Private Stamp Passport, Republic of Türkiye is a green-colored passport type issued by the Republic of Türkiye to specific public officials, former members of parliament, former ministers, and individuals meeting the conditions stipulated by law. It is commonly known as the green passport. It is issued for official personal travel and grants its holder visa exemptions or facilitated entry rights in many countries. The private stamp passport has a distinct status compared to diplomatic (black), service (gray), general (bordeaux), temporary (pink), and foreigner passports.

Legal Basis

The legal framework governing the issuance of private stamp passports is based on Article 14 of the Passport Law No. 5682 dated 15 July 1950. This article specifies who is eligible for the passport, its period of validity, and the authorities responsible for its issuance. The law has been amended by Laws No. 3073 (1984), 3463 (1988), 3868 (1993), 5411 (2005), and 6009 (2010). The authority to issue and manage private stamp passports rests with the Ministry of Interior; abroad, this authority may be delegated to the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Türkiye. Application and implementation procedures are carried out by the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİGM) and provincial population directorates.

Scope of the Private Stamp Passport

Eligible Beneficiaries

Private stamped passport, in accordance with Article 14 of the Passport Law, grants the private stamp passport to former members of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, former ministers, and state officials holding or retired from first, second, or third grade positions. Additionally, public officials who served under contract in these grades and whose pensions are determined according to these grades and are linked to the Turkish Pension Fund are also eligible for this passport.

Local Government Officials

Mayors of metropolitan, provincial, and district municipalities are entitled to apply for a private stamp passport during their term of office. This right automatically terminates upon the end of their term.

Public Institutions and Privatized Entities

Individuals employed by public institutions included in or privatized under privatization programs—for example, Ziraat Bank, Halk Bank, Emlak Bank, and Türk Telekom—may also obtain a private stamp passport if they meet certain conditions. These conditions include having held the right to a private stamp passport prior to privatization, the institution having at least 51% state ownership, affiliation with the Turkish Pension Fund, holding public official status, and being subject to the provisions of Law No. 4603.

Rights Extended to Spouses and Children

Spouses and minor children of individuals entitled to a private stamp passport who are not employed, unmarried, and continuing their education may receive a private stamp passport until they reach the age of 25. Students enrolled in open high schools or universities are also included. Additionally, children with physical, mental, or psychological disabilities requiring continuous care, as certified by an official health committee report from a fully equipped state hospital, may receive a private stamp passport without age restriction.

Widowed Spouses

In the event of the death of a person entitled to a private stamp passport, a passport of the same type may be issued to the surviving spouse, provided they have not remarried.

Application and Documentation Process

Applications for private stamp passports within Türkiye must be submitted in person through the Provincial Directorates of Population and Citizenship Affairs. There is no age limit for applicants; however, children must be physically present at the time of application regardless of age. Turkish citizens residing abroad may submit their applications through diplomatic missions of the Republic of Türkiye (embassies or consulates general).

Required Documents

The following documents must be presented at the time of application:

1. T.C. identity card, population register, or temporary identity document,
2. One biometric photograph taken within the last six months, conforming to ICAO standards,
3. Private Stamp Passport Application Form (valid for 60 days from the date of issuance),
4. Payment of the passport booklet fee, (payment information is verified electronically and no receipt is required),
5. Previous valid or expired passports.

For public officials entitled to a private stamp passport, the application document is prepared by the provincial or regional directorate of their employing institution and certified by authorized signature circulars. The form includes the identity information of the applicant as well as details of family members applying for the passport.

Applicants who have retired must submit an official retirement letter from their former institution. This letter must specify the applicant’s position grade and job title at the time of retirement. Even if previously submitted to security directorates, this document must be resubmitted for new applications or renewals.

Individuals who left their position due to resignation or withdrawal must apply with a withdrawal letter from their institution, clearly indicating their position grade and title. This document is also required for passport renewal applications.

In the case of the death of a private stamp passport holder, applicants who are the spouse or children must submit an official letter from the deceased’s institution, specifying the position grade and job title at the time of death. This document may be requested again in cases of doubt.

Additional documents may be required depending on the applicant’s status:

• For students: an official student certificate approved by e-Government or the educational institution (valid for 60 days)
• For children with disabilities: a health committee report from a fully equipped state hospital (stating continuous care requirement or “permanent validity of 50% or higher”)
• For spouses and children: a notarized consent form or power of attorney from the passport holder (consent form required for children under 18, power of attorney for those over 18)

In cases of divorce between parents, the consent of the parent with custody is required. If divorce proceedings are ongoing, procedures follow the court’s interim decision. In the case of death, the consent of the surviving parent or legal representative is required for minor children.

