Victim of Human Trafficking Residence Permit 2026: Duration and Conditions

Last update: September 10, 2026

Victims of human trafficking residence permit, is a special residence permit issued by the governorship to a foreigner for whom there is a strong suspicion of being or potentially being a victim of human trafficking, in order to enable them to recover from the trauma they have experienced and to freely decide whether or not to cooperate with the authorities. The initial permit is issued for a period of 30 days; it may be extended in periods of up to six months each, taking into account security, health, or special circumstances, and the total duration cannot exceed three years.

This permit is not based on an ordinary purpose of stay such as tourism or real estate. Due to its protective nature, the general conditions required for other residence permits are not required here. However, every allegation of abuse does not automatically generate a permit; the person must be evaluated by the competent authorities as a potential or identified victim. For the general residence system Residence Permit Types and Application Process in Turkey guide can be consulted.

What is a Victim of Human Trafficking Residence Permit?

Articles 48 and 49 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458 regulate this permit as an independent status dedicated to the protection of the victim. The purpose is to provide the foreigner with a short reflection and recovery period; to enable them to distance themselves from the perpetrator's pressure, ensure their safety, and access support services. The initiation of a criminal lawsuit or the existence of a final conviction is not a prerequisite for the issuance of the permit. The criterion stipulated in the Law is the existence of victimization or strong suspicion.

Human trafficking may manifest itself in the form of procuring, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving persons through means such as threat, coercion, abduction, deception, abuse of power, or exploitation of vulnerability for purposes of forced labor, prostitution, slavery, organ removal, or similar exploitative purposes. Migrant smuggling and human trafficking are not the same concept: the former mainly focuses on facilitating border crossing, while the latter focuses on the exploitation of the person.

To Whom Can It Be Granted?

The permit is regulated solely with respect to foreigners, whereas the combating of human trafficking and victim support services are carried out without any discrimination based on citizenship. A special residence permit may come into question if one of the following conditions is evaluated regarding the foreigner:

• Being identified as a victim of human trafficking by the competent authorities,
• The presence of a strong suspicion that the person may be a victim, even if the identification process has not yet been completed,
• Being under the pressure, threat, or control of the perpetrator,
• The presence of indicators of forced labor, sexual exploitation, forced begging, servitude, organ trafficking, or similar forms of exploitation.

The confiscation of the passport by the employer or another person, non-payment of wages, compelling the individual to work through debt bondage, restriction of freedom of movement, and threats of "deportation" may be significant in the evaluation. However, an automatic conclusion is not drawn based on a single indicator; the entirety of the incident, the victim's statement, security risks, and available evidence are examined together.

What is the Duration of the Permit?

The three-year period does not mean that the permit will be granted for three years in every case. Extension after the initial 30-day period is evaluated based on the concrete need for protection. The continuation of the effects of victimization, security risks, the need for treatment, and the individual's specific situation must be demonstrated in the file with current information and documents.

Are Other Residence Permit Conditions Required?

No. General conditions required for other residence permit types—such as a document proving the purpose of stay, ordinary financial sufficiency, standard health insurance, or similar requirements—are not sought for the issuance of a residence permit for victims of human trafficking. This exemption stems from the protective nature of the permit. Therefore, an individual cannot be directly excluded from the scope of protection merely due to a visa violation or a prior residence issue.

However, the fact that this special permit differs from other types of residence does not mean that all immigration proceedings concerning the foreigner are automatically eliminated. For a person against whom a previous deportation decision, entry ban, or restriction code exists, each proceeding must be examined in terms of its own legal basis. According to the official statement of the Presidency of Migration Management, a potential victim or a person with a strong suspicion of being a victim shall not be subjected to deportation proceedings during the identification process.

How Does the Application and Identification Process Work?

This status is not a process conducted merely by filling out an e-Residence form like an ordinary tourism residence permit. Once the suspicion of human trafficking is reported to the competent authorities, a victim identification and evaluation process is carried out by expert personnel. The notification may be made by the victim themselves, their relative, lawyer, healthcare personnel, law enforcement officer, or any other person who learns of the incident.

1. Ensuring Immediate Security

If there is ongoing violence, threat, or detention, the priority is life safety, not residence documents. In case of an emergency, applications can be made to 112, to YİMER 157 24/7 for human trafficking reports and migration assistance, to law enforcement units, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, or the provincial Directorate of Migration Management. YİMER can be reached from abroad at +90 312 157 11 22.

2. Determination of Indicators of Victimization

Competent units evaluate the person's form of exploitation, relationship with the perpetrator, means of threat and control, working or housing conditions, whether travel documents have been confiscated, and specific risks. The interview must be conducted in a secure environment, in a language the victim can understand, and by taking the effects of trauma into account.

3. Victim Support Program and Residence Permit

A victim support program may be offered to the identified foreign victim based on information and consent. Within this scope, the issuance of a 30-day residence permit, safe accommodation, and the planning of other necessary support come to the agenda. Documents and notifications in the process are considered ordinary from the residence permit extension application is different.

Which Documents and Evidence Are Important?

There is no single, unvarying checklist of documents for protective status in every case. Due to the inherent nature of human trafficking, it is possible that the victim cannot access documents, that their passport is held by the perpetrator, or that they were employed informally. Therefore, the lack of evidence should not be confused with false statements. The following materials, if available, may support the assessment:

• Copy of passport, identification, or current residence card,
• Messages, audio recordings, threatening content, and job postings,
• Workplace, accommodation, and transportation records,
• Documents showing that wages were not paid or indicating indebtedness,
• Medical reports, assault reports, and psychosocial evaluations,
• Witness accounts, law enforcement, or prosecutor's office records,
• Information indicating that the passport was confiscated or freedom of movement was restricted.

