Local and National Administration Offices in Istanbul
Contact information for the national and local administrative centres of Turkey. The place to go for residency papers, vehicle registration papers, driving licences and more...
The three main bodies of local administration in Turkey are municipalities (belediye), provincial local administrations (vali or kaymakam) and villages (köy). Many of these have information relevant to foreigners. English-speaking staff can usually be found at municipal and provincial local administration offices, but not in the village authorities.
The state offices are generally open between 08:30-18:00 on weekdays. They are closed at weekends and during official holidays.
Municipalities (Belediye)
There are 39 provinces (districts) in Istanbul and each province elects its own municipality. All provincial municipalities are under the administration of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
- Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
At: Kemalpa?a Region, ?ehzadeba?? Road. No 25, 34134 Fatih, Istanbul
Tel: 0212 455 13 00 - For full list of all municipalities in Istanbul: Click here (in Turkish)
Provincial Local Governments (Vali and Kaymakam)
Each metropolitan city has one governor (vali) who makes decisions regarding the institutional services of the province.
- Head Office of Governor of Istanbul (in Turkish)
At: Ankara Road, 34410, Ca?alo?lu Istanbul
Tel: 0212 455 59 0
Fax: 0212 512 20 86
The vali is in charge of the provincial governors (kaymakam) who deal with more specific province-based cases.
- For a comprehensive list of provincial governors (kaymakam) in Istanbul: Click here (in Turkish)
Village Authorities (Köy)
Villages with a population of over 150 people also have a village administration, the leader of which is elected by the inhabitants. Villages are generally located in the suburbs of Istanbul, and the inhabitants are usually from the same background or region of Turkey. It is not common to find English-speaking people.
Residency Permits
All foreign nationals wishing to live or work in Turkey must acquire a residence permit within one month of entering the country.
In Istanbul, foreigners should apply for a residence permit at the central Security Directorate (Emniyet) located in Fatih.
- Istanbul Security Directorate, Department for Foreigners (Emniyet Müdürlü?ü)
At: Vatan Road, A Block, Floor 1, Fatih
Tel: 0212 636 18 70
Fax: 0212 636 81 26
Turkish Citizenship
Foreigners wishing to apply for Turkish citizenship should contact the General Directorate of Civil Registration and Nationality.
- General Directorate of Civil Registration and Nationality of Istanbul (Nüfus Kay?t Müdürlü?ü) (in Turkish)
At: Dizdariye Medresesi Str., Piyer Loti Road. No 10, Çemberlita? Fatih, Istanbul
Tel: 0212 518 20 80
Fax: 0212 518 20 82
email - For a list of Registry Offices in Istanbul: Click here (in Turkish)
Work Permits
Foreign nationals can apply for work permits in the following ways:
- By applying to the Republic of Turkey Embassy or Consulate if residing outside of Turkey
- By applying to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security if holding a valid residence permit (valid for at least six months, except if it is for educational purposes
Foreign Driving Licences
Driving licences can be exchanged at the Gayrettepe Branch of the Province Traffic Registration Directorate (Trafik Tescil ?lçe Müdürlü?ü). To pre-register online: Click here.
- Traffic Registration Directorate (Trafik Tescil ?lçe Müdürlü?ü)
At: Gayrettepe Branch
Tel: 0212 214 42 10 - For a map: Click here
Vehicle Registration Plates
To change an international vehicle registration plate into a Turkish one, foreigners should visit any Branch of the Istanbul Security Directorate. To pre-register online: Click here.
- Istanbul Security Directorate Head Office (in Turkish)
At: Adnan Menderes Boulevard, H?rka-I ?erif District No 58, Fatih, Istanbul
Tel: 0212 635 00 00
Fax: 0212 636 14 44 - For a comprehensive list of provincial Security Directorates: Click here