Turkey

No sex offender registry was found. Turkey's general criminal record is confidential and released only to the person concerned and to public bodies. Foreigners whose entry is objectionable on public order or public security grounds may be banned from entry (Law No. 6458 art. 9). People suspected or convicted of extraditable crimes under treaties to which Turkey is a party are refused entry even if visa-exempt (arts. 7(1)(c) and 15(1)(d)).

Full profile · Last verified: October 27, 2026 · All countries

Each statement is labelled Law (statute, regulation or court ruling), Policy (official guidance) or Reported practice (what officials report doing). Items marked Recheck could not be fully confirmed from a primary source.

The country's own registry

Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No national sex offender registry, public or restricted, was found.
Law The central criminal record (adlî sicil), kept by the Ministry of Justice, holds convictions by Turkish courts of Turkish citizens and of foreigners. It also holds foreign-court convictions of Turkish citizens that are recognised under Turkish law (Law No. 5352 arts. 2 and 4).
Source: Adlî Sicil Kanunu (Criminal Records Law), Law No. 5352
Law Criminal record information is confidential (art. 11). It is given only to the person concerned or their lawyer and to public bodies, and foreign states receive it on a reciprocal basis (art. 7).
Source: Adlî Sicil Kanunu (Criminal Records Law), Law No. 5352

Entry and admissibility

Law The Directorate General of Migration Management (now the Presidency of Migration Management) may ban the entry of foreigners whose entry is objectionable for public order, public security or public health reasons (Law No. 6458 art. 9(1)). The law does not list specific offences.
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Law Foreigners listed in art. 15(1) are refused entry even if they are visa-exempt (art. 7(1)(c)). The list includes people banned from entering Turkey, people considered objectionable for public order or public security, and people who are suspects in, or convicted of, crimes that are subject to extradition under agreements to which Turkey is a party (art. 15(1)(b)–(d)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Recheck: How border officers apply the extradition ground to a U.S. conviction whose sentence has been served is not set out in the law; no official guidance was found.
Law At entry, officers check whether the traveller falls under art. 7. A person who needs a comprehensive check may be held for up to four hours, or longer if they choose to wait (art. 6(4)–(5)). Refused travellers must be told how to appeal (art. 7(2)).
Source: Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No official report was found of Turkey refusing entry to U.S. registrants.

Visa / travel authorisation

Policy U.S. ordinary passport holders are exempt from visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. U.S. official passport holders need a visa.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye: Visa Information for Foreigners; U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Türkiye: Obtaining a visa for Türkiye
Recheck: The exemption was introduced by presidential decision at the end of 2023; the decree text was not read. Confirm the current rule before travel.
Policy The U.S. Embassy says a visa must be obtained in advance for travel for any other purpose. Passports should be valid for six months beyond the planned entry date.
Source: U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Türkiye: Obtaining a visa for Türkiye
Law A visa or visa exemption allows at most 90 days within 180 days and does not give an absolute right of entry (Law No. 6458 art. 11(1) and (3)).
Source: Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No arrival form or pre-travel question on criminal history for visa-exempt U.S. travellers was found.

Registration or reporting after arrival

Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No rule requiring foreign sex offenders to register or report after arrival was found.
Law Foreigners staying beyond the visa or visa-exemption period, or longer than 90 days, must obtain a residence permit (art. 19(1)). Applicants must give their address in Turkey (art. 32(1)(d)).
Source: Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation); Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr)

Residency, employment and housing

Law A short-term residence permit requires that the applicant not fall under art. 7, the refusal-of-entry article. On request, the applicant must present a criminal-record certificate from their country of citizenship or legal residence (art. 32(1)(b) and (ç)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Law A short-term permit is refused, cancelled or not renewed if these conditions are not met or if there is a current removal decision or entry ban (art. 33(1)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr)
Law A long-term residence permit requires, among other conditions, that the applicant not pose a threat to public order or public security (art. 43(1)(d)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr)
Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No national rule barring foreign offenders from work with children or from housing was found.

Removal, rehabilitation or waivers

Law A removal (deportation) decision is issued against foreigners who pose a public order, public security or public health threat, and against those to be deported under art. 59 of the Turkish Penal Code after a conviction in Turkey (art. 54(1)(a) and (d)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Law Foreigners deported from Turkey are banned from re-entry (art. 9(2)). A ban may not exceed 5 years, but may be extended by up to 10 more years where there is a serious public-order or public-security threat (art. 9(3)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Law The Directorate General may lift an entry ban, or let the person enter for a set period while the ban stays in place (art. 9(6)). For public-order or security reasons it may also make a foreigner's admission subject to prior permission (art. 9(7)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)
Law A visa may still be issued to a person covered by art. 15 with the Minister's approval, where issuing it is considered beneficial (art. 15(2)).
Source: Yabancılar ve Uluslararası Koruma Kanunu, Law No. 6458 (official consolidated Turkish text, mevzuat.gov.tr); Presidency of Migration Management: Law on Foreigners and International Protection, Law No. 6458 (unofficial English translation)

What U.S. rules still apply

Law U.S. law still applies to the trip itself: registrants must report international travel at least 21 days in advance, and the U.S. may notify the destination country before arrival. See the U.S. travel guide for the notice rule, the passport identifier and how notifications work.
Source: ComplianceAtlas: Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant

Read Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant before booking.

Sources

Legal Disclaimer

International laws, immigration policies, and registry requirements change frequently and may vary depending on citizenship, visa type, offense history, and purpose of travel. Entry decisions are made solely by each country's immigration authorities. Always verify current requirements using official government sources before traveling. This page is not legal advice.