Residence and Visa Procedures Made Easier for International Students
The Presidency of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior and
the Council of Higher Education signed the "Cooperation Protocol on
Residence Permit Applications for International Students".
CoHE President Özvar: "We aim to ensure that the international
students, who choose our country for higher education, obtain the
documents regarding their legal status in accordance with the
hospitality of our country and through safe and proper methods."
Interior Minister Yerlikaya: "This protocol will minimize bureaucratic
procedures in the workflow and increase the cooperation between the
Ministry of Interior and higher education institutions in the residence
permit application processes of international students."
November 15, 2023
The Presidency of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior and the
Council of Higher Education signed the Cooperation Protocol on Residence
Permit Applications for International Students, which will ensure that the
residence and visa procedures of international students are carried out
quickly and easily.
Ali Yerlikaya, Minister of Interior, Erol Özvar, President of the Council
of Higher Education, CoHE Executive Board Members, Prof. Naci Gündoğan,
Prof. Kemal Şenocak, Prof. Hüseyin Karaman, Prof. Erol Arcaklıoğlu, Prof.
Arif Bilgin, and Prof. Mahmut Ak, and officials from the Ministry attended
the protocol signing ceremony held at the Ministry.
In his speech, Erol Özvar stated that the Council of Higher Education and
the Presidency of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior signed
an important protocol on strengthening the cooperation, and emphasized that
with the protocol rearranged the regulations regarding the visa and
residence permit processes of international students, who come to Türkiye
for university education.
Özvar stated that the foundations of cooperation with the Presidency of
Migration Management were laid with the protocol signed in 2016, and noted
that they thought it was about time to expand and strengthen the scope of
the existing protocol.
He pointed out that Türkiye was located in a region with high human
mobility and said: "We are very pleased that the protocol will increase the
cooperation between the Presidency of Migration Management, the Council of
Higher Education, Provincial Directorates of Migration Management and
higher education institutions in the residence permit procedures of
international students who will study at higher education institutions in
our country. As stakeholders, we aim to ensure that the international
students, who choose our country for higher education, obtain the documents
regarding their legal status in accordance with the hospitality of our
country and through safe and proper methods."
He emphasized that information about the contents of the protocol would be
provided to international students and all relevant circles in cooperation
with higher education institutions in the near future. "As the Council of
Higher Education, our vision for the Century of Türkiye is to build an
innovative and competitive higher education system that adopts a
quality-oriented and academic performance-based management approach;
supports university-industry cooperation models with its diversity and the
manpower profile that our country needs; is sensitive to national, regional
and global problems and shapes the future at a global level. With this
understanding, we are very pleased to work closely with the Ministry of
Interior. I wish the protocol will be beneficial."
Minister Yerlikaya: "International students are one of the most typical
examples of regular immigration."
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya emphasized that Türkiye had a great
competitiveness in the field of higher education and said, "This
competitiveness is also on the radar of international students. For this
reason, students from 198 countries study at Turkish universities. We aim
to attract internationally-successful students and provide them with higher
education opportunities in our country."
Minister Yerlikaya said that migration management was of great importance
for the planned execution of the procedures for international students.
"The education rights of international students are determined by law.
These students are subject to the Law on Foreigners from the moment they
plan to come to Türkiye. The main principles in the Law on Foreigners
include visa procedures, border crossing procedures and residence permits
international students need to obtain during their period of study. The
protocol will facilitate these procedures, minimize bureaucratic procedures
in the workflow and increase the cooperation between the Ministry of
Interior and higher education institutions in the residence permit
application processes of international students."
In accordance with the protocol, universities and Provincial Directorates
of Migration Management will appoint representatives for international
students.
The Registrar's Offices of universities will prepare student residence
permit documents and submit them to the Provincial Directorates of
Migration Management. The process of fingerprinting for students will be
planned in coordination with universities.
Following the speeches, Minister Yerlikaya and CoHE President Özvar signed
the Cooperation Protocol on Residence Permit Applications for International
Students.