Social Security Service (SGK) is the responsible institution for Social Security issues in Türkiye. To reach its website please click.
Universal Health Insurance
Universal health insurance is described in the Law No. 5510 as an insurance which ensures, first of all, maintenance of health statuses of individuals, and the financing of costs that arise in case the individuals experience health risks. Universal health insurance system provides all insured and uninsured individuals who live in our country with a comprehensive, fair and equitable access to healthcare services, regardless of their economic status and whether they are willing or not.
For more details, please click.
General Health Insurance For Foreigners
Foreign Nationals shall be recorded under universal health insurance upon their request.
Considering the principal of reciprocity, foreign nationals
- who has received residence permit;
- who are not insured under any foreign social security legislation and have no right to benefit from health insurance;
- whose residence duration exceeds continually one-year in Türkiye and applied to benefit from universal health insurance as of this date shall benefit from universal health insurance.
Foreign nationals are required to submit their application to the nearest provincial/central directorate of social security institution in the place of their residence.
Regarding the documents that foreign nationals are required to submit in the application for universal health insurance please click.
Benefiting from Emergency Healthcare Services for the People Having Foreign Insurance
In order to receive healthcare services, foreign insured people are required to make an application to the contracted health facilities of the Ministry of Health or to the private or training health facilities with the “Document of Healthcare Benefits under Social Security Agreement.” Only through the referral of our contracted units, services can be provided from the non-contracted health facilities. When a person applies directly to a non-contracted health facility, regardless of this regulation, his/her expenses of treatment can be covered by the Institution on condition that it is an emergency situation. Whether the treatment is an emergency or not is determined through the inspection of the relevant submitted medical documents by the contracted health facilities. In such a case, the insured person shall apply to the Social Security Provincial Directorate/Social Security Center together with the reports regarding his/her treatment and invoices if he/she has made the payment. If the treatment is accepted as an emergency, a reimbursement shall be made to the insured in accordance with the provisions set forth in Medical Enforcement Declaration (SUT).
For more details, please click.
Conditions for Receiving Healthcare Benefits for the Persons Having Foreign Insurance
Persons having foreign insurance, who either temporarily stay or permanently reside in our country, are required to get a formulary from the institution to which they are registered and submit it to the Departments of Foreign Services operating within the scope of Social Security Provincial Directorates/Social Security Centers in their place of stay or residence; or to the Social Security Centers designated by Social Security Provincial Directorates. Through the Document of Healthcare Benefits under Social Security Agreement, they can avail themselves from right to healthcare benefits in contracted health facilities, like other insured members of universal health insurance, free of charge excluding the rates of contribution and share which have to be paid legally by the insured himself/herself. In cases of emergency, the insured persons, coming from countries with whom a social security agreement including healthcare insurance applications has been concluded and who are temporarily staying in our country, can receive the formulary for the right to healthcare services from the “Department of Foreign Services” in their place of stay in Türkiye by submitting the document issued by the social security institution in their country. Besides, these documents can be confirmed through Social Security Centers designated by Social Security Provincial Directorates.
For more details, please click.
Below you may find Health Centers' information for some universities for the use of their researchers / staff.
Bilkent University Health Center - Ankara
Koc University Health Center - Istanbul
Sabancı University Health Center - Istanbul
Yıldız Technical University Health Center - Istanbul
Istanbul Technical University Health Center - Istanbul
Izmir Institute of Technology Health Center - Izmir