Foreigner Restriction Codes in Turkey

A Turkish restriction code is an administrative notation recorded in a foreign national’s immigration file. Depending on its legal basis and purpose, it may be connected with an entry ban, prior authorisation requirement, refusal of entry, residence or work permit issue, deportation process, or an alert that requires further examination. A code does not have the same effect in every case, and an online list cannot confirm what is recorded against a particular person.

The practical starting point is to identify the exact code, the administrative decision behind it, the date and method of notification, and any related entry-ban or deportation decision. Only then can the appropriate response be assessed. Some matters may be resolved by expiry, payment of outstanding public receivables, an administrative request or an annotated visa. Others may require an annulment action before the administrative courts and, where the legal conditions exist, a request for a stay of execution.

Tuva Law and Consultancy assists foreign nationals with immigration-record inquiries and case-specific legal assessment. This guide provides general information; it does not establish that a particular code or remedy applies to your circumstances.

What Is a Restriction Code in Turkey

Restriction codes, commonly called tahdit kodları, are internal administrative records used by Turkish migration and security authorities in relation to foreign nationals. They may reflect immigration violations, public-order or public-security assessments, public-health concerns, international protection procedures, conditional entry requirements, unpaid immigration-related charges, or other administrative circumstances.

The visible letter and number are only part of the legal picture. The same file may contain more than one record or decision. A person may, for example, have a restriction code together with an entry ban, a deportation decision or a prior-authorisation condition. Conversely, some codes may be informational and may not operate as a stand-alone entry ban.

Is a Restriction Code the Same as an Entry Ban

No. The terms are related but should not be used interchangeably. The distinction matters because the competent authority, deadline and remedy can change according to the administrative act being challenged.

Request an Initial Assessment

If you do not know the code: state that you need to identify whether an entry ban, restriction code or related decision is recorded. You may contact Tuva Law and Consultancy for an initial assessment of the appropriate inquiry process.

If you already know the code or received a written decision: state the code, type of decision and notification date so that the available legal route and any applicable deadline can be assessed.

In your initial message, please provide your nationality, current country, the approximate date and place of the incident, and whether you received an entry-refusal, deportation, visa-refusal or overstay document. If the restriction separates your family or affects a child’s education, health, custody or residence in Türkiye, mention that briefly as well. Do not initially send a complete passport copy, family records or any e-Devlet password or account credentials. Document-submission instructions can be provided after the preliminary review.

You may use the contact page or send a brief message by WhatsApp.

Why Are Restriction Codes Imposed

The legal and factual reasons vary. Common contexts include:

• overstaying a visa, visa exemption, residence permit, work permit or work-permit exemption;
• irregular entry or exit, use of false documents, or an attempted entry despite an existing restriction;
• unauthorised employment or unpaid immigration-related fines and public receivables;
• cancellation or misuse of a residence or work permit;
• criminal proceedings, public-order or public-security assessments;
• public-health concerns;
• international protection or temporary protection records; and
• a requirement for prior authorisation or another condition before entry.

A restriction code should not be treated as proof that a person committed a criminal offence. Some measures are preventive or administrative, and the underlying material may include police, migration or intelligence assessments rather than a criminal conviction. The legality and proportionality of the measure must be evaluated from the individual file.

Possible Legal Effects of a Restriction Code

Depending on the code and the accompanying decision, a foreign national may face one or more of the following consequences:

• an entry ban for a specified period;
• a requirement to obtain prior authorisation or an annotated visa;
• refusal of entry at an airport, land border or seaport;
• a visa, residence permit or work permit complication;
• a deportation assessment or decision;
• collection of unpaid fines, travel expenses or other public receivables; or
• additional examination by the competent authorities.

A restriction code does not automatically freeze bank accounts, terminate employment, cancel every permit or result in detention. Those outcomes require their own legal basis and factual conditions.

Main Families of Turkish Restriction Codes

Publicly available code lists are not an official substitute for the individual administrative record. Meanings and operational consequences may also change through legislation, circulars or administrative practice. The following overview should therefore be read as orientation only.

Commonly Searched Restriction Codes

The descriptions below reflect commonly reported administrative practice rather than a complete official public code catalogue. The codes frequently appear in online searches, but their meaning and effect must be checked against the current individual record, the rules applicable on the relevant date and any related administrative decision.

V 84 Conditional Entry and the Ten Day Requirement

V-84 is commonly associated with entry granted on the condition that the foreign national applies for a residence permit within ten days. It should not be described as a general overstay code. Whether the condition was available or applicable at the relevant time, whether a compliant application was made, and what later decisions were recorded must be verified individually.

