There are a large number of self-employed workers and tradespeople in our country insured under Bağ-Kur. Bağ-Kur covers persons who do not have the opportunity to work as employees in the private or public sector, allowing them to pay contributions to qualify for retirement and to benefit from subsidized healthcare. One of the most important issues for Bağ-Kur insureds is the Bağ-Kur restructuring suspension (Bağ-Kur dondurma).
Under the relevant omnibus law, certain Bağ-Kur debts are being written off. According to this legislation, Bağ-Kur contributors who have had outstanding debt for 12 months or longer will have those debts canceled. There is no fixed application deadline for the debt write-off, so individuals can apply at any time with the required documents.
In practice, Bağ-Kur debt write-off and suspension refer to the same process. Within the scope of the Bağ-Kur amnesty, debts are removed and contribution periods are frozen. Beneficiaries whose debts have been erased and whose coverage periods have been suspended can restore those periods on request. In other words, frozen periods can be reactivated, and there is no compulsory payment required to restore them; however, if the insured person needs the service, they may choose to continue payments.
As noted above, periods that were restructured and later suspended under Bağ-Kur can be paid and reactivated. If a previously suspended debt is to be repaid, the payable amount is calculated based on the earnings subject to premiums in force on the date of the request. In short, the calculation uses the premium base applicable at the time of application. The calculated amount must be paid in a lump sum within three months from the date the amount is notified to the insured or their entitled beneficiaries.
Periods suspended by the Bağ-Kur amnesty cannot be counted as active insurance coverage while they remain suspended. Those whose coverage has been suspended can later take up insured employment; in such cases, their insurance coverage will be reactivated after they begin working in a new insured position.
Who Can Benefit from Bağ-Kur Suspension?
Persons eligible for Bağ-Kur restructuring and suspension include self-employed individuals working on their own account and those working independently in agriculture. To qualify, these individuals must be registered with and recorded by the Social Security Institution (SGK) and, at the time the relevant article was published in the Official Gazette, must have had debt for 12 months or more. If these conditions are met, they can benefit from Bağ-Kur restructuring and suspension.
Suspension under the Bağ-Kur amnesty is also important for retirement planning. The insured or their entitled beneficiaries, when they decide to retire, may purchase all suspended Bağ-Kur periods through reactivation (ihya) if they wish.
How to Apply for Bağ-Kur Debt Suspension
Individuals with Bağ-Kur debt must apply to the Social Security Center where their file is held within three months from the date the relevant article was published in the Official Gazette. A written petition is sufficient to request Bağ-Kur restructuring and suspension. You can obtain the required petition form from the institutions you visit.
Below is a sample petition template for Bağ-Kur suspension that you can adapt and submit to the relevant social security office:
Republic of Turkey
……………………….PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL SECURITY
…………………………SOCIAL SECURITY CENTER
………………………………..
I have Bağ-Kur registration at your institution with Bağ-Kur number …………………………… and Turkish ID number …………………………………. Pursuant to Article 56 of Law No. 6645, which amended certain laws and decree-laws on occupational health and safety and which added temporary Article 63 to Law No. 5510, and since my Bağ-Kur debt exceeded 12 months as of the end of April 2015, I request that my debts be canceled and my contribution periods suspended.
I respectfully request that this be carried out.
Name Surname
Signature
Turkish ID Number:
Bağ-Kur Number:
Address and Contact Information:
Attachment: Copy of ID
When submitting an application, ensure that your SGK registration is up to date, include accurate contact information, and attach a photocopy of your identity document. The Social Security Center will process the petition and notify you of the outcome and any amounts due for reactivation, calculated based on the premium bases applicable at the time of application.