Help with address registration (Adres Kaydı)

What is Turkey's address registration system and why does it matter to you?

The Address Registration System (Adres Kayıt Sistemi) is the official civil registry in which the Turkish state records every resident's actual place of residence. It operates under Population Services Law No. 5490, enacted in 2006, and its accompanying Address Registration System regulation. The General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü) administers this system and links it to each individual's civil registry record.

Under this system, registering your residence address is a general civil obligation that applies to everyone living in Turkey, not just a specific category of people. The competent authority states explicitly that "reporting your address is an obligation" — a legal duty on every resident of the country to report their residence address and any change to it.

The address registered in this system is used as an official reference in a range of transactions that go well beyond issuing residence permits — including sending official government correspondence and notices, registering voter data in the electoral roll for citizens, as well as serving as the reference address in a number of other government transactions that rely on a person's official residence address.

Key points to know

• The Address Registration System regulation requires reporting any change of residence address within a legal deadline of twenty working days from the date of the change — a deadline that applies to everyone subject to the registration system
• Failing to update your registered address when you move to a new home means official correspondence and notices, including legal notifications, will keep being sent to the old address, which could leave you unaware of procedures or official appointments that concern you
• An old or inaccurate address in the registry can also complicate other government transactions tied to your official residence address, even ones with no direct connection to residence permits

Frequently asked questions

Is address registration an obligation only for residence permit holders? No. Reporting your residence address is a general civil obligation under Population Services Law No. 5490 that applies to everyone living in Turkey. Residence permits specifically have an additional link to this system that follows its own rules, but the general obligation applies regardless.

What happens if I move to a new address without updating my registration? Any change of address must be reported within the legal deadline of twenty working days. Ignoring this requirement leaves the old address as the official reference on record, which means government correspondence and notices may not reach you, or certain official transactions that rely on your registered residence address may become more complicated.

Last updated: 2026-09-07