Governor’s office orders Syrians to leave Istanbul for their registered cities

ISTANBUL – Demirören News Agency

The Istanbul Governor’s Office has ordered Syrian refugees initially registered in other provinces to return there by Aug. 20.

“A time until Aug. 20 has been given for foreigners of Syrian origin under temporary protection who are not registered in Istanbul (registered in other provinces) to return to the cities of their registration. Those determined not to have gone back will be transferred to the provinces of their registration in line with the instruction of our Interior Ministry,” said a statement released by the Istanbul Governor’s Office on July 22.

“Foreigners of Syrian origin who are not under temporary protection status (those unregistered and/or without identity cards), are transferred [from Istanbul] to the cities determined with the instruction of our Interior Ministry. Istanbul is closed to [any more] temporary protection registration,” said the statement.

“In our province, there are a total of 1,069,860 registered foreigners, 522,381 whom are foreign nationals with a residence permit and 547,479 Syrian guests under temporary protection,” the statement read.

Foreigners who have a “legal right to reside” in Istanbul have been urged to carry their passports or temporary protection identity cards at all times when they are outside so that they can show them during inspections by the police, said the statement.

“In our province’s bus stations, railroad terminals, airports and all transportation vehicles, inspections of [the] ‘Road Permission Document’ will be conducted continuously and Syrians guests under temporary protection status who do not have the valid document, will be sent to the provinces in which they are registered,” said the statement.

The statement also touched upon Turkish authorities’ fight against irregular migration, saying that undocumented migrants who entered Turkey by illegal means are initially detained and then deported.

“Work to fıght irregular migration, taken under the coordination of our Governor’s Office, are to continue nonstop in line with the essentials said above,” the statement said.