Changing your address in Türkiye: the 20-business-day notification
Every resident of Türkiye, citizen or foreigner, must declare a change of residence address within 20 business days of moving (Law 5490 on Population Services, art. 50). For a foreigner the declaration matters twice: the address system (MERNİS) is what the Directorate of Migration Management, the tax office, banks and the courts use to find you, and the residence permit card is posted to it. This guide explains where to report, what to bring, the e-Devlet option and the consequences of a missed deadline.
Where to report
The declaration is made at the district population directorate (İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü) of the district you move into, or online through e-Devlet. Any population directorate in the province can take the declaration, but the one for your new district has the local records and is fastest. Appointments are booked through the NVİ appointment system; walk-in is possible in smaller districts. Foreigners declare in person with the residence or work permit card; a family member living at the same address may declare for the household with the other members' ID documents.
Documents the directorate accepts
- Residence permit card or work permit card, and passport.
- Proof of the new address, one of: a lease in your name (notarised where the district insists; signature certification at the 2026 notarial tariff, paid by you to the notary), a title deed in your name, or a notarised undertaking from the person hosting you together with that person's ID.
- A recent utility or internet subscription in your name at the new address helps where the lease is not notarised.
- For children: the parent's permit card and the child's passport or permit.
The declaration is free. The officer updates MERNİS and prints a new residence record (yerleşim yeri belgesi) on the spot. If someone is still registered at your new address, the officer may ask the landlord to confirm; a landlord can also remove former tenants through e-Devlet.
The e-Devlet route
Residents with an e-Devlet password can declare a move online under "Adres Değişikliği Bildirimi" (NVİ). The system verifies the new address against a utility subscription in your name or a notarised lease on record, or sends a confirmation request to the title-deed owner, who approves it through their own e-Devlet. If none of those is available, the online route fails and you declare in person. For foreigners the online declaration also updates the address the Directorate sees; no separate visit to the Directorate is required unless the Directorate asks for it. See our e-Devlet guide for the password and what else the portal does.
What happens if you miss the 20 days
A late or false declaration carries an administrative fine under Law 5490 art. 68, re-valued each year; the directorate imposes it when you finally declare. More costly are the knock-on effects: a residence permit card posted to the old address is returned to the Directorate and may be destroyed after a holding period; a renewal application with an address different from the MERNİS record is sent back; court and tax notices served at the old address are deemed delivered. The Directorate can also treat an unreported move as a change of circumstances justifying cancellation of the permit, since the permit is tied to the declared address.
Moves within the same building, moves within the same district and moves from a dormitory to a flat all count; the 20 business days start again with each move.
Moving province
Moving to another province changes which provincial directorate holds your permit file. Declare the new address at the new district's population directorate; the Directorate's system picks up the change, but your next e-ikamet application will be processed by the new province, with its own appointment system and document expectations. A change of province during a pending application should be reported to the Directorate that holds the file.
Sources
- nvi.gov.tr — General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs: address declaration rules
- mevzuat.gov.tr — Law 5490 art. 50 (declaration duty) and art. 68 (fines); Adres Kayıt Sistemi Yönetmeliği
- turkiye.gov.tr — e-Devlet: address change notification service
- goc.gov.tr — Presidency of Migration Management: duty to report changes of address
Questions
I moved but my permit card has not arrived yet. What should I do?
Declare the new address at the population directorate as soon as you can and then inform the provincial Directorate of Migration Management, in writing or at the counter, so that the card is redirected. A card returned by PTT is held for a limited period before it is cancelled.
Can my landlord report the address for me?
The landlord can confirm your address through e-Devlet when you file the online declaration, and can remove former tenants, but the declaration itself is yours. In person, a household member with your ID documents may declare for you; a landlord may not.
Do I need a notarised lease to change my address?
Not by law. The regulation accepts a lease, a title deed or a host's undertaking. In practice several İstanbul districts ask foreigners for a notarised lease or a utility subscription in their name; the notary's signature certification is paid by you to the notary at the 2026 tariff.