Voting from Abroad
Turkish citizens resident abroad may vote in presidential, parliamentary, and referendum elections (but not in local elections), under arrangements coordinated by the Supreme Election Council in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Legal basis
The right of citizens abroad to participate in elections is established by Article 67 of the Constitution and Article 94/A of Law No. 298. Detailed procedures are set by YSK decisions issued before each election.
Where citizens abroad can vote
Two channels are used:
- Foreign missions and designated polling sites. Embassies, consulates-general, consulates, and additional venues opened in countries with large Turkish communities (Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others) host polling stations during a defined window before election day.
- Customs gates. Voters travelling through Turkish border crossings (airports, land borders, sea ports) may cast their ballot at the customs-gate polling station between the start of the abroad-voting period and election day.
Eligibility and registration
A citizen abroad is registered in the YSK’s overseas voter register if they hold a valid Turkish identity card and have an address recorded in the consular registration system. Voters can verify their registration through the YSK online query service or at their consulate.
What can be voted on
| Election | Voting from abroad? |
|---|---|
| Presidential | Yes |
| Parliamentary (TBMM) | Yes — ballot is for the voter’s last domestic district |
| Constitutional referendum | Yes |
| Local (mayoral, council, mukhtar) | No |
Practical considerations
- The abroad-voting period typically opens about three weeks before the in-country polling day and closes a few days before it; exact dates are announced by the YSK for each election.
- Voters must present a valid Turkish identity document. Diaspora-issued identity cards (for example, the “blue card” for those who renounced citizenship) do not confer the right to vote.
- Sealed ballots from foreign missions are flown to Türkiye, sorted, and counted in dedicated counting centres in Ankara on election night.