Turkey’s Combat against Irregular Migration
Türkiye, due to its location at the intersection of the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa, and its position as a bridge between underdeveloped countries in political and economic terms and states with a high level of welfare, has been used as a transit route by irregular migrants for many years; however, in recent years, as our country has become a rising power in the region, it has become a destination country. Along with these, the turmoil that has been ongoing for years in the Middle East, the Caucasus, and the Balkans has led to mass influxes into Türkiye, and with its historical ties and sense of responsibility, our country has welcomed these asylum seekers in difficult situations. After the 1980s, Türkiye became not only a sending country but also a receiving country. The freedom of communication and travel brought about by globalization has led to an increase in migration movements all over the world, and Türkiye has also been deeply affected by this globalization process.
All these reasons have led our country to develop strategies to combat irregular migration, implement legal reforms, and develop international cooperation. In this context, in order to increase the effectiveness of the combat against irregular migration, the Department of Combating Irregular Migration was established with the Presidential Decree No. 4 published on 15.07.2018, and subsequently, with the amendments made by Presidential Decree No. 85 dated 29.10.2021, the Directorate General of Combating Irregular Migration and Removal Affairs was included among the units established within the Presidency of Migration Management. The scope of duties of the Directorate General established with the amendments made to the decree in question is determined as follows:
1) To carry out works and transactions related to irregular migration,
2) To ensure coordination between law enforcement units and relevant public institutions and organizations in order to combat irregular migration, to develop measures, and to monitor the implementation of the measures taken
3) To implement the provisions regarding the readmission agreements to which Türkiye is a party,
4) To operate removal centres or have them operated
5) To perform other duties assigned by the President.
Strategies for Combating Irregular Migration
With the Strategy Document and National Action Plan for Combating Irregular Migration covering the years 2015-2018, strategic objectives were determined in our country's combat against irregular migration and efforts were carried out to implement them. With the end of this period, the Strategy Document and National Action Plan for Combating Irregular Migration covering the years 2021-2025 was prepared and put into effect. With this action plan;
-Strengthening National and International Mechanisms and Cooperation to Prevent Irregular Migration at its Source
-Improving Border Security and Developing Measures to Combat Irregular Migration
-Managing Foreign Labour Migration with Effective and Comprehensive Policies
-Ensuring Human Rights-Based Implementation of Transactions Related to Irregular Migrants within the Country, Increasing Efforts to Protect Vulnerable Irregular Migrants, and Developing Evidence-Based Policies to Combat Irregular Migration
-The strategic priorities of strengthening the system for returning irregular migrants within the framework of human rights standards and ensuring their reintegration have been determined, and it is aimed to implement these strategic priorities with the contributions of all public institutions and organizations involved in combating irregular migration, as well as non-governmental organizations.
Voluntary Return
In addition to its geographical and strategic location, having a growing economy has transformed our country from a transit country into a destination country for irregular migrants. This situation has become an attractive factor for irregular migrants in recent years and has led to a significant increase in the number of irregular migrants apprehended within our country's borders.
In order to combat irregular migration, deporting irregular migrants from our country is not a sufficient measure on its own, and preventing deported irregular migrants from returning to our country is one of the main objectives. For this purpose, it is aimed to improve the situation of irregular migrants in their countries of origin and to ensure their departure from our country in a manner befitting human dignity, in accordance with international standards and on a voluntary basis.
In this context, in order to establish the foundations of the Nationally Supported Voluntary Return Mechanism, an additional regulation was made in the Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection on 24 December 2019.
With this regulation, it has been stipulated that support can be provided to irregular migrants who want to leave their country/third country voluntarily, victims of human trafficking and foreigners in the process of applying for international protection.
International Cooperation
Our country has demonstrated its firm stance on irregular migration by taking effective measures at the national level and actively participating in most of the efforts at the international level to identify problems, exchange information, and engage in joint combat and cooperation in this area. It is combating effectively and resolutely to prevent irregular migration through our country and to remove foreigners who are in our country illegally.
Combating irregular migration is no longer an issue that countries can determine their fate on their own. In this context, nations have tended to form bilateral, regional, and global groups to continue this combat. Türkiye has entered into cooperation with numerous national and international institutions to enable more effective and efficient works on irregular migration. The main institutions involved in the cooperation are UN International Organization for Migration, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, ICPMD, and various national non-governmental organizations.
Türkiye assumed the chairmanship of the Budapest Process in early January 2006, which aims to prevent irregular migration, find lasting solutions to combat irregular migration, and develop sustainable policies in the field of migration management, which involves 53 participating and 4 observer countries along with 13 International Organizations. As an indication of the importance it attaches to combating irregular migration, Türkiye has established the Silk Road Region Working Group, which it pioneered in this process, and has made it possible to bring together source, transit and destination countries along the migration route.
Türkiye also contributes to the Transit Migration Dialogue initiative in the Mediterranean Region, which is being implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
Türkiye signed a Memorandum of Understanding with FRONTEX (European Border and Coast Guard Agency) on 28 May 2012 to prevent irregular migration.
Readmission Agreements
One of the most effective methods in the process of international cooperation on irregular migration is “Readmission Agreements”. These agreements not only oblige countries to take measures against irregular migration, but also ensure that irregular migrants are sent back to their countries or to their last transit country in accordance with the protection of human rights and international practices. In other words, readmission agreements are agreements that ensure the safe return of persons who are irregularly present in a country to the agreed source country or the country they last transited to, within the framework of the conditions and rules specified in the agreement. Our country attaches importance to signing Readmission Agreements with transit and destination countries within the scope of combating irregular migration. As a result of the works carried out within this framework, since 2001, Readmission Agreements have been signed between our country and Syria, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Ukraine, Pakistan, Russia, Nigeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yemen, Moldova, Belarus, Montenegro, Kosovo, Norway, and the European Union. However, there is a Memorandum of Understanding dated 18 March 2016, agreed upon between our country and the European Union. The Readmission Agreement with the European Union and the Visa Exemption Roadmap were signed simultaneously in Ankara on 16 December 2013 and were approved by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 25 June 2014. Law No. 6547 regarding the approval of the agreement was published in the Official Gazette No. 29044 on 28 June 2014. The approval of the agreement was decided by the Council of Ministers on 21.7.2014, in accordance with Article 3 of Law No. 244 dated 31.5.1963, and was published in the Official Gazette No. 29076 dated 2 August 2014. The Readmission Agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 October 2014, with regard to the readmission and transit provisions of the parties' own citizens. The provisions regarding the readmission of third-country nationals included in the agreement have not yet entered into force.
© 2025 Presidency of Migration Management