The period is one month, and it is among the most frequently overlooked conditions in the Regulation.
The Text
Art. 8/1-f of the Press Card Regulation requires that the applicant has concluded a contract conforming to Law No. 5953 and, save for force majeure, works without a break of more than one month from the date of leaving a job.
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Two limbs of the condition | A contract conforming to Law No. 5953 + working without a break |
| Maximum break | One month |
| Start of the period | The date of leaving the job |
| Exception | Force majeure |
What Happens If the Condition Is Lost
Art. 38/1-a: where it emerges that the card holder has subsequently lost the qualities in Art. 8, the card is cancelled by the Directorate.
Art. 37 adds a duty to return the card: a press card is returned to the Directorate within one month in the event of a change of workplace or title, of leaving a job, and of cancellation of the card.
The Way Out: A Free Press Card
For a journalist who has left a job the Regulation builds a bridge. Under Art. 13, a free press card may be issued to Turkish citizen media members who are temporarily not working or who work as freelance journalists abroad.
But the period here is short too. Art. 13/2-b requires an application within one month of the date of leaving a media outlet at which they had been working for at least one year.
Free Card Durations
Art. 13/3 sets the duration of the free card by reference to how long a card was previously held:
| Time previously holding a press card | Free card duration |
|---|---|
| Up to five years | Twelve months |
| Between five and ten years | Eighteen months |
| More than ten years | Twenty-four months |
The Condition Is Not Sought for Permanent Cards
Art. 14/2: applicants for a permanent press card must meet the other conditions save for the one in Art. 8/1-f. So the continuous-work condition is not sought from permanent card holders. Art. 13/2-a grants the same exemption for the free card.
Force Majeure
The article carries the reservation "save for force majeure". Whether a particular situation counts as force majeure is a matter of assessment; if you have an impediment you can document, put it forward at the point of application and check the Directorate's current announcements.
Summary
- A break of more than one month after leaving a job costs you the condition in Art. 8/1-f, and the card is cancelled under Art. 38.
- A free press card may be applied for within the same one-month window.
- The free card runs for 12, 18 or 24 months depending on how long a card was previously held.
- The condition is not sought from permanent and free card holders.