Türkiye announces cap on foreigners in Istanbul’s historic district

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announces policy to restrict the number of foreigners residing in Istanbul’s Fatih District to address rising foreign population and social tensions

The Turkish government has announced a cap on the number of foreigners allowed to register in Istanbul’s Fatih District, home to the city’s historic old town.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya revealed that Istanbul, with a population of about 16 million, currently hosts approximately 1.1 million foreigners with legal permits. This includes around 350,000 Syrians under temporary protection.

Yerlikaya emphasized that these figures represent only those who are legally residing in the city. “There is a definition of foreigners. If they have not been legally registered, we call them irregular immigrants or illegal immigrants,” he stated.

The historic Fatih District, known for its rich cultural heritage, has experienced a significant influx of foreigners. In 2019 the number of foreigners in Fatih stood at 103,600. Today, this number includes 40,000 additional foreigners, including 20,000 Syrians. 

This has led the government to close the district to further foreign settlements, a policy previously implemented in cities like Antalya to maintain a balance between foreigners and Turkish citizens.

Türkiye has been at the forefront of migrant and refugee influxes over the past decade, especially following events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, bringing the total number of foreigners, including refugees and migrants, to approximately 4.74 million, according to government figures from November 2023. This includes 145,000 Russians and Ukrainians.

The increasing foreign population has sparked heated debates in Türkiye, with tensions rising between the migrants and the local community. This has fueled the growth of far-right and anti-immigration parties, like the Victory Party, which claims the actual number of foreigners exceeds 4.7 million.

These developments reflect the ongoing challenges faced by Türkiye, which hosts the largest refugee population in the world, predominantly Syrian refugees. The Turkish government’s decision to cap foreign registrations in certain districts marks a significant step in addressing the complex issues stemming from immigration.

Source: Newsroom