Passport Application Form and Administrative Procedures

The Private Stamp Passport Application Form is prepared in accordance with standards set by the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs. The form is valid for 60 days from the date of issuance and includes the identity details of the applicant and family members applying for the passport. The form must be printed on a single page, front and back. Any omissions or errors in the information on the form are the responsibility of the official of the institution issuing the form.

All central and provincial institutions are required to send, by 1 January each year, the signature circulars of authorized personnel who may sign passport application forms for current or retired staff to the relevant Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs. In the event of a change in authorized personnel, the new signature circulars must be submitted to the Provincial Directorate of Population Affairs. Applications submitted without these circulars, or if they have expired, will not be processed.

The application form must be signed only by an authorized person and must be stamped. The position grade section of the form cannot be left blank; it must clearly indicate the official’s grade according to Law No. 657 on Civil Servants.

In cases of changes in the passport holder’s position grade, transfer to another institution, or divorce from spouse, the relevant institution must notify the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs that issued the passport. Even if the passport remains valid, a new application form must be prepared by the institution and submitted electronically to the relevant Provincial Directorate if the holder is assigned to a new position.

Application timelines vary depending on the visa requirements of the destination country. For personnel assigned to countries requiring visas, applications must be initiated 60 days before the assignment date; for those assigned to countries without visa requirements, applications must be initiated 20 days in advance.

Even if the passport’s validity exceeds the duration of the assignment, passports remain in the custody of the institution upon completion of the assignment. Their use for private travel is strictly prohibited; in the event of misuse, both the passport holder and the institution that issued it are held responsible. Expired passports must be returned to the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs that issued them.

Fees and Exemptions

Private stamp passports, like other passport types, are subject only to the passport booklet fee. This fee is determined annually by the Ministry of Finance and may be paid through tax offices, PTT branches, agreed banks, or the Revenue Administration’s website (https://ivd.gib.gov.tr). Since payment information is verified electronically, no receipt or payment slip is required.

Private stamp passports are exempt from passport fees. Only the booklet fee is collected; no additional passport fee is charged. This practice is based on the current provisions of Law No. 5682 on Passports and the application guidelines issued by the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs.

If an applicant withdraws their application, the paid booklet fee is non-refundable. This is stipulated in the financial regulations governing passport procedures.

National and International Use

The private stamp passport is valid as an identity and entry document for citizens of the Republic of Türkiye for international travel. Holders may travel visa-free to countries with which the Republic of Türkiye has visa exemption agreements. This practice is based on bilateral or multilateral agreements between Türkiye and other states. The list of countries granting visa-free access is determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Countries Eligible for Visa-Free Travel (for Private Stamp Passport Holders)

Turkish citizens holding a private stamp passport may travel visa-free to the following countries for specified periods, in accordance with the document Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye – Visa Applications for Turkish Citizens:

• European Countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Croatia, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Greece (each for no more than 90 days within any 180-day period)
• Balkan Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia (visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period)
• Asian Countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore, Lebanon, Jordan (within the specified periods)
• Middle East and Gulf Countries: Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
• African Countries: South Africa, Tanzania, Seychelles, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Algeria (visa-free entry for up to 90 days in most countries)
• Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Paraguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Mexico (some with e-visa exemptions)
• Oceania: Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Samoa, Marshall Islands (visa-free entry for 30 to 90 days in most countries)

In these countries, visa-free stays are generally valid for no more than 90 days within any 180-day period. In some countries (e.g., Thailand, Malaysia, Japan), the permitted stay ranges from 60 to 90 days.

Countries Requiring Visas (for Private Stamp Passport Holders)

The main countries requiring visas for Turkish citizens holding a private stamp passport are:

• Europe and Non-Schengen Countries: United Kingdom, Ireland, Andorra, GKRY (Greek Cypriot Administration)
• North America: United States of America, Canada
• Asian Countries: People’s Republic of China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Vietnam, Taiwan, Myanmar, Cambodia (some offer e-visas or visas on arrival)
• African Countries: Ethiopia, Kenya (electronic travel authorization), Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Sudan, Libya (some have e-visa systems)
• Oceania and the Far Pacific: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Kiribati

Travelers to these countries must obtain a visa in advance from the respective country’s diplomatic mission or authorized electronic system. Additionally, some countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom) do not grant visa exemptions to holders of private stamp passports.