Türkiye's e-Devlet portal, at turkiye.gov.tr, is the gateway to a huge range of public services, and it is not only for citizens. Foreign residents with a residence permit can open an account too, and doing so can save many trips to government offices.
Who can use it
Access depends on having a foreign identification number, the 11-digit number that usually starts with 99 and is printed on the residence permit card. Foreigners who only hold a passport, such as short-term visitors, generally have limited or no access.
Getting a password
The simplest route is a PTT post office. Applicants must go in person, since a password cannot be collected on someone else's behalf. Sabancı University's guidance for international students says the residence permit card is the key document, and that a small fee is charged. A 2026 guide from a Turkish law firm also lists a passport and a phone number among items that may be requested. The PTT clerk hands over a sealed envelope containing a temporary password.
You then log in at turkiye.gov.tr with your foreign identification number and that password, and set a new, strong one. Adding a verified phone number in your account settings is worthwhile, since it lets you reset a forgotten password online instead of returning to the post office.
Other login options exist, including mobile signature, electronic signature and internet banking with participating Turkish banks. Sabancı University advises that activation through one particular bank often fails, so the PTT route is usually the most reliable.
What you can do with it
Once logged in, foreign residents can carry out many everyday tasks, including:
Downloading a barcoded address registration document, often requested for residence permit extensions.
Obtaining a criminal record certificate.
Registering a phone brought from abroad through the BTK "IMEI Kaydet" service.
Checking tax debts, social security service records and, for property owners, title deed information.
Following court files linked to the UYAP system and downloading student certificates.
Residence permit applications themselves are mostly handled through the separate e-İkamet system run by the Presidency of Migration Management, but e-Devlet can be used to follow related records.
Services and requirements change from time to time, so check the help pages on turkiye.gov.tr or ask at your local PTT branch if anything is unclear.
Sources
Photo: User:ToprakM / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
