The period is one month, and it is sought together with two conditions.
Two Conditions
Art. 13/2 of the Press Card Regulation requires the following of applicants for a free press card:
| Subpara. | Condition |
|---|---|
| a | Meeting the other conditions, save for the one in Art. 8/1-f |
| b | Applying within one month of the date of leaving a media outlet at which they had been working for at least one year |
Why One Month?
The period matches the tolerance in Art. 8/1-f: save for force majeure, working without a break of more than one month from the date of leaving a job. That month is the only gap the scheme allows in the continuity of a card.
How Long Is a Free Card Issued For?
Art. 13/3 ties the duration to your card seniority:
| Time previously holding a press card | Free card duration |
|---|---|
| Those who held a card for up to five years | Twelve months |
| Those who held one for between five and ten years | Eighteen months |
| Those who held one for more than ten years | Twenty-four months |
Freelance Journalism Abroad
Art. 13/4 opens a separate route: a free press card may be issued to Turkish citizen journalists working as freelance journalists abroad without being attached to any media outlet, provided their situation is confirmed by the embassy or consulate in the country concerned.
After the Free Card: Returning to Work
Art. 37/2: a free press card issued on account of leaving a job is returned to the Directorate within one month of the date of starting work and, in any event, of the expiry of the periods in Art. 13/3.
Art. 37/3 offers a convenience: where work is taken up within those periods after a free press card was issued on account of a change of workplace or title or of leaving a job, the press card may be renewed by the Directorate without a Commission decision, provided the other conditions are met.
Effect on the Permanent Card Calculation
Art. 14/4, added by Presidential Decision No. 8624: in calculating the eighteen years required for a permanent press card, at most twenty-four months of the total periods during which a free press card was held are taken into account.
No New Application Until the Old Card Is Returned
Art. 37/4 is categorical: in cases where a press card must be returned, no new press card application is processed until the old card has been returned.
Summary
- A free press card application must be made within one month of leaving a media outlet where you worked for at least one year.
- The card is issued for 12, 18 or 24 months depending on how long you previously held a card.
- If you take up work within the period, the card may be renewed without a Commission decision.
- At most twenty-four months of free-card time counts towards the permanent card.