G 82 and G 87 Security Related Records

G-82 and G-87 are commonly described in practice as security-related records. The exact factual basis may not appear on a border document and may be supported by confidential administrative material. A criminal conviction is not necessarily required for an administrative security assessment. At the same time, a general or unparticularised allegation does not remove the administration’s duty to act lawfully, proportionately and on a sufficient factual basis. Judicial strategy depends on the specific administrative act and the file disclosed to the court.

How Are G 82 and G 87 Records Examined by the Court

In an annulment action, the court may request the administrative file and the information or documents relied on by the migration, police or other public authorities. Security-related material may be confidential and may not be disclosed to the foreign national in full. Even so, the court must assess whether the challenged measure has a sufficient legal and factual basis and whether it is proportionate to the circumstances.

A restriction based only on a general label, an unparticularised report or information whose connection with the individual has not been explained may be disputed. If the record arose from a report or complaint, the legal submission may ask the court to obtain and examine the available underlying material. The absence of a criminal conviction does not automatically invalidate the code, just as a security classification does not by itself prove that the measure is lawful.

The appropriate request depends on the particular entry ban, restriction record or related decision being challenged. No outcome can be predicted without examining the notification history, the administration’s response and the material placed before the court.

N 82 Prior Authorisation

N-82 is widely associated with a prior-authorisation condition for entry. It is not safe to assume that obtaining an ordinary visa automatically satisfies the condition. The person should first determine the authority responsible for the record, whether an active entry ban also exists, and which application or legal remedy is available.

Ç 101 to Ç 105 Legal Stay Violations

Ç-101 to Ç-105 are commonly associated with progressively longer periods of violation of a visa, visa exemption, residence permit, work permit or work-permit exemption. However, the Presidency of Migration Management’s published rules show that the outcome of a legal-stay violation depends not only on its length but also on whether the person departed voluntarily before detection, complied with a period granted for departure, and paid the relevant administrative fines. A code number should therefore not be assessed in isolation.

Ç 113 Irregular Entry or Exit

Ç-113 is commonly associated with irregular entry, irregular exit or an attempt. Online sources report inconsistent fixed ban periods for this code. The reliable approach is to obtain the notification and administrative record, identify the decision date and legal basis, and assess any related fine, entry ban or criminal file.

Ç 117 Unauthorised Work

Ç-117 is commonly associated with unauthorised employment. A case may also involve an administrative fine, work-permit consequences, a deportation decision or a separate entry ban. The foreign national and the employer may face different procedures. Each decision and deadline should be reviewed separately.

What If You Do Not Know Your Restriction Code

Many foreign nationals learn only that “a restriction exists” after a visa refusal or a refusal at passport control. The document issued at the border may refer to Law No. 6458 without showing the internal code, full reason or expiry date. Law No. 6458 is the legislation; it is not itself a restriction code.

If You Were Told the Code at the Airport but Received No Document

A code seen on a screen, mentioned by a border officer or written temporarily without a copy of the underlying decision should be treated as unconfirmed information. The record may contain another restriction, an entry-ban decision, an unpaid public receivable or a different legal basis. Before choosing an administrative application or court action, the exact code, issuing authority, decision date, duration and related notification should be identified.

Do not book another flight solely on the assumption that the problem has ended. First collect every document you received, including the passport page, entry-ban notification, INAD form, deportation decision, visa refusal and receipts for paid fines. If you are abroad, you may authorise a Turkish lawyer to request available information from the competent authority. There is no general public website where a person can enter a passport number and see every Turkish restriction code and entry-ban detail.

If you are outside Turkey and need to identify the relevant record, contact Tuva Law and Consultancy for an assessment of the appropriate inquiry process.

How Long Can a Turkish Entry Ban Last

Article 9 of Law No. 6458 provides the general statutory framework. An entry ban ordinarily may not exceed five years. Where there is a serious public-order or public-security threat, the Presidency of Migration Management may extend the period by up to an additional ten years. The authority may revoke an entry ban or permit entry for a specified period without removing the ban.

Legal-stay violations require a more detailed assessment. Under the Presidency’s published rules, the duration and even the imposition of a ban may depend on the length of the violation, voluntary departure, whether the violation was detected before departure, compliance with a departure period and payment of administrative fines. Unpaid public receivables may prevent admission even after the stated ban period has ended.

For this reason, statements such as “every overstay causes a five-year ban” or “payment always removes the code” are inaccurate.

How to Find Out Whether a Code Is Recorded

1. Review the documents issued at the border, by the provincial migration authority, during a visa process or in connection with deportation.
2. Separate the restriction code from the entry-ban, refusal-of-entry and deportation decisions. Record every notification date.
3. If the record is unclear and you are abroad, consider an authorised inquiry through a Turkish diplomatic mission or a lawyer acting under a valid power of attorney.
4. Request the available code, reason, decision date, duration and issuing authority. The amount of information disclosed can vary, particularly in security-related cases.
5. Do not rely on unofficial databases, social-media messages or a code list to confirm your personal immigration status.

