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How to Protect Foreign Women Subjected to Violence in Türkiye? Measures of Law No. 6284, Residence and Deportation Protection Law No. 6284 on the Protection of the Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women art.2, art.3, art.4, art.5, art.13; Law No. 6458 art.34, art.55; Article 60 of Law No. 5510 was prepared based on the legislation in force as of 2026 and official sources dated October 2026.
Law No. 6284 protects people who are victims of violence or are at risk of violence. The law's definitions do not impose restrictions based on nationality; Therefore, foreign women in Türkiye can also benefit from protective and preventive measures. In addition, Law No. 6458 regulates that victims of violence should not be deported until their treatment is completed (Art. 55/1-d). Lack of a residence permit for the application does not in itself prevent the request for protection.
Who Does Law No. 6284 Protect?
Article 2 of the Law broadly defines the concept of victim of violence: People who are directly or indirectly exposed to attitudes and behaviors defined as violence or who are at risk of being exposed to it, and people who are affected by violence are protected. Violence; It covers all kinds of attitudes and behaviors, whether physical, sexual, psychological, verbal or economic. Domestic violence can occur between family members or family members, even if they do not share the same household. There is no citizenship requirement in the definitions.
What Precautions Can Be Taken?
By the civil authority (Art. 3): Provision of suitable shelter, temporary financial assistance, psychological, vocational, legal and social consultancy, temporary protection in case of life-threatening situation and nursery opportunity under certain conditions. In cases where delay is dangerous, law enforcement officers may also take some measures. The law enforcement chief submits the document to the civil chief for approval within the first business day; Measures that are not approved by the local authority within forty-eight hours will be automatically abolished.
By the judge (Art. 5): Measures against the perpetrator of violence include measures such as avoiding behavior that includes threats of violence, insults and humiliation, immediate removal from the shared residence, not approaching the protected person, residence, school and workplace, not disturbing through communication, surrender of the weapon, and treatment in case of addiction. Some urgent measures taken by law enforcement officers are submitted to the judge for approval within twenty-four hours; Unapproved measures will be lifted automatically.
Protective measures (Art. 4): Additional measures such as changing the workplace, determining a separate residence for the married person, annotating the family residence, and changing identity information in case of life-threatening situations may be decided by the judge.
A person who violates the precautions and commits violence may be imprisoned from three to ten days by a judge's decision. In the repetition of the contradiction, the duration increases; The total period cannot exceed six months (Art.13).
Because foreign women are subjected to violence, they often think that their residence permit depends on their husband and that if they divorce or complain, they will be removed from the country. The law has alleviated this fear in some ways:
A foreigner married to a Turkish citizen can obtain a short-term residence permit in case of divorce if he/she has stayed with a family residence permit for at least three years.
If it is established by a court decision that the foreign spouse is a victim of domestic violence, the three-year period is not required (6458 Art. 34/6).
Victims of psychological, physical or sexual violence are not deported until their treatment is completed (6458 art. 55/1-d).
Among those who are given a protective measure within the scope of Article 6284, those who do not have general health insurance are entitled to benefit from health insurance without determining their income (5510 art. 60).
The application of these provisions depends on the documents of the file. Documents such as court decisions or injunctions should be kept carefully.
How to Apply?
The application can be made to the law enforcement, chief public prosecutor's office, family court, governor's office or violence prevention and monitoring centers. The victim must learn his rights before giving a statement. The request for a cautionary decision can be made through a petition or verbally to the law enforcement. In case of urgent danger, emergency call lines such as 112 should be used.
Civil authority measures Shelter, temporary financial assistance, counselling, temporary protection (art.3)
Judge's measures Removal, prohibition of approach, ban on communication and similar (Art.5)
Emergency law enforcement action It is submitted to the judge for approval; If it is not approved within 24 hours, it will be lifted (Art.5/2)
coercive confinement 3 to 10 days for non-compliance with the measures; 15 to 30 days for repetition (Art.13)
Residence in divorce If the violence is confirmed by a court decision, the 3-year requirement is not required (6458 Art. 34/6)
Incident Summary Form: Fictional example: A foreign woman married to a Turkish citizen is beaten repeatedly by her husband. He thinks that his residence permit depends on his wife and that if he complains, he will be deported. Process: The attorney collects medical reports, witnesses, and correspondence. Within the scope of Article 6284, measures to remove and not approach are requested, and an application is made to the local authority for safe accommodation. Result: If a cautionary decision is made, the person committing violence may be removed from the house. If domestic violence is determined by a court decision, the possibility of a short-term residence permit after the divorce may come to the fore. The outcome depends on the evidence in the file.
Can a foreign woman benefit from Law No. 6284?
There is no citizenship requirement in the legal definitions. A person who is a victim of violence or is at risk of being subjected to violence may request protection (Art. 2).
Can a foreigner without a residence permit request protection?
Residence permit is not required to request protective measures. Residence status also needs to be evaluated legally.
Will the foreign woman who files a complaint be deported?
Victims of violence are not deported until their treatment is completed (6458 art. 55/1-d). The entire aspect of the file should also be examined.
How long does it take for a precautionary decision to be made?
In emergency situations, the law enforcement officer can take some measures immediately. These measures are submitted to the judge for approval. Processes vary by file.
What happens to the person who violates the precaution?
Coercive imprisonment may be imposed by judge's decision (Art. 13). If an actual crime occurs, criminal proceedings also take place.
Can a victim of violence without health insurance receive treatment?
Those who do not have insurance among those for whom a protective measure has been issued within the scope of Article 6284 are covered by general health insurance under certain conditions (5510 article 60).
Making a complaint without obtaining medical reports and evidence.
Never reporting violence for fear of deportation.
Not keeping the notification and violation records of the injunction decision.
Not planning the divorce and residence permit process together.
Not evaluating children and custody issues together with protective measures.
The most important step for a foreign woman who is subjected to violence is to apply early and with documentation. The law supports both emergency protection and the continuation of the right of residence in some cases. Küheylan Law Firm provides legal support to foreign women who are subjected to violence in applying for protective measures, divorce and custody cases, and planning the residence permit process.
Important Legal Notice: The legal explanations contained in this guide have been prepared by Küheylan Law Firm for general information purposes and do not constitute legal advice. The unique conditions of each file may change the outcome. In order not to miss the application, objection and lawsuit deadlines, it is recommended to get legal support from a lawyer before the process begins. © 2026 Küheylan Law Firm. All rights reserved.
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