When explaining why individuals migrate, there is a frequent tendency to view their society as a monolithic whole. Yet examining migration and people’s motivations case by case is essential. Although this imposes a heavy workload on the relevant institutions in a country such as Türkiye, which deals with mass migration, staff and decision-makers strive to meet it through dedication. Generalizing that “Iranians come to Türkiye for this reason” can have harmful humanitarian, legal, and analytical consequences. Categorizing an entire group under one heading and acting accordingly can produce unfair assessments of people genuinely needing asylum. A perception such as “all Afghans come to Türkiye to find work,” for example, can make life still harder for Afghans who genuinely need refuge. This article therefore aims to outline general trends based on field experience and reading, rather than explain individual cases within this sensitive subject. Every case must be assessed on its own merits. It examines Iranian migration through the categories of international protection, residence permits, and short-term residence permits.
Iranians With International Protection
The rules governing international protection are set out in Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection. Depending on the assessment and country of origin, a foreign national may receive refugee, conditional refugee, or subsidiary protection status. Türkiye is party to the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, but maintains a geographical limitation. It has stated, and legislated, that it will not recognize refugee status for people from countries outside the Council of Europe. Iranians arriving and applying for international protection therefore cannot legally receive refugee status. Those whose interviews are assessed positively instead receive “conditional refugee” status.
A conditional refugee is a person who requests international protection from Türkiye in order to seek asylum in a third country, claiming to meet the refugee definition because of events outside Europe. An Iranian arriving in Türkiye—or a citizen of another country outside the Council of Europe—thus stays until a third country accepts them, then travels there. In other words, people whose applications are accepted and who become conditional refugees leave for a third country once accepted by it. This has been the crucial attraction for Iranians over the years. Türkiye is a transit point, viewed as the most direct route to European countries, the United States, Canada, or Australia. A significant share of Iranians in those countries, unless they migrated directly, have spent time in Türkiye.
Because Türkiye does not require visas from Iranians, most enter legally and then approach the relevant institutions to apply for international protection. According to the Presidency of Migration Management, 1,032 Iranians were international protection applicants in Türkiye at the end of 2021. The distinction between applicants and those whose applications have been accepted and who have received conditional refugee status must again be emphasized. Applicants await status interviews; status holders await acceptance by a third country.
It is important to note that people arriving to “work” or merely “start a new life” cannot receive international protection. A humanitarian circumstance must exist. Iranians, however, have a highly organized information-sharing network across Telegram groups, Instagram pages, and other online platforms. This has become an entire industry. Detailed information is shared about current conditions in Türkiye, legal changes, and cities closed to applications. Many Iranians consequently arrive prepared before applying to provincial migration directorates. Applications cite numerous grounds, including conversion, pursuit by Iranian security forces, membership of an officially unrecognized minority religion such as the Baha’i faith, or being LGBT+.
Claims of trouble arising from conversion or political activity are particularly common in Iranian applications. Despite occasional shortcomings, officials and project staff in provincial directorates can quickly assess the credibility of accounts through their training, field knowledge, and experience of hundreds of interviews. Apart from genuine, truthful claimants, some try to exploit the situation to obtain status and thereby guarantee passage to a Western country, using Iran’s international image to find a route for themselves. Extreme examples appear when people whose applications were rejected or closed for failing to meet reporting obligations tell the press, “I have a tattoo, so I will be executed in Iran,” or “My hair is dyed, so I will be imprisoned,” seeking public support. Such unfounded claims have occasionally gained traction among Turkish social media users. On the other hand, proving conversion in concrete terms is nearly impossible. Its criminalization in Iranian penal law and potential social pressure are among the grounds most frequently invoked. The issue sometimes prompts debate in the West as well as Türkiye. The Netherlands, for example, saw controversy over allegations that Afghans and Iranians converted solely to obtain residence permits. Again, however, none of these matters permits generalization. They must be handled meticulously because they concern human dignity and personal safety. During interviews, officials also use various techniques and questions to assess how truthfully someone is speaking.
Iranians With Residence and Short-Term Residence Permits
According to the Presidency of Migration Management, as of January 27, 2022, 108,892 people held residence permits in Türkiye, including 90,719 with short-term residence permits. Iranians holding these permits differ substantially from the group discussed above. Both categories require particular criteria to be met. Grounds for short-term applications include scientific research, property ownership, business connections or establishing a business, tourism, and similar purposes.
Property ownership and establishing businesses have recently attracted Turkish public attention and frequent news coverage. People in this group come to start a new life, secure better education for their children, strengthen business ties while avoiding embargoes on Iran, participate in international trade networks, or simply move to another country and begin again.
The most frequently abused short-term category is residence for tourism. It is intended for people who want to undertake tourism beyond the normal visa period—90 days for Iranians. They declare a tourist purpose and obtain a permit accordingly. Although this was abused in the past, institutions have implemented numerous safeguards.
Other residence categories include family, student, long-term, humanitarian, and trafficking-victim permits. As each concerns a particular circumstance, their motivations will not be assessed separately here.
Assessment
Migration is highly sensitive, and every person’s story and motivations are unique. Broadly speaking, however, Iranians obtaining short-term permits mainly seek a new life, better educational opportunities, business prospects, and ties with Türkiye. Those seeking international protection face complex and sensitive circumstances. Generalizations can harm people genuinely seeking asylum. The framework also rests on international conventions as well as domestic law and falls within the remit of institutions such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Nevertheless, some among genuine asylum seekers view applying for protection and obtaining status as the shortest route to the West. They, too, seek a new life through a shortcut. The training and experience of institutional staff largely enable them to distinguish these cases.
This article was first published by the Center for Iranian Studies (İRAM) on January 29, 2022.
Link: https://www.iramcenter.org/iranlilarin-turkiyeye-goc-motivasyonlari-687