Wanted records & arrest warrants (GBT)

Warrants and wanted records, explained

Several different things get lumped together as being “wanted.” An arrest warrant (yakalama kararı) is a court or prosecutor order to locate and bring someone in. A search record (arama kaydı) flags that someone is being sought. A GBT record is what an officer sees when they run an identity check — at passport control, a traffic stop, or elsewhere.

A record does not mean you are guilty of anything. It is a procedural flag — and procedural flags can be checked, explained, and often resolved.

How a record arises

A wanted record can come from an ongoing investigation, a case you are a party to, a missed hearing or summons, an unresolved old matter, or — sometimes — an error or a name match. Because you are not always told, people frequently learn of a record only when it surfaces during a check.

How a record can be addressed

What can be done depends entirely on what the record is. Where it stems from a live matter, the route may be to engage with that matter properly — for example dealing with the case, a missed step, or an objection. Where it is an error or a mix-up, the route is to have it corrected. We never promise a record can simply be “deleted”; we explain the realistic options for your situation.

If it surfaces at the airport

If a record surfaces during the identity check on arrival or departure, you may be stopped and questioned, and in some cases detained. The safe response is the same as in any custody situation: stay calm, ask for a lawyer, and do not give a statement without one. Our arrested at the airport and police custody pages cover what happens next.

What to do — and what not to do

How addressing it usually works

1. 1
   CheckWe work to establish whether a record exists and what it concerns.
2. 2
   UnderstandWe explain the matter behind it, honestly, and the realistic options.
3. 3
   ActWhere there are grounds, we engage the underlying case or seek to correct an error, through the proper route.
4. 4
   Plan travelWe advise on whether and when it is safe to travel, and what to expect at the border.

Acting before you fly — rather than after you are stopped — keeps far more options open.

Who we help

• People unsure whether they are wanted in Türkiye
• Turks abroad worried about an old matter
• Dual nationals planning to travel to Türkiye
• Anyone who missed a hearing or summons
• People who fear a name match or error
• Families checking on a relative’s situation

How we help

1. 1
   Establish the factsWe work to find out whether a record exists and what it is — so you are not guessing.
2. 2
   Advise honestlyWe tell you the realistic options and risks, without false comfort or false alarm.
3. 3
   ActWhere there are grounds, we engage the underlying matter or seek correction through the proper route.
4. 4
   Support travelWe advise on timing and what to expect, and act fast if you are stopped at the border.

We are independent attorneys registered with the İstanbul Barosu. We never promise a record can simply be deleted; we explain the real options and the fee before any work begins.

Key terms

Arrest warrant (yakalama kararı)

An order to locate and bring in a person.

Search record (arama kaydı)

A flag that a person is being sought.

GBT record

What an officer sees when running an identity check.

INTERPOL Red Notice

A separate, international flag — not the same as a domestic record. More on Red Notices →

Investigation (soruşturma)

The pre-trial stage where many records arise.

Frequently asked questions