What you need to know if the earthquake makes you want to go to Turkey or Syria

Published at: 2/17/2023, 3:07 PM

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If you have relatives in the earthquake area in Turkey or Syria and want to go there, this may have negative consequences for your asylum application or residence permit in the Netherlands. Read below what you need to consider.

Missing relatives in Turkey or Syria

If you are looking for family members in Turkey, you can contact
Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Türkiye (AFAD)
by phone
The Red Cross can help to search for missing relatives in Turkey and Syria. Please note: the area is poorly accessible and emergency assistance has only just begun. Therefore, the Red Cross might not be able to help you right away.

Contact details of AFAD in the affected areas of Turkey

The Red Cross

Check the Red Cross website to enlist help searching for missing family members.

I am a Turkish refugee and want to go to Turkey

Returning to Turkey may have negative consequences for your asylum procedure or your stay in the Netherlands. It may be a reason for the

Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

to reject your asylum application or revoke your residence permit. This is because you are returning to a country where you are at risk.

Below is more information for your personal situation:

I have applied for asylum and want to return to Turkey on a temporary basis

I have an asylum residence permit and want to return to Turkey on a temporary basis

I am a Syrian refugee and want to go to Syria

Returning to Syria may have negative consequences for your asylum procedure or your stay in the Netherlands. It may be a reason for the

Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

to reject your asylum application or revoke your residence permit. This is because you are returning to a country where you are at risk.

Below is more information for your personal situation:

I have applied for asylum and want to return to Syria on a temporary basis

I have an asylum residence permit and want to return to Syria on a temporary basis

I am a Syrian refugee and want to go to Turkey

As a Syrian refugee, if you meet the conditions, you can go to Turkey. The reason you cannot go to Syria, but you can go to Turkey, is because you have applied for asylum in the Netherlands because you are in danger in Syria.

Read below what conditions you need to meet in your situation:

I have applied for asylum and want to go to Turkey on a temporary basis

I have an asylum residence permit and want to return to Turkey on a temporary basis

Important websites

Below are important websites to stay informed about the situation in the earthquake zone and to apply for a return visa:

Return visa from the IND

Apply for a return visa on the IND website so that you can return to the Netherlands.

Refugee Rights Turkey

Read updates on the situation regarding refugees in Turkey at Refugee Rights Turkey.

UNHCR Turkey

The UNHCR's Turkish website has information about the earthquake region. For each region, you will find information about safe places, hospitals and food distribution points.