varsa hakkında konulmuş tahdit kodlarını ve deport kararlarını incelemektedir. Eğer kişinin hakkında aktif bir giriş yasağı veya sınır dışı kararı bulunuyorsa başvuru reddedilebilir. Bu nedenle başvuru yapılmadan önce kişinin sistem kayıtlarının kontrol edilmesi ve başvurunun doğru hukuki kategori altında yapılması gerekir. Aksi halde başvuru reddedilebildiği gibi yabancı hakkında yeni bir deport kararı da verilebilir.

2025 yılında ikamet başvurusu reddedilen yabancılar bu uygulamadan yararlanabilir mi?

Mevcut uygulamaya göre en önemli ayrım 2024 ve öncesi başvurular ile 2025 yılı başvuruları arasında yapılmaktadır. 2025 yılında yapılan ikamet veya çalışma izni başvurusu reddedilen kişiler, çoğu durumda bu düzenleme kapsamı dışında kalmaktadır.
Buna karşılık 2024 yılı ve öncesinde başvurusu reddedilen veya yalnızca vize ihlali nedeniyle kaçak duruma düşmüş kişiler belirli şartları sağladıkları takdirde ev hizmetleri kapsamında başvuru yapabilmektedir. Ancak her dosya kendi içinde ayrı değerlendirilir. Kişinin sistem kayıtlarında tahdit kodu bulunup bulunmadığı, daha önce deport edilip edilmediği ve Türkiye’ye giriş şekli başvurunun sonucunu doğrudan etkileyebilir. Bu nedenle başvuru yapılmadan önce kişinin hukuki durumunun ayrıntılı biçimde incelenmesi önemlidir.

Deport edilmiş veya hakkında giriş yasağı bulunan yabancılar ev hizmetleri affından yararlanabilir mi?

Deport edilmiş yabancılar için durum daha karmaşıktır. Eğer kişi hakkında verilmiş bir giriş yasağı (tahdit kodu) bulunuyorsa, ev hizmetleri düzenlemesi tek başına Türkiye’ye yeniden giriş yapma hakkı sağlamaz. Bu durumda kişinin giriş yasağının kaldırılması veya meşruhatlı vize alınması gibi ek hukuki süreçlerin tamamlanması gerekebilir.
Uygulamada birçok kişi, deport kararı veya tahdit kodu bulunduğunu bilmeden başvuru yapmakta ve başvurusu reddedilmektedir. Hatta bazı durumlarda kişi başvuru sırasında tespit edilerek idari gözetim altına alınabilmektedir. Bu nedenle özellikle daha önce deport edilmiş veya giriş yasağı bulunan yabancıların başvuru yapmadan önce mutlaka hukuki durumlarını değerlendirmeleri ve gerekli işlemleri doğru sırayla gerçekleştirmeleri gerekir.

Why is Expert Lawyer Support Necessary?

Although this regulation, introduced within the scope of domestic services, is commonly referred to as an “amnesty for foreigners” by the public, its implementation technically involves a quite complex application process. Whether the application will be accepted depends on the foreigner’s method of entry into Turkey, the date they became undocumented, previous residence or work permit applications, and any restriction codes that may have been applied to the individual. Therefore, before applying, the individual’s legal status must be analyzed in detail.

The most common problems encountered in practice are: selecting the wrong application category, submitting incomplete documents, overlooking previously issued deportation decisions, or applying despite the individual having a restriction code in the system. Such errors can lead to the rejection of the application and, in some cases, serious consequences, including the foreigner being sent to the Tuzla Removal Centre.

Therefore, it is important for the process to be evaluated by an experienced Istanbul lawyer or specifically an Istanbul immigration lawyer specializing in immigration law. Before applying, examining the foreigner’s system records, checking for possible restriction codes, determining the appropriate application strategy, and correctly preparing the application file are critically important for the smooth progression of the process.

2M Hukuk Law Office, operating in the field of immigration law, provides consultancy services, especially for foreign residence and work permit applications conducted in Istanbul and its surroundings. The Tuzla immigration lawyer team working within the office offers legal support for deportation, entry bans, residence violations, and work permit applications for domestic services. Considering the risks that may arise from incorrect or incomplete applications, the process being handled by a professional Istanbul immigration lawyer is of great importance to prevent foreigners from suffering a loss of rights.