You can check and verify your criminal record through the e-Government portal. Anyone with an e-Government password can access services provided by the Ministry of Justice. With your Turkish ID number and a password obtained from PTT, you can instantly obtain official documents and certificates commonly needed in daily life.
Among the Ministry of Justice’s online services, the most frequently used are “Criminal Record Inquiry” and “Criminal Record Verification.” These documents can be generated up to four times within 24 hours. The generated documents can be printed multiple times or reproduced from the original. Personalized documents can be used across different institutions when required.
What Is a Criminal Record?
A citizen’s criminal records kept by the state are defined as the criminal record. Commonly referred to as a “Sabıka Kaydı,” this document is the Criminal Record.
- Finalized court decisions are entered into the system as a “Criminal Record.”
- Non-final court decisions are not recorded in the “Criminal Record.”
Criminal Record: The registration in the system of penalties or security measures imposed on individuals based on finalized court decisions. Penalties or measures determined by the court are recorded in the criminal record once the court decision becomes final.
If the court postpones the announcement of the verdict (HAGB), that decision is not entered into the criminal record. HAGB is technically not considered a conviction, so that decision is recorded in a separate system.
Where to Obtain a Criminal Record
Criminal records can be obtained via the e-Government portal. A security barcode number on the document is issued within minutes. The printed document can be shared with official institutions. Officials can view the original criminal record by entering the Turkish ID number and the barcode number into their systems.
- When obtaining a criminal record through e-Government, citizens should carefully select the reason for issuance.
You must be an e-Government user to retrieve documents from the portal. If there are doubts about the information on the generated document, you can contact the General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics.
Those with no criminal record can generate the result translated into:
- German
- English
- French
- Italian
- Spanish
- Dutch
- Danish
- Portuguese
If a criminal record exists, applicants should apply to the General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics for the relevant service. If an apostille is required for a foreign-language translated document, you should apply to the nearest Justice Commission Presidency of the First Instance Court of Judicial Jurisdiction.
Only users who read and accept the relevant conditions can proceed with the process.
Criminal Records Law
All details related to the creation, storage, provision, and deletion of criminal and archive records are carried out in accordance with the Criminal Records Law No. 5352 dated 25.05.2005.
- The law automatically collects, classifies, evaluates, preserves, and regulates access to finalized penalties and security measures and documents related to convictions in the system.
Information recorded on the criminal record includes: conviction decisions that require imprisonment, conditional release, supervision periods during conditional release, revocation of conditional release, completion of imprisonment execution, suspension of imprisonment, judicial monetary penalties, short-term imprisonment, deprivation of certain rights, determination of statute of limitations, laws regarding general and special amnesty, and convictions under the Military Penal Code.
Information not recorded on the criminal record includes: provisions related to disciplinary and military offenses, decisions related to disciplinary or coercive detention, and administrative monetary penalty decisions.
Postponement of the announcement of the verdict (HAGB): If the public prosecution is deferred or the announcement of the verdict is postponed, this information is recorded in a section separate from the criminal record. Standard criminal record documents will not display these entries.
E-Government Criminal Record Inquiry
To use the e-Government service, enter the site and type “Criminal Record Inquiry” into the search box to access the relevant section. Documents requested by different institutions, especially for hiring purposes, can be obtained with a single click using a smart device.
Steps to check the criminal record:
- Visit the relevant address and complete the identity verification successfully.
- After logging in, read the information screen that appears and proceed by checking the confirmation box.
- Enter personal identification details on the screen. Answer questions about institution type, the reason the document is requested, and where the document will be submitted.
- Press the “Query” button.
- If there is no criminal record, the screen will display “The person whose identity information is shown above has no criminal record.”
- If a record exists, details will be provided.
- Press the “Download File” button to print the document or take a screenshot.
The barcode criminal record obtained through e-Government can only be used by public institutions and organizations for its intended purpose.
How Is a Criminal Record Deleted?
When and how a criminal record is deleted is defined by the provisions of the Criminal Records Law. If there is uncertainty in practice, Supreme Court precedents are consulted.
Conditions for deleting a criminal record include:
- Completion of the execution of the penalty and security measures
- Payment of a judicial monetary penalty if the punishment is a fine
- Withdrawal of complaint regarding the conviction or active repentance
- Expiration of the statute of limitations
- General amnesty
- The person’s death
To avoid harm when seeking deletion of a criminal record, the convicted person should consult an experienced criminal law attorney. Legal advice helps prevent loss of rights.
Criminal records and archive records are distinct concepts. Conviction entries are first recorded on the criminal record. When conditions are met, records are deleted from the criminal register and moved to the archive. The deletion period for an archived record belonging to a convict is five years.
Items placed in the archive may be erased 15 years after archive entry if the convict applies and the court grants the “Restoration of Prohibited Rights” decision. If such a decision is not issued, a 30-year waiting period applies from the date conditions are met.
- Therefore, most convictions remain in the archive for between 15 and 30 years.
However, the convict’s death or the decriminalization of the act can allow the archive record to be erased.
Sample Petition to Delete a Criminal Record
Criminal records are automatically deleted when the relevant conditions are satisfied. If a conviction appears on the record and an application is necessary, the competent authority is the General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics. The petition can be delivered in person or mailed via PTT.
Address of the General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics: Devlet Mahallesi, Vekâletler Caddesi 06420 Çankaya/Ankara.
- The institution’s phone number is 0312 549 50 50.
- The email address is [email protected].
When writing a petition to delete a criminal record, the addressed institution should be: Republic of Turkey Ministry of Justice, General Directorate of Criminal Records and Statistics. The petition should include:
- The applicant’s identity information
- Subject title
- Details of the request
- Attached documents, if any
- A conclusion section
The applicant’s wet signature must appear at the bottom of the petition. The petition with photocopies of the criminal record and ID should be delivered in person or mailed on the same date.
The information in this article about criminal record inquiry and deletion may not exactly match every specific case. For applicable and up-to-date legal advice, criminal defense attorneys are the most authoritative source. Large lists of criminal record inquiry results requested by public institutions are prepared on diskette, CD, or other requested formats and delivered to the authorized parties as quickly as possible.