Many of us have relatives who once went abroad to work and save money. Before the omnibus law change, the periods that Turkish citizens had worked abroad were not counted by the Social Security Institution (SGK). If these citizens made a permanent return to Turkey, they often had no retirement rights based on their foreign work. However, under the new omnibus law, Turkish citizens who worked abroad can obtain retirement rights by declaring those periods and paying into their Turkish social security through a debt-based coverage process. Below we explain the steps these citizens must follow and answer the question: which countries’ work periods can be used to qualify for retirement in Turkey.
Who Can Apply for Overseas Debt-Based Coverage?
Dual citizens who have always retained the right to buy back their foreign work periods and retire in Turkey remain eligible. Previously, Turkish citizens who had lost or renounced citizenship were excluded: “being a Turkish citizen” was required to apply for overseas debt-based coverage. After many lawsuits were decided against the Social Security Institution, the omnibus law enacted on 10 September 2014 introduced an important change. Now holders of the “blue card” (given to those born Turkish who later lost citizenship with permission) can also obtain retirement rights by buying back foreign service time, provided they worked at least one day as a registered employee in Turkey. In short, blue card holders who meet the conditions may apply for overseas debt-based coverage as well.
The general conditions required to apply for overseas debt-based coverage are:
- Having been a Turkish citizen for some period
- Being over 18 years of age
- Having lived abroad for a certain period
- Being able to document the periods worked abroad with appropriate records
Which Periods Are Included in Overseas Debt-Based Coverage?
All Turkish citizens and blue card holders who have worked abroad can buy back their periods of foreign employment and gain retirement rights in Turkey. Women who did not work abroad may also include periods spent as homemakers where applicable. Periods purchased through overseas debt-based coverage are treated, for social security purposes, the same as periods worked in Turkey. This right is provided to citizens and blue card holders under Law No. 3201 and is optional: applicants may choose to buy back all or part of their foreign service time, or not to use the right at all.
In addition, unemployment periods of up to one year that occurred between two employment spells abroad can also be optionally included in the overseas debt-based coverage.
How to Apply for Overseas Debt-Based Coverage?
Applicants should note that even if they are working abroad, the debt-based coverage application must be submitted in person in Turkey; mail-submitted documents are not processed. Therefore, applicants must travel to Turkey to file the request by hand.
The documents required for an overseas debt-based coverage application typically include:
- Overseas Service Debt-Based Coverage Request Petition (available from any SGK Provincial Directorate)
- Complete service records or insurance cards issued by the foreign country’s social security institution
- Documents from the foreign country’s tax office confirming the period of employment
- A service document issued by the Turkish representation in the country of work (consulate, labor and social security attaché, or similar) indicating that the record will be used for overseas debt-based coverage
With these documents, you must apply in person at the Social Security Institution Provincial Directorate where you reside. The legally prescribed time to finalize an application is up to 30 days; you will receive the result within this period.
In Which Countries Can Work Periods Be Used to Retire in Turkey?
One frequently asked question is which countries’ work periods can be counted toward retirement in Turkey. To obtain retirement in Turkey by buying back foreign employment periods, you must have worked in a country that has a bilateral social security agreement with Turkey. Currently Turkey has social security agreements with 23 countries. Turkish citizens who worked in these countries can, upon buying back those periods, have their foreign service credited as if it were service in Turkey.
The following countries are among those where working periods may be counted toward Turkish retirement when properly documented and bought back:
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Austria
- Switzerland
- France
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Norway
- Libya
- Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (K.K.T.C.)
- North Macedonia
- Azerbaijan
- Romania
- Georgia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Canada
- Quebec (province-specific agreement)
- Czech Republic
- Albania
- Luxembourg
- Croatia
Overseas Service Debt-Based Coverage Request Petition
If you need the official request petition, obtain it from any SGK Provincial Directorate when you apply.