How to Get a Foreigner ID Number in Turkey (Yabancı Kimlik No)

If you plan to study, live or work in Turkey for longer than a short visit, one number will follow you through almost every official task. The foreigner ID number in Turkey, known in Turkish as the yabancı kimlik numarası, is an eleven-digit personal identification number that starts with 99. The state assigns it to foreign nationals when they register for a residence permit. You need it to open a bank account, enrol at a university, sign a rental contract, get a tax number and use the health system.

This guide explains what the number is, who needs one, and how to get a foreigner ID number in Turkey without confusion. The figures and rules below are current as of the time this article is written. Because residence permit and registration rules change often, confirm the exact details with the Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi) or an advisor before you act.

What Is a Foreigner ID Number in Turkey?

A foreigner ID number in Turkey is an eleven-digit identification number that the state assigns to every foreign national who holds a valid residence permit. It is the direct equivalent of the T.C. Kimlik No that Turkish citizens carry, and it works the same way in daily life: it is how the authorities, banks, universities and hospitals recognise you in their systems. The one visible difference is the first two digits. A foreigner ID number always begins with 99, which is how any Turkish official instantly knows the holder is a foreign national.

In Turkish the number is called the yabancı kimlik numarası, often shortened to yabancı kimlik no or simply YKN. You will see it printed on the front of your residence permit card, and once it is issued it stays with you. If you leave Turkey and return years later on a new permit, the same yabancı kimlik numarası is normally reactivated rather than replaced, so it is worth keeping a record of it.

Who Needs a Foreigner ID Number?

Anyone staying in Turkey long term on a residence permit needs a foreigner ID number, because the number is generated as part of the residence permit process itself. You do not apply for the number on its own. You apply for the permit, and the number comes with it. That covers a wide range of people:

• International students on a Turkish student residence permit or a Turkish language course residence permit. A foreigner ID number for international students is essential for university enrolment, paying tuition and opening a student bank account.
• Language learners who come to Turkey on a Turkish language course visa and then move onto a residence permit.
• Family members joining a spouse or parent on a family residence permit.
• Workers and long-term residents on work or short-term residence permits.

Tourists on a short visa or visa-free entry do not receive a foreigner ID number, because they have no residence permit. If you only ever visit for a few weeks at a time, you will not have one, and for most short tasks you will not need one.

How to Get a Foreigner ID Number in Turkey, Step by Step

Learning how to get a foreigner ID number in Turkey really means learning how to apply for a residence permit, because the number is issued automatically once your permit application is registered. The foreigner ID number Turkey assigns is not a separate application with its own office queue. Here is the sequence we guide students through.

1. Enter Turkey on the correct visa. For students that usually means a student visa or a Turkish language course visa obtained from a Turkish consulate before travel. Your route into the country shapes which residence permit you can apply for.
2. Apply for your residence permit online. Applications are made through the e-ikamet system, the online residence permit portal run by the Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi). You fill in your details, choose the permit type and book an appointment.
3. Prepare your document file. Gather the papers listed in the next section, including your passport, biometric photos, proof of address and proof of health insurance.
4. Attend your appointment. You submit your documents and biometrics at the migration office or an authorised centre on the date the system gives you.
5. Receive your foreigner ID number. Once your application is registered in the system, your yabancı kimlik numarası is generated. Many applicants can see the eleven-digit number on their application documents or e-ikamet record before the physical card even arrives.
6. Collect your residence permit card. The card is posted to your address in Turkey, usually within a few weeks. Your foreigner ID number is printed on it, and from that point you use it everywhere.

In our experience advising international students, the number often appears in the e-ikamet system while the card is still in the post, so you can frequently start tasks like opening a bank account using the number itself before the plastic card reaches you. Always confirm this with the specific institution, as some ask to see the physical card.

Documents You Need for the Residence Permit

Because the foreigner ID number for residence permit applications is issued as part of the permit, the documents you prepare are the residence permit documents. The exact list depends on your permit type, but for students it usually includes:

• A passport valid well beyond the permit period, plus photocopies of the main pages.
• The completed e-ikamet application form, signed.
• Biometric passport photos taken within the last six months.
• Proof of enrolment or a student certificate from your university or language school.
• Proof of valid health insurance covering your stay in Turkey.
• Proof of address, such as a rental contract or a notarised commitment from the person you live with.
• Proof that the residence permit fee and card fee have been paid.

Requirements differ between provinces and can change from one term to the next, so treat this as a starting checklist rather than a final one. In practice, a missing or expired health insurance document and an unclear proof of address are the two items that most often send a student back to fix their file, so get those two right first.

Foreigner ID Number vs Turkish Citizen ID Number

People often ask whether the foreigner ID number is the same as the number Turkish citizens use. Functionally it plays the same role, but there are clear differences worth understanding, especially when a form or a website asks for your kimlik number.

