Humanitarian Residence Permit

The humanitarian residence permit is a special permit issued at the discretion of the Provincial Governorate under Article 46 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, for foreigners who do not fit any other residence category but whose continued stay in Turkey is deemed necessary. Because it rests on administrative discretion, how the file is presented, which documents support it and how strong the legal reasoning is written will directly determine the outcome.

Demirel Consultancy has worked on these files for years. Every humanitarian residence case is unique and cannot be solved with a template. We sit down with you for a long initial meeting, document the real-life story and the concrete grounds that make your stay in Turkey necessary, and build a file that will genuinely convince the Provincial Governorate.

When can you apply?

The law does not list humanitarian grounds exhaustively; in practice the following situations are most common:

• Medical necessity — foreigners undergoing serious medical treatment in Turkey and their accompanying relatives
• Best interests of the child — where parents or guardians need to stay in Turkey for the child's education, health and psychological stability
• Foreigners who cannot be deported — because their country of origin will not readmit them due to war, unrest or natural disaster
• International protection applicants whose application has been rejected but who cannot be returned
• Witnesses or victims in judicial proceedings who cannot leave Turkey
• Victims of human trafficking
• Family unity cases where the family residence permit requirements are not yet met

Application process

1. Initial assessment. Free evaluation of how your grounds fit the legal framework and which evidence can realistically be gathered.
2. Evidence gathering. Medical reports, school records, rental contracts, documents on the child's social integration, psychologist reports, UNHCR letters — we compile all supporting material.
3. Legal memorandum. We draft a detailed petition tailored to your file, referencing Council of State and administrative court case law.
4. Submission to the Migration Directorate. We file at the Provincial Governorate and provide additional explanations or documents on request.
5. Decision. On approval, permit fees are paid and the card is delivered by PTT.

Required documents

• Passport and/or foreigner ID number document
• Biometric photo
• Address declaration in Turkey (rental contract, numbered address)
• Health insurance (for health-grounded cases)
• Evidence specific to your situation — medical board report, school documents, family ID records, incident reports, court orders
• Legal memorandum prepared by a lawyer or consultant

Refusals and appeal

Because humanitarian residence is discretionary, if refused the first step is to file an annulment lawsuit at the administrative court within 30 days. Sometimes re-filing the same file with stronger reasoning is more productive than litigation. Demirel Consultancy weighs both options with you and recommends the strategy with the best real chances.

Legal advantages

• Permits of up to 1 year per issuance, renewable
• Starts the exemption period for work permit applications
• Allows you to stay legally, enrol children in school and access healthcare
• Under certain conditions may count toward long-term residence and citizenship

Why Demirel Consultancy?

Humanitarian residence applications are often last-chance files — a poorly drafted petition can burn both the application and the legal routes that follow it. We work with that awareness, build every file from scratch around its own story, and recommend only a realistic path forward. A free initial meeting assesses your situation and gives you an honest read on your chances.