Legal help at Istanbul Airport (IST) & Sabiha Gökçen
If you are stopped, held, refused, or facing an urgent legal problem at an Istanbul airport, a licensed İstanbul Bar attorney can act — 24 hours a day, at both IST and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW). Choose your situation below, or message us now.
Problems at the border rarely wait for office hours — a flight lands at 3 a.m., a name flags at passport control, money is held at customs, and the first hours often decide what happens next. Below are the situations we handle most at Istanbul's airports. If yours is not listed, message us and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
At the border: entry, refusal & removal
Refused at passport control, held in the airside holding area, blocked by an entry ban (tahdit), or facing removal? These are administrative matters under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Law No. 6458, YUKK) — frightening, but governed by rules, with points where a lawyer can act.
Denied entry & deportation
Refused at passport control or facing removal at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen? A licensed İstanbul Bar attorney can act 24/7. Call or WhatsApp now.
Read more →Deportation & removal
Facing a removal decision (sınır dışı) in Türkiye, or held pending deportation? Understand the decision, the appeal window and your options. Call a lawyer 24/7.
Read more →Lifting a Turkey entry ban (tahdit)
Banned from entering Türkiye, or refused and want to return? Learn how to check a tahdit, understand the codes, and challenge or lift it. İstanbul Bar attorneys.
Read more →Detention at passport control
Held by police or border officers at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen? You have the right to a lawyer. We attend, advise and intervene — 24/7.
Read more →Visas, residence & work
An overstay, a residence permit (ikamet) refused or cancelled, or a work-permit problem? These are status matters under YUKK and the work-permit framework — usually administrative, usually with an objection or appeal route and a deadline.
Visa violation & overstay
Overstayed your visa or residence permit in Türkiye, or flagged on departure at IST/SAW? Understand the fine, the entry-ban risk and your options.
Read more →Residence permit problems
Residence permit (ikamet) refused, cancelled, or a renewal stuck in Türkiye? Understand the decision, the appeal window and your options. Call a lawyer 24/7.
Read more →Work permit problems
Work permit (çalışma izni) refused or cancelled, or working without one in Türkiye? Understand the penalties, ban risk and your options. Call 24/7.
Read more →Criminal defence & airport apprehension
Stopped on a warrant, taken into custody, asked to give a statement, or worried about a wanted record? These are criminal-procedure matters where your right to remain silent and to a lawyer matter most. The single most useful step is often: do not give a statement without counsel.
Arrested at the airport on a warrant
Stopped or arrested at Istanbul Airport (IST/SAW) on a warrant or INTERPOL notice? You have the right to silence and to a lawyer — call or WhatsApp 24/7.
Read more →Police custody & giving a statement
Held in police custody (gözaltı) in Türkiye, or asked to give a statement? Know your right to silence and to a lawyer. A licensed İstanbul Bar attorney can act 24/7.
Read more →Wanted records & arrest warrants (GBT)
Worried about an arrest warrant or wanted record (yakalama / GBT) in Türkiye before you travel? Learn how it's checked and addressed. Call a lawyer.
Read more →INTERPOL, extradition & exit bans
An INTERPOL Red Notice, an extradition request, or blocked from leaving Türkiye on an exit ban? These cross-border criminal matters move fast and turn on procedure — early advice matters most.
INTERPOL Red Notice
Stopped over an INTERPOL Red Notice in Türkiye? Learn what it is, what it isn't, and how it can be challenged — İstanbul Bar attorneys, 24/7.
Read more →Extradition from Türkiye
Facing extradition from Türkiye, or detained on another country's request? Understand the process and the grounds to oppose it. İstanbul Bar attorneys, 24/7.
Read more →Travel & exit bans (yurt dışı çıkış yasağı)
Stopped at IST/SAW and told you can’t leave Türkiye? Understand a travel/exit ban (yurt dışı çıkış yasağı), your rights and how it may be lifted. Call a lawyer 24/7.
Read more →Customs, documents & airline disputes
Cash or goods held at customs, an urgent document needed before a flight, or a flight delayed, cancelled or your baggage lost? We handle the customs seizure procedure (Customs Law No. 4458), arrange notarised paperwork against tight deadlines, and pursue passenger-rights claims where the rules apply.
Customs seizure — cash, goods & devices
Cash, goods or electronics seized at customs at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen? We review the report and pursue recovery. Call or WhatsApp 24/7.
Read more →Urgent documents & notary
Need an urgent power of attorney (vekaletname), sworn translation or notarised document before a flight in İstanbul? An İstanbul Bar attorney can help fast.
Read more →Flight delays, cancellations & denied boarding
Long delay, cancelled flight, denied boarding or lost baggage at IST/SAW? Understand your passenger rights and possible compensation under Turkish & EU rules.
Read more →How we help
- 1AssessWe take your situation and tell you honestly what can and cannot be done — no false promises.
- 2ActWe protect your rights, communicate with the authorities, arrange interpretation, and act on the matter where the law allows.
- 3AttendWhere it is needed and time allows, an attorney can attend IST or Sabiha Gökçen in person.
- 4Follow upWe advise on next steps — challenging a decision, recovering property, or planning re-entry.
We are independent attorneys registered with the İstanbul Barosu. Fees are explained and agreed before any work begins.
Who we help
- Foreign travellers and visa / e-Visa holders
- Business travellers, students and residence-permit holders
- Dual nationals and Turkish citizens living abroad
- Families and friends acting for someone held right now
- Transit and connecting passengers stopped at IST / SAW
- People planning travel who want to check their status first
At which airport — IST or Sabiha Gökçen?
We are on call at both Istanbul airports, around the clock:
- Istanbul Airport (IST)The large hub on the European side — most international arrivals, refusals and border stops happen here.
- Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)The airport on the Asian side — smaller, but the same rules and the same rights apply, and we cover it too.
Frequently asked questions
Do you really answer 24/7?
Yes. The emergency line is open at any hour, every day of the year, including public holidays. Phone and WhatsApp guidance usually begins within minutes; attending in person depends on the situation and traffic.
Can a lawyer come to the airport?
Where the situation requires it and time allows, an attorney can attend Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) in person. We confirm whether that is appropriate on the first call.
Which airports do you cover?
Both of Istanbul's airports — Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. The same rules and the same rights apply at each.
How quickly can you respond?
Phone and WhatsApp guidance usually begins within minutes of your message. What matters most is reaching us early — at the border, the first hours often shape what happens next.
How much does it cost?
The first message to understand your situation carries no obligation. If you decide to engage us, we explain the fee clearly and agree it with you before any work begins.
What languages do you work in?
We assist in English and Turkish, and can arrange interpretation in other languages. Tell us what you are most comfortable in.
Is my conversation confidential?
Yes. What you share is protected by attorney–client confidentiality under Turkish law.
I'm at an Istanbul airport right now — what should I do?
Stay calm and polite. You may ask to speak to a lawyer, and you do not have to sign documents you do not understand. Message us your airport, terminal and situation, and we will guide you step by step.
This page is general information about Turkish law and procedure — not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Laws and practice change and every case turns on its own facts, so please do not rely on it for your situation; speak with a lawyer first.
Speak with a lawyer
One call or message is all it takes. We answer 24 hours a day, every day of the year — for IST and Sabiha Gökçen.