Your Turkish social security record, from the US.

If you worked in Turkiye and now live in the US, your Turkish social security (SGK) record stays in Turkiye. You can view it online, in some cases buy back periods spent abroad, and apply for a Turkish pension from abroad. Turkiye has social security agreements with 37 countries; the US is not among them, so the Turkish rules apply on their own.

1. 01

   Your record

   The service record on e-Devlet.

   The SGK service record (Tescil ve Hizmet Dökümü) on e-Devlet shows your insured periods, premium days and employers, as a barcoded document. It is in Turkish, so plan for a sworn translation if someone abroad needs it.

2. 02

   Buying back time

   Periods abroad under Law No. 3201.

   Turkish citizens, and people who were Turkish by birth and gave up citizenship with permission, can buy back insured periods worked abroad as a Turkish citizen after age 18, plus some other periods such as up to a year of unemployment between them.

3. 03

   The cost

   Paid in lira, within 3 months.

   The cost is 45% of a daily earnings figure you choose between the legal minimum and maximum (for 2026, TRY 495.45 to TRY 4,459.05 per day). The amount must be paid within 3 months of notification, or you must apply again.

4. 04

   How to apply

   A signed petition and the consulate.

   Send a signed buy-back petition to the relevant SGK unit, in person or by post. Unsigned petitions are rejected. For work in a country without an agreement, the supporting document is arranged through the Turkish consulate, and its status can be followed on e-Devlet.

5. 05

   The pension

   Applying from abroad.

   For a pension based on bought-back periods, the debt must be paid in full and you must stop working under foreign law and not receive residence-based benefits abroad. This does not require moving to Turkiye.

6. 06

   Getting paid

   Payment to a foreign account.

   Pensioners who live abroad can ask in writing for the pension to be sent to a foreign bank account and pay the transfer costs. Pensioners whose pension rests on bought-back periods and who stay abroad for more than 6 months must submit a status form (yoklama belgesi) within 3 months, or payments can stop.