Requirement of Permission Document for Public Servants to Travel Abroad, Lifted

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The provision introduced in the State of Emergency that required the public servants to provide a permission notice from the institutions they work for, in case they wanted to travel abroad, was lifted as of today (November 15). A notice regarding the revocation of the provision has been sent to border gates and airports.

In accordance with the new regulation, public servants arriving at airports and border gates this morning to leave Turkey, were been asked to provide any permission document.

The revocation of the requirement does not apply for public servants who are subjected to an internationational travel ban or have restriction notice on their passports.

Requirement was introduced under following the coup attempt

Following the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, a regulation was introduced on July 18, 2016, that provided a temporary prohibition for the public servants to leave Turkey and the cancellation of their annual leave.

The provision to provide a permission notice from public institutions to travel abroad had entered into force on July 21, 2016 under the State of Emergency. Public servants were only allowed to leave Turkey if they showed these permission documents they acquired from the public institution they worked in, at the airport or the border gates.

In the last cabinet meeting, the regulation was brought to agenda for discussion and the Vice Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Government Bekir Bozdağ stated that "the regulation [...] that was introduced along with other measures taken in the wake of the coup attempt, would be lifted as of November 15".

Green and grey passports

Former members of the Parliament, public servants of first, second and third degree position as well as public servants and state officials who retired from these positions can acquire a green (special) passport.

Gray (service) passports can only be issued to public servants who are assigned by the Government, administrations or municipalities for on official duty abroad or others who are employed in international institutions of which Turkey is a member as well as those assigned by the Turkish Aeronautical Association and the Turkish Red Crescent. (AS/DG)