The practical takeaway is that most Turkish online systems, banking apps and government portals accept the yabancı kimlik numarası in the same field they use for a citizen ID number. When a system rejects your number, it is usually because your permit has not finished registering yet, not because the number is invalid.

Where You Will Use Your Foreigner ID Number

Once you have it, the foreigner ID number for international students and other residents becomes the key to daily life in Turkey. You will be asked for it far more often than you expect. The most common uses include:

• Banking. Opening a Turkish bank account normally requires your foreigner ID number alongside a tax number and proof of address.
• University. Enrolment, student records, tuition payments and exam registration all run on your number.
• Healthcare. Hospitals and pharmacies use it to find your records and your insurance status.
• Mobile and utilities. Getting a Turkish SIM card on a contract, or setting up electricity, water or internet, asks for the number.
• Official transactions. Signing a notarised document, applying for a tax number, or renewing your residence permit all rely on it.

Keep the number somewhere safe and memorise it if you can. A student who knows their yabancı kimlik numarası by heart moves through appointments and forms far faster than one who has to dig out the card every time.

Common Questions About Timing and Loss

The single most common worry is timing. Because the foreigner ID number for residence permit holders is generated during registration, most applicants receive it within the weeks it takes to process the permit, rather than instantly on arrival. If you need to complete an urgent task, such as paying tuition by a deadline, tell your university early so they can advise on what is possible before your card arrives.

If you lose your residence permit card, you do not lose your foreigner ID number. The number stays yours; only the card needs replacing. You report the loss and apply for a replacement card through the migration authorities, and the same eleven-digit number is reissued on the new card. This is another reason to store the number separately from the card, for example in a secure note, so a lost card never leaves you without your identifier.

Getting a foreigner ID number in Turkey is, in the end, a by-product of doing your residence permit correctly and on time. Sort out the permit, keep your documents clean, and the number arrives with it. Start the process early, confirm the current rules, and you will have the number that study and daily life in Turkey depend on well before you need it most.

Planning to Study in Turkey?

Turkish Council is an Istanbul-based education consultancy that has guided international students from over 40 countries through Turkish language course visas, student visas, residence permits and university admission since 2020. To discuss your own plans, reach us by phone or WhatsApp at +90 532 431 80 50, by email at contact@turkishcouncil.org, or visit us at Merkez Mahallesi Hasat Sokak No:12A, 34384 Şişli, İstanbul. Contact us for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a foreigner ID number in Turkey?

A foreigner ID number in Turkey is an eleven-digit identification number, called the yabancı kimlik numarası, that is assigned to foreign nationals who hold a residence permit. It always begins with 99 and works like the T.C. Kimlik No that Turkish citizens use.

How do I get a foreigner ID number in Turkey?

You get a foreigner ID number in Turkey by applying for a residence permit through the e-ikamet system run by the Directorate General of Migration Management. The number is generated automatically once your permit application is registered, so there is no separate application for the number itself.

Is the foreigner ID number the same as a residence permit number?

They are linked but not identical. The foreigner ID number is your personal eleven-digit identifier that stays with you, while the residence permit has its own document details and expiry date. The foreigner ID number for residence permit holders is printed on the permit card.

Does my foreigner ID number change when I renew my permit?

No. Your yabancı kimlik numarası normally stays the same for life, even when you renew or change your residence permit. If you leave Turkey and return on a new permit years later, the same number is generally reactivated rather than replaced.

Can international students get a foreigner ID number?

Yes. A foreigner ID number for international students is issued when they register their student residence permit or Turkish language course residence permit. Students need it for university enrolment, tuition payments, banking and healthcare.

How long does it take to get the number?

The number is usually generated within the weeks it takes to process your residence permit application, as of the time this article is written. Many applicants can see it in their e-ikamet record before the physical card arrives. Because processing times vary, confirm current timelines with the migration office.

What happens to my number if I lose my residence permit card?

You keep your foreigner ID number. Only the card needs replacing. You report the loss and apply for a replacement card, and the same eleven-digit number is reissued, which is why it is wise to store the number separately from the card.

About Turkish Council

Turkish Council is an Istanbul-based (Şişli) education consultancy specialising in study-in-Turkey services for international students. Since 2020, our consultants have guided students from over 40 countries through Turkish language course visas, student visas and residence permits, and university admission, working in English, Turkish, French, Russian and Chinese. The firm is led by Burak Ünal, an education consultant who holds a BSc in Business Management from Boğaziçi University and an MSc in Finance from the London School of Economics, and is a Chevening Scholarship holder. We focus on clear, step-by-step guidance.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and you are strongly advised to consult a professional to evaluate your personal situation. No liability is accepted that may arise from the use of the information in this article.