Can a Restriction Code Be Removed or Challenged

Potential routes include an administrative application, an annulment action, a request for a stay of execution, an annotated visa application, expiry of the measure, or compliance with an outstanding financial or procedural obligation. These routes are not interchangeable and none is automatically available in every case.

Administrative Application

A reasoned request may be submitted to the competent administrative authority where the legal framework permits. Where Article 11 of Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577 applies, a properly submitted application made before the litigation deadline may suspend the running of that deadline. If the application is expressly rejected or deemed rejected, the unused portion of the litigation period begins to run again. Not every petition has this effect. The correct authority, scope, timing and legal character of the application must be determined from the challenged act. An administrative application is not a universal mandatory first step and does not guarantee removal.

Annulment Action Before the Administrative Court

An entry ban, restriction-related decision or other individual administrative act may be subject to an annulment action. The general filing period for an administrative action is sixty days unless a special statutory deadline applies. Calculation normally depends on valid notification and, in limited circumstances recognised in administrative case law, the provable date on which the person learned of the act. Any prior administrative application and the precise relief sought must also be examined. Venue depends on the type of decision and the competent authority; it should not be assumed that every restriction-code case belongs to the same court.

Request for a Stay of Execution

Filing an annulment action does not by itself suspend the challenged act. Under Article 27 of Law No. 2577, the court may grant a stay of execution where the statutory conditions are met, including manifest unlawfulness and damage that would be difficult or impossible to remedy. Merely requesting a stay does not suspend the measure; the court must grant it.

Where the restriction separates spouses or parents and children, prevents a child from continuing education in Türkiye, or creates a serious health, care or dependency problem, those circumstances may be presented as part of the request. Relevant evidence may include marriage and birth records, school documents, residence records, medical reports and documents showing the family’s actual living arrangements. These circumstances may support the assessment of irreparable harm and proportionality, but they do not automatically require the court to suspend or annul the measure.

What Happens After a Stay of Execution Decision

A stay-of-execution decision is an interim measure; it is not the final judgment on the merits. Its practical effect depends on the wording of the order and on the exact administrative act challenged. A decision concerning one entry ban or restriction-related act should not be assumed to remove every code, deportation decision, prior-authorisation condition or separate immigration record.

Implementation by the competent authority should be followed, and the current immigration record should be checked before travel. A person should not buy a ticket or attempt entry solely because the court issued an interim order. If the request is refused, an objection may be available under the applicable administrative procedure; the decision and its notification date should be reviewed immediately. Neither an objection nor a pending merits case suspends the measure by itself.

Annotated Visa or Permission to Enter

In suitable cases, a foreign national subject to an entry restriction may seek an annotated visa or special permission based on a documented purpose such as family unity, education, business or medical treatment. Eligibility depends on the reason for the restriction and the authority’s assessment. Security-related measures may not be overcome through an ordinary or annotated visa application.

Separate Challenge to a Deportation Decision

A deportation decision is distinct from a restriction code and has a special judicial-review regime. Under Article 53 of Law No. 6458, an action against a deportation decision must generally be filed within seven days of notification. Subject to the statutory exceptions in the same Law and without prejudice to the foreign national’s consent, deportation is not carried out during the filing period or while judicial proceedings are pending. This seven-day period should not be presented as the deadline for every restriction-code or entry-ban case.

For the separate procedure, see Deportation Appeal in Turkey

Administrative Detention Requires a Separate Objection

A lawsuit against a deportation decision does not automatically release a person held in a removal centre. Administrative detention is a separate measure governed principally by Article 57 of Law No. 6458. The foreign national, legal representative or lawyer may apply to the competent criminal judgeship of peace against the detention decision. A new application may be made if the detention circumstances change or the legal conditions no longer exist.

Documents Commonly Needed for Legal Assessment

• a clear copy of the passport and relevant entry-exit stamps;
• entry-ban, refusal-of-entry or INAD notification forms;
• the deportation decision and proof of its notification date;
• visa, residence permit and work permit decisions;
• receipts for immigration fines, travel expenses or other public receivables;
• documents proving family unity, children’s residence or school attendance, health or dependency needs, employment, business or other circumstances relevant to proportionality;
• criminal-case or acquittal documents, where relevant; and
• a power of attorney if a lawyer will act before the authorities or courts.

Apostille, consular legalisation, notarised translation or the original document may be required for some foreign documents, but not for every item. The document plan should be determined after the authority and intended use are known.

If you are outside Türkiye, the power of attorney may need to be issued through a Turkish consulate or before a foreign notary followed by apostille or legalisation and Turkish translation, depending on the country and the intended procedure. See our guide to Power of Attorney for a Lawyer in Turkey from Abroad. The wording should be checked before the document is signed, and the physical original may need to be sent to Türkiye.

How Long Does the Process Take and What Costs May Arise

There is no guaranteed decision period. Timing depends on the court’s workload, service of documents, responses requested from public authorities, whether confidential records must be obtained and whether the case continues to appeal. A stay-of-execution request is examined separately from the final merits, but urgent consideration does not mean that a decision will be issued within a fixed number of days.

Before proceedings begin, the client should receive information about the scope of legal representation and the expected court, service, translation, apostille or legalisation and document expenses. An unsuccessful party may also face a statutory adverse attorney-fee award. Amounts can change and should be confirmed for the particular proceeding rather than taken from an online estimate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating Law No. 6458 shown on a form as the restriction code.
• Assuming that changing a passport or nationality record automatically clears the immigration file.
• Relying on an online code list instead of confirming the personal record.
• Believing that payment of a fine always removes every ban or code.
• Assuming that an ordinary visa guarantees admission despite a restriction.
• Missing the deadline because the entry ban, deportation decision and detention measure were treated as one act.
• Filing a generic petition without identifying the competent authority, challenged act and requested relief.
• Buying another ticket before confirming whether the measure is active.

How Tuva Law Can Assist

Tuva Law and Consultancy provides case-specific assistance to foreign nationals who need to identify or challenge an immigration restriction. Depending on the matter, the work may include:

• reviewing border, visa, residence, work-permit and deportation documents;
• requesting available information about an entry ban or restriction code;
• identifying the administrative act, competent authority and applicable deadline;
• preparing an administrative application or annotated visa file where appropriate;
• filing and conducting an annulment action and a reasoned stay-of-execution request;
• following the administrative implementation of an interim or final court decision; and
• coordinating separate challenges concerning deportation or administrative detention.

Typical Steps in an Entry Ban or Restriction Code Matter

1. Confirm the record: identify the code, entry ban, issuing authority, decision date, duration and any related deportation or refusal-of-entry decision.

2. Assess the legal route: determine whether expiry, payment, an administrative application, an annotated visa or an annulment action is the appropriate route.

3. Agree on the scope: clarify in writing which stages are covered by the legal service, whether litigation and appeals are included and which official or third-party expenses are separate.

4. Follow the result: monitor the authority’s response or court decision and, where applicable, follow its implementation before the client attempts to travel.

Some matters can be handled through a limited inquiry or administrative application, while others require court proceedings. Before representation begins, the scope of work should be agreed in writing so that the client understands whether the fee covers only the record inquiry, an administrative application, litigation, appeals or the complete process. Court fees, notification, translation, apostille or legalisation and similar third-party expenses should also be identified separately.

The first legal assessment should answer three questions: What exactly is recorded? Which decision currently produces the harmful effect? What is the most proportionate and practical next step? No result can be guaranteed, and the strategy must be based on the individual administrative file.

If you know your code or have received a written decision, use the Tuva Law contact page or WhatsApp to provide a brief initial description. Please state your nationality, current country, the code or decision shown, the notification date and the border, consular or migration authority involved. Do not initially send a complete passport copy, an e-Devlet password or other account credentials. If documents are required, secure submission instructions can be provided after the preliminary review.

Phone and WhatsApp: +90 545 346 00 06 | Email: info@tuvahukuk.com

Office: Eti Mahallesi, Toros Sokak No: 1/11, Sıhhiye, Çankaya, Ankara, Türkiye

Related information is available on our Turkish citizenship and immigration matters and English-speaking lawyer in Ankara pages.

Your Legal Roadmap: Connecting the Dots

Your legal journey in Turkey is interconnected. Below are the essential guides to help you understand how restriction codes fit into the broader legal landscape:

• The Immediate Emergency: If a restriction code has already led to your detention, you must read our guide on Challenging Deportation and Administrative Detention.
• Stabilizing Your Status: Once your legal status is secured, your next step is often professional integration. Read our Comprehensive Work Permit Guide.
• The Long-Term Goal: If you are looking to become a permanent part of the Turkish community, learn about your path toward naturalization in our guide: Applying for Turkish Passport and ID Card After Citizenship.

Content Reviewed by: Osman Selçuk Akyüz

Osman Selçuk Akyüz, founding attorney at Tuva Law and Consultancy, specializes in administrative and immigration litigation. This guide reflects the current legislative framework and administrative practices in Turkey as of June 2026.

Last Updated: September 20, 2026 | Status: Verified Legal Content

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