The Directorate General of Migration Management, under the Ministry of Interior, has issued a press statement in response to claims that “Residence Permits for Foreigners in 39 Istanbul Districts Have Been Closed.” The statement aims to provide accurate information to the public.
In order to mitigate spatial concentration, the Directorate General conducts periodic density analyses of foreign populations in neighborhoods and districts across all provinces, implementing measures to alleviate overcrowding.
In 2019, Istanbul suspended registration procedures for Syrians under temporary protection. Subsequently, in January 2021, new residence permit applications were closed for the Fatih and Esenyurt districts of Istanbul.
Following an evaluation conducted in October 2022, additional districts including Avcılar, Bahçelievler, Başakşehir, Bağcılar, Esenler, Küçükçekmece, Sultangazi, and Zeytinburnu were also closed for new residence permit applications.
As of July 1, 2022, the foreign population in all provinces exceeded 20% in comparison to the Turkish citizen population. Consequently, a total of 1,169 neighborhoods across 63 provinces were closed to new foreign registrations, with 54 closed neighborhoods located in Istanbul.
It is important to note that the allegations of 39 districts in Istanbul being closed for residence permits do not align with the facts. Currently, 10 districts are closed for new residence permit applications, as efforts to monitor and evaluate spatial concentration remain ongoing.
Respectfully announced to the public.
