News of passport fee hikes sends citizens into queues: Occupancy at civil registry offices reaches 100%!
Following the October inflation figures announced by TUIK, the rate of increase for taxes, fines, and fees in 2024 has reached 58.46%. Citizens looking to obtain passports at current prices before 2023 ends are struggling to find appointments. Some civil registry offices are also experiencing system issues.
Samet Sağlam
Samet SAĞLAM- 12punto.com.tr
Following the announcement of October inflation figures by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), the rates of increase to be applied to taxes, fines, and fees in 2024 have been determined. In the new year, taxes, fines, and fees will be subject to a 58.46% increase.
With the 2023 hikes, the 6-month passport fee from 774 liras to 1,219 liras, the 1-year passport fee from 1,188 liras to 1,772 liras, the 2-year passport fee from 1,782 liras to 2,861 liras, the 3-year passport fee from 2,554 liras to 3,819 liras. Passport fees for those with a validity of more than 3 years It had been increased from 3,945 liras to 5,548 liras.
HOW MUCH WILL IT BE IN THE NEW YEAR?
In the new year, passport fees will rise to 1,638.4 liras for up to 6 months, 2,395.9 liras for 1 year, 3,912.3 liras for 2 years, 5,557 liras for 3 years, and 7,833 liras for those with a duration of more than 3 years (10 years).
OCCUPANCY AND SYSTEM ISSUES
Citizens state that in some district civil registry offices, due to a system issue at the Ministry of Treasury and Finance,payments are not appearing and they are experiencing difficulties with their transactions due to the high occupancy at the civil registry offices, while personnel at the Cevizlibağ district civil registry office stated that the situation is the same across all of Turkey.
Citizens were able to complete their transactions after waiting for approximately 2 hours and once their payments appeared in the system.
The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Interior General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs data on the website shows that the majority of district population directorates in Istanbul have reached full capacity. Furthermore, Istanbul European side locations Beylikdüzü and Bahçeşehir District Population Directorate 100% occupancy, while on the Anatolian side Ataşehir 98% and Kadıköyare reached a 99% occupancy rate.
While directorates with relatively lower density are attempting to provide service, these districts are as follows:
Cevizlibağ 33%, Arnavutköy 40%, Şile 46%, Zeytinburnu 55%.
Here are the districts in Istanbul and the occupancy rates of their population directorates: