The documents required for a Turkish press card are not gathered in a single list; they are set out in three separate places depending on the applicant's situation. This article brings them together.
1. Mandatory in Every Application (Art. 28/1)
| Document | Note |
|---|---|
| Passport photograph | Uploaded to the application system |
| A document evidencing at least six months of professional work | Uploaded to the application system |
2. Written into the Declaration
Under Article 28/4, the information in the applicant's contract compliant with Law No. 5953 is written into the relevant part of the declaration. The contract itself is not uploaded at the outset; but the Directorate may request it physically if it considers it necessary.
3. Required from the Media Organisation
4. Information Officers (Arts. 8/3 and 28/6)
Applicants under the title of information officer must additionally supply a duty letter stating the unit and the staff title at the public institution, signed by the senior manager.
Article 28/6 repeats this and requires the duty letter, evidencing that the applicant actually works in state information services, to be produced as an annex to the declaration.
5. Foreign Media Members (Art. 40)
- A document showing the assignment by the media organisation and the service–pay relationship
- A press visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate general, or a work visa from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security
- The letter of introduction from the representation in Turkey of the country where the organisation is based
- A photocopy of the visa and identity pages of the passport
- One passport photograph
Those coming temporarily must additionally produce an assignment document stating their assignment period and their field and subjects of work in Turkey (Art. 40/2). A letter of introduction is not required from applicants coming through Anadolu Agency or TRT (Art. 40/3).
6. Turkish Press Members Resident Abroad (Art. 28/5)
Alongside the application documents, a letter from the embassy or consulate general in the country of residence confirming the applicant's position is sent to the Directorate.
7. Loss or Wear (Art. 45)
Where the card has been lost, the application is accompanied by a record of the circumstances and/or the newspaper issue carrying the loss notice, together with a document showing that the applicant is still employed.
Information the Directorate Collects Itself
Some information is not supplied by the applicant; the Directorate requests it directly (Art. 29/1): judicial records, social security, tax office, population registry, the governorate, the Press Advertising Agency and professional bodies.
Bottom Line
Every application requires a passport photograph and a document evidencing six months of professional work. On the organisation's side, a certified copy of the declaration and prosecutor's receipt is required. Information officers produce a duty letter; foreign media members an assignment document, work visa and letter of introduction. Judicial, social security and tax records are checked by the Directorate itself.