Overseas Service Buyback – Detailed Information Table (Sourced from Legislation)
1. General Purpose and Legal Basis
Subject
Detailed Explanation
Source
What is overseas service buyback?
It is a social security application that allows certain periods spent abroad to be accepted as past insured periods in Turkey. Thanks to this system, Turkish citizens working or residing abroad can include these periods in their retirement calculations in Turkey by paying premiums to the SGK.
Law No. 3201, Art. 1
Purpose of the buyback
To enable Turkish citizens working abroad to benefit from social security rights in Turkey and to allow them to complete the required number of premium days for retirement.
Law No. 3201
Rights provided
Periods gained through overseas service buyback are taken into account for the granting of retirement (old-age pension), disability pension, and survivor’s pension.
Law No. 5510, Art. 28, Art. 32
Scope of application
Periods spent in countries with or without social security agreements with Turkey may be included in the scope of buyback.
SGK Overseas Service Buyback Guide
2. Basic Conditions for Overseas Service Buyback
Condition
Detailed Explanation
Source
Being a Turkish Citizen
To be eligible to apply for recognition of service periods, the person must be a Turkish citizen on the date of the application. However, the right to apply for recognition of service periods is also maintained for individuals who were born Turkish citizens and subsequently renounced their citizenship with permission.
Law No. 3201, Article 1
Having Periods Abroad
For the recognition of service periods to be possible, there must be periods spent abroad as an insured person, unemployed person, or housewife.
Law No. 3201
Documentation of Periods
It is mandatory for periods spent abroad to be proven with documents issued by official institutions. These documents are examined and accepted by SGK.
SGK Implementation Communiqué
Making a Written Application
A written application for recognition of service periods must be made to SGK. The process of recognition of service periods cannot be initiated without submitting an application petition.
SGK Regulation on Recognition of Service Periods
3. Persons Entitled to Recognition of Service Periods
Person Group
Detailed Explanation
Source
Turkish Citizens
Turkish citizens who have worked or lived abroad have the right to credit service periods.
Law No. 3201, Art. 1
Blue Card Holders
Persons who were Turkish citizens by birth and renounced their citizenship with permission also have the right to credit service periods.
Law No. 3201
Dual Citizens
Persons who hold citizenship of another country while their Turkish citizenship continues can also credit service periods.
SGK Guide for Crediting Foreign Service Periods
Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries who are Turkish citizens of a deceased insured person can also credit service periods under certain conditions.
Law No. 3201, Art. 3
4. Persons Who Cannot Benefit from the Right to Credit Service Periods
Person Group
Detailed Explanation
Source
Retired Persons
Persons who have been granted a pension under social security legislation in Turkey cannot credit service periods.
SGK Guide
Persons Who Have Acquired Pension Rights
Persons who have applied for and become entitled to a pension cannot credit service periods.
SGK Implementation Principles
5. Indebtedness for Deceased Insured Person
Subject
Detailed Explanation
Source
Right of beneficiaries to incur indebtedness
Beneficiaries who are Turkish citizens can incur indebtedness for periods spent abroad by the deceased insured person.
Law No. 3201, Art. 3
Citizenship requirement
The beneficiary must be a Turkish citizen on the date of applying for indebtedness.
SGK Guide
Dual citizen beneficiaries
They can incur indebtedness as long as their Turkish citizenship continues.
SGK Statement
Blue Card holder beneficiaries
They cannot incur indebtedness because they are not Turkish citizens on the date of applying for indebtedness.
SGK Guide
6. Periods for Which Indebtedness Can Be Incurred
Period Type
Detailed Explanation
Source
Insured employment periods
Periods worked as an insured person in a workplace abroad are eligible for buyback.
Law No. 3201
Unemployment periods
Unemployment periods occurring between or after insured employment periods can be bought back for a maximum of one year for each period.
SGK Guide
Housewife periods
Periods during which women resided abroad and were not employed are considered housewife periods and can be bought back.
Law No. 3201
7. Non-Creditable Periods
Period
Detailed Explanation
Source
Periods before age 18
Periods spent abroad before the age of 18 cannot be credited.
SGK Guide
Periods before citizenship
Periods elapsed before acquiring Turkish citizenship are not covered by crediting past service.
Law No. 3201
Periods after loss of citizenship
Periods elapsed after renouncing citizenship cannot be credited.
SGK Practice
Periods overlapping with periods for which premiums were paid in Turkey
If there was insured employment in Turkey during the same period, these periods cannot be credited.
SGK Guide
Temporary assignment periods
Temporary assignments under social security agreements are not covered by crediting past service.
Law No. 5510, Article 10
8. Application for Crediting Past Service
Application Type
Detailed Explanation
Source
Application by petition
A “Overseas Premium Payment Application Petition” must be submitted to SGK.
SGK Forms
Application by mail
Documents can be sent to SGK by mail.
SGK Guide
e-Government application
Electronic application is possible in some cases.
SGK e-Government Service
Email or fax
Applications made by these methods are not valid.
SGK Statement
9. Determination of Application Date
Case
Explanation
Source
Direct application
The SGK document registration date is taken as basis.
SGK Guide
Registered mail
The date of mailing is considered the application date.
SGK Statement
e-Government application
The transaction date is accepted as the application date.
SGK
10. Premium Payment Amount Calculation
Criterion
Detailed Explanation
Source
Calculation Method
The debt amount is 45% of the selected daily premium base earnings.
Law No. 5510, Article 82
Daily lower limit (2026)
495,45 TL
SGK
Daily upper limit (2026)
4.459,05 TL
SGK
11. Payment Period
Subject
Description
Source
Payment period
Payment must be made within 3 months from the date of notification.
SGK Guide
If payment is not made within the period
The debt is deemed invalid and a new application is required.
SGK
12. Refund of Debt Amount
Status
Description
Source
Waiver
The debt accrual can be cancelled with a written application.
SGK
Refund
The paid amount is refunded without interest.
SGK
If retirement has been granted
Refund is not possible.
SGK
13. Insurance Status
Date
Status
Source
After 01.08.2019
The periods accrued through debt are counted under Bağ-Kur (4/1-b).
Law No. 5510
Why is Expert Legal Assistance Necessary?
Overseas debt accrual and retirement procedures from Turkey are, in practice, a much more technical and complex process than commonly believed. Many legal details, such as which periods can be accrued through debt, citizenship dates, passport entry-exit records, foreign service documents, SGK application procedures, and under which insurance status the debt accrual will be evaluated, can directly affect the retirement outcome. Errors such as an incorrectly made application, submission of incomplete documents, or missing the payment deadline can lead to the debt accrual process being deemed invalid and severely delay the retirement plan.
Therefore, when making overseas service buyback and retirement planning, it is of great importance that the process is carried out with the support of an overseas pension consultant or an overseas pension lawyer. Especially, issues such as citizenship history, overseas employment records, SGK status determination, and premium cost calculation require expertise.
2M Law Office, as an Istanbul lawyer office providing professional support to its clients in the field of overseas service buyback and social security law, offers consultancy on the correct planning of the application process, preparation of necessary documents, and resolution of potential legal disputes. For citizens living abroad, especially within the scope of overseas pension consultancy services, obtaining expert legal support for the evaluation of retirement conditions and the correct execution of SGK procedures is extremely important to prevent loss of rights.
