Neighborhood Closure Announcement for Residence Permit

Closed Neighbourhoods for Residence Permits in Turkey: Current Status

As of October 2026, all neighbourhoods are open to residence permit applications. No neighbourhood is currently closed to the registration of new foreign residents, so an address anywhere in Turkey can be used for a residence permit application, as long as it meets the usual requirements. This page explains the closure rule that applied from 2022, what has changed, and how to check an address before you sign a contract, because closures can be introduced again. It no longer includes the old 2022 list of 1,169 neighbourhoods, which is out of date.

How the Closure Rule Worked

• From 2022 the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı) closed a neighbourhood (mahalle) to new registrations of foreigners when the number of foreigners living there exceeded a set share of the Turkish citizen population. The limit was 25% until 1 July 2022, when it was lowered to 20%.
• A closed neighbourhood was closed to new residence permit registrations, to foreigners moving their address there from another area, and to temporary protection and international protection registrations. Newborn babies and nuclear family reunification were exceptions.
• On 1 July 2022 the Presidency announced 1,169 closed neighbourhoods in 63 provinces, 54 of them in Istanbul. The list changed from time to time after that.

The Situation in October 2026

The closed neighbourhoods have been reopened, and e-ikamet accepts applications from addresses it used to block. As of October 2026 no neighbourhood is closed. An open address does not mean that a residence permit will be granted: your application is still assessed on all the usual requirements, including a registered address and, for a tourism-purpose permit, a convincing reason for your stay.

How to Check an Address

• e-ikamet (e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr): when you enter your address in the online residence permit form, the system tells you if the address cannot be used.
• Presidency of Migration Management (goc.gov.tr): any new closure is announced on its website.
• Provincial Directorate of Migration Management (İl Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü): the office in your province can confirm the status of a neighbourhood.
• YİMER 157: the Foreigners Communication Centre answers in Turkish, English, Russian, Arabic and Persian.

Before You Rent or Buy

• Check the address in e-ikamet before you sign a rental contract or pay a deposit.
• Make sure you can register the address: you need a notarised rental contract or the title deed, and the address must be in the national address system.
• If you already hold a residence permit and move, report your new address within 20 working days.

Status checked in October 2026: all neighbourhoods are open. Closures can be introduced again, so confirm the status of your address before you rent, buy or apply.