Documents must not be collected in a manner that compromises safety. Confronting the perpetrator, secretly returning to a dangerous place, or risking personal safety for the sake of evidence is not advisable.

Why Are the Interview, Interpreter, and Confidentiality Important?

In human trafficking cases, the victim's statement may be incomplete or fragmented during the initial interview due to fear, trauma, dependency on the perpetrator, language barriers, or the fear of deportation. Every gap in the narrative should not be interpreted directly as a contradiction or bad faith. Conducting the interview in a safe environment, providing an interpreter in a language the victim understands, and not forcing them to repeatedly recount traumatic narratives are important for a sound assessment.

Address, telephone, shelter, and health information may carry a high security risk. To protect the victim, the scope of the information to be submitted to the case file, the possibility of its disclosure to the perpetrator or third parties, and the confidentiality rules in the criminal investigation must be evaluated together. Legal assistance serves not only the issuance of the residence permit, but also the separation of the criminal investigation, protective measures, personal data security, and, if necessary, international protection options.

What Services Are Offered Under the Victim Support Program?

The official victim support program is conducted free of charge and on a consensual basis, taking into account the victim's safety, health, and special circumstances. Depending on specific needs, the following supports may be provided:

• Accommodation in a shelter or safe place,
• Access to health services and psychosocial support,
• Access to legal assistance and information on rights,
• Interpretation and assistance in identification,
• Guidance on access to education, vocational training, and the labor market,
• Access to social services and assistance,
• Contacting the consulate if the victim so wishes,
• Support for voluntary and safe return.

Within the scope of the support program, the victim may stay in a shelter or, upon request, reside in independent housing. In the event of a change of address, security measures and change of city and address in residence permit rules must be addressed together.

Are the Human Trafficking Victim Permit and the Humanitarian Residence Permit the Same?

No. Although both have protective aspects that differ from regular residence permits, their legal bases and target groups are distinct.

For a separate status based on humanitarian grounds humanitarian residence permit 2026 our article may be reviewed.

In Which Circumstances May the Permit Not Be Extended or Expire?

The disappearance of the need for protection, the determination that the individual is not a victim, or the detection of false statements may affect the evaluation. Furthermore, determining that the victim has voluntarily re-established contact with the perpetrators of the crime without any impairment of free will may lead to the termination of the victim support program. However, contact occurring due to threats, coercion, traumatic bonding, or fear shall not be evaluated as a connection established of one's own free will.

If an adverse administrative action is taken regarding the permit, the grounds for the action, the notification date, the appeal or litigation period, and the individual's current security risk must be examined together. For general rejection principles, residence permit rejection and legal remedies, and regarding the termination of the existing permit, cancellation of residence permit guides serve as a roadmap.

Does the Residence Permit Grant the Right to Work?

A residence permit does not constitute a work permit on its own. Although support may be provided regarding the victim's access to vocational training and the labor market, the legal basis for paid employment must be separately evaluated. Regarding the nature of the employment and applicable exceptions, work permit for foreigners rules must be examined.

Where to Apply in Case of an Emergency?

• 112 Emergency Call Center: In case of ongoing threats, violence, or unlawful detention.
• YİMER 157: For human trafficking reporting, emergency assistance, and multilingual support regarding migration procedures.
• Provincial Directorate of Migration Management: For the victim identification and protection process.
• Law enforcement and Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor: For crime reporting and criminal investigation.
• CİMER and magdurihbar@goc.gov.tr: As official notification channels.

The channel through which the application will be made depends on the urgency of the incident. If the person is in the same location as the perpetrator or their phone is being monitored, it is important to use a secure device and a reliable contact point.

Frequently Asked Questions

For how many days is a residence permit granted to a victim of human trafficking?

The initial permit is issued by the governorship for a period of 30 days. Subsequent extensions may be for a maximum of six months at a time, and the total duration of the permits cannot exceed three years.

Can this permit be granted before a criminal lawsuit is filed?

Yes. A final conviction or a filed criminal lawsuit is not a prerequisite. A strong suspicion that the person is or may be a victim can be sufficient to initiate the protective process.

Are a passport and health insurance mandatory?

General conditions required for the issuance of other residence permits are not sought for this special permit. Nevertheless, available information and documents are shared with the competent authorities for identification purposes, and how missing documents will be completed is determined based on the circumstances of the file.

Can a person who works unauthorized or violates their visa apply?

The possibility of being a victim of human trafficking must be evaluated independently of the person's immigration status. A visa violation or unauthorized work does not preclude the investigation of a strong suspicion of victimization.

Can the victim pursue education as a student?

According to the official statement of the Directorate of Migration Management, foreign students holding a human trafficking victim residence permit can benefit from the right to education without needing to obtain an additional student residence permit.

Is the identity of the whistleblower disclosed?

The safety of the victim and the whistleblower, as well as the protection of personal data, are fundamental elements of the process. In the specific case, the scope of information sharing is determined by the competent authorities, taking into account the investigation and protection measures.

Official Sources

• Presidency of Migration Management – Residence Permit Types
• Presidency of Migration Management – Frequently Asked Questions on Human Trafficking
• Presidency of Migration Management – Support Services Provided to Victims
• Presidency of Migration Management – Foreigners and International Protection Legislation
• Presidency of Migration Management – YİMER 157

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Attorney Batın YILMAZ

Istanbul Bar Association Bar Registry No: 77008

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Attorney Batın YILMAZ

Istanbul Bar Association Bar Registry No: 77008

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