From 22 May 2023 Immigration Service Delivery will accept applications for permission under the Turkish Agreement through our email address [email protected].
We have simplified the application form and our process. In order to qualify for permission a Turkish national must be working with the same employer for at least one year. The simplest way to demonstrate this is with an Employment Detail Summary issued by Revenue.ie. It is not necessary to send in payslips if you submit Employment Detail Summary issued by Revenue.ie. Applicants are also asked to submit a supporting letter from their employer detailing their start date of employment.
It is no longer necessary to upload a full copy of your passport. You should only upload the biodata page of your passport. We hope that this simplified application process will speed up our processing times and lead to better outcomes for applicants. If we need any further documents we will email you and ask for them.
In This Section
Introduction
The Turkish Association Agreement, also known as the Ankara Agreement, was signed between The Republic of Turkish and the European Economic Community in 1963. The Agreement, as well as its Additional Protocol and Decisions of the Association Council, are part of EU law.
A link to this Agreement is at the end of this notice.
The Agreement
The effect of the Agreement is that Turkish nationals legally employed in an EU member State for a certain period of time gain rights to remain or to switch employment in that State depending on the length of time spent in the State, as follows:
After 1 year
After 3 years
After 4 years
Successful applicants can be granted permission to take up any occupation with any employer after three years.
For clarity: Under this Agreement, a Turkish National must be legally employed by the same employer for a minimum of three years before being granted unrestricted access to the labour market.
A Turkish national who works legally while they are on a student permission (Stamp 2) or on an employment permit (stamp 1) can apply for permission to live and work in the State, under the Turkish Association Agreement without the need to study or obtain a new employment permit.
Eligibility
You are eligible if:
You must meet all of the above criteria to qualify for permission under the Turkish Association Agreement.
How to apply
If you wish to apply for immigration permission under the Turkish Association Agreement you can submit your application form TURA1, with the required documentation, by email to: [email protected]. Please put Turkish Association Agreement in the subject line.
Emailing applications ensures more efficient and speedy processing, however it is also possible to apply by post. Please note: postal applications will take longer to process.
Postal applications can be sent to this address:
Turkish Association Agreement Section
Unit C Domestic Residence and Permissions Division
Immigration Service Delivery
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2
DO2 XK70
Documentation required
These are the documents you will need when you apply:
What happens if my application is successful?
If your application is successful, you will receive a letter approving your application. You must register this permission with your local immigration office and pay the appropriate registration fee.
If you have been working for the same employer for one year you will be given permission to continue to work for that employer. This permission only allows you to work for that named employer. This will be a stamp 1 allowing you to work for your current employer without the need for an employment permit. This permission will be renewable at your local immigration office provided you continue to work with your named employer. When you go to renew your registration you will need to show that you continue to work for the same employer. This can be shown by an up to date Statement of Earnings issued by Revenue and a letter of support from your employer.
When you have been legally working for the same employer for three years you can apply for permission to work for any employer. This will be a stamp 4 allowing you access to any employment without an employment permit issued by the Department of Enterprise and Employment.
What happens if my application is refused?
We will advise you of the Minister’s decision and the reasons why your application was refused. You can re-apply for permission under the Turkish Association at any time if you believe you qualify. You should pay careful attention to the reasons why your previous application was refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact us
Queries can be made by email to [email protected]. Please contact us only if it is urgent. This will allow us spend more time processing applications.
Legislation
A link to the Ankara Agreement is below: