Ziraat Bank’s credit payment deferral was extended by eight months for loans taken before December 31. Citizens who experienced payment difficulties during the pandemic can have their loan payments deferred once their applications are approved.
Deferral options for mortgage, vehicle, personal loans and credit card debts were extended to help those whose work and income were affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Reduced interest rates will apply during this period.
How to Apply for a Ziraat Bank Loan Deferral
To apply for a Ziraat Bank loan deferral:
- Send an SMS with the word “ERTELEME” followed by a space and your “national ID number” to 4757.
- Call Ziraat Bank customer service at 444 00 00 or 0850 220 00 00 to request a deferral.
- Visit a Ziraat Bank branch and speak with a representative in the retail customer services department to process your deferral.
- Use Ziraat Bank’s mobile banking app to submit a deferral request.
- Visit the online portal at bireysel.ziraatbank.com.tr to request a deferral for the desired term.
Deferral Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility criteria for a Ziraat Bank loan deferral include:
- Loss of employment for the person responsible for repaying the loan;
- Monthly income that is less than monthly expenses;
- No outstanding debts to social security institutions (SGK);
- No existing unpaid Ziraat Bank loan balance;
- No unpaid loans or credit card debts to other banks;
- No legal proceedings initiated by any bank against the borrower’s loan file;
- For secured loans, the pledged asset must be registered in the name of the borrower.
Required Documents for Loan Deferral
Typical documents requested for a Ziraat Bank loan deferral:
- Payment receipt showing no overdue payments on prior loans from other banks;
- Recent payment records for loans previously taken from Ziraat Bank;
- The borrower’s social security registration document;
- A stamped and signed employment certificate from the employer;
- If unemployed, an official document confirming job loss (can be obtained through e-Government);
- Where applicable, asset and tax records of the borrower will be verified via e-Government.
How Long Can a Loan Be Deferred?
Standard deferral duration is up to one year. Borrowers who face payment difficulties due to the coronavirus may defer their loan repayments for up to twelve months. For state-supported corporate loans the deferral period can reach five years, while individual loans are generally eligible for up to one year.
If a loan was taken with a guarantor or secured by an asset, the deferral can be extended up to 18 months. You can also request debt restructuring via Ziraat Bank customer service or the mobile banking app.
Interest reductions are applied to loans deferred for one year due to hardship. Loans used for agricultural activities may be deferred from one year up to five years.
Are Interest Charges Applied During Deferral?
Interest during deferral varies depending on the deferral period. Interest will accrue on the deferred balance and reflected in the next statements and total cost.
A reference monthly interest rate is 1.05%, with a maximum annual rate of 16.71%. Example deferral charges are provided for short terms: 1 month deferral around 2.87%, 2 months about 3.80%, and 3 months approximately 4.72%.
Agricultural and livestock production loans often carry different, usually lower rates due to support schemes—annual rates can be around 12.75% for production loans. As these sectors receive state support, a portion of the requested loan amount may be provided as a grant.
For a one-year deferral, 25% of the interest and for a five-year deferral, 20% of the interest may be covered by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
Small-scale agricultural businesses may receive full interest coverage for loans up to 50,000 TL, and traditional livestock operations up to 100,000 TL; this interest coverage is provided by the state.
Can Mortgage Loan Payments Be Deferred?
Mortgage deferral requests are generally approved for three months initially. Mortgage deferral applications should be submitted at a branch. If approved, the bank will notify the customer within three to five business days.
Mortgage deferrals related to the coronavirus outbreak can also be handled remotely.
- Send an SMS with “KREDIERTELE”, a space, then your “national ID number” to 4757.
- Call Ziraat Bank Call Center at 444 00 00 to request a mortgage deferral.
- Call Ziraat Bank Customer Services at 0850 220 00 00, verify your identity, and submit your deferral request.
- Use the mobile banking app to complete the deferral request online.
Can Vehicle Loan Payments Be Deferred?
You can apply to defer your vehicle loan and typically receive a three-month payment holiday. The deferral does not change the stated interest rate; it only postpones payments. You can request this by sending an SMS with “KREDIERTELE” followed by a space and your “national ID number” to 4757.
Customer service will inform you of the outcome. You can also contact the call center at 444 00 00 or customer service at 0850 220 00 00 to process your request.
Using internet banking at bireysel.ziraatbank.com.tr you can request deferral according to your loan type. Visit your nearest Ziraat Bank branch and speak with retail customer services to access immediate deferral options.
How to Check Your Ziraat Bank Loan Balance
You can check your Ziraat Bank loan balance using the following methods:
- Log in at bireysel.ziraatbank.com.tr and view your loan balance with your ID number.
- Call the Ziraat Bank Call Center at 444 00 00 for information.
- Call Ziraat Bank Customer Services at 0850 220 00 00 to learn your outstanding amount.
- Send an SMS with “KKEKSTRE” followed by a space to 4747 to receive your statement.
- Visit your nearest Ziraat Bank branch to inquire in person.
How to Restructure Your Ziraat Bank Loan
To restructure a Ziraat Bank loan, visit the nearest branch to request installment options for up to 72 months. Restructuring measures for loans during the coronavirus period are regularly updated.
Restructuring limits for loans taken after December 31, 2020 are: up to 500,000 TL for agricultural loans and up to 100,000 TL for personal loans. To ease financial burden, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) allows restructuring for up to 72 months.
Choose a term of 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 or 72 months based on the interest rates and total cost. Longer terms increase total interest and monthly installments. Interest rates at the time you originally took the loan may differ from current restructuring rates.
You can restructure provided your file has not entered legal collection. If you miss payments for three months after restructuring is granted, enforcement actions such as salary garnishment or asset seizure may follow. Your name may be placed on a negative credit list, preventing new loan or credit card approvals from other banks.