Turkey's Interior Ministry digitizes green and grey passport applications

The Turkish Interior Ministry has eliminated the requirement for wet seals and handwritten signatures on green (special) and grey (service) passport applications. A new electronic request‑form system uses digital signatures to send documents directly to the Central Population Administration System (MERNİS), allowing instant verification. The reform ends the production of paper request forms, reduces bureaucratic steps, and cuts processing times from days to seconds. By automating validation, the change also lowers the risk of errors caused by missing or incorrect paperwork and streamlines the workflow for public‑sector employees who apply for these passports.

The digital transition is intended to make the passport issuance process faster, more secure and more environmentally friendly, with citizens experiencing shorter waiting periods at population offices.