REARRANGEMENT OF PCR TEST REQUIREMENT

The Ministry of the Interior has issued the Circular regarding PCR Test Requirement (in Turkish, “PCR Test Zorunluluğuna İlişkin Genelge”) on 15 January 2022, pursuant to the recent course of the coronavirus outbreak in Turkey and the recommendations of the Science Board (in Turkish, “Bilim Kurulu”).

According to this Circular dated 15 January 2022, people who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated and have not been impacted by the coronavirus in the last 180 days, were determined that no longer be required to take a PCR test in the following circumstances:

1. Before the intercity travels by plane (however, the requirement of taking PCR test before travelling by plane continues to apply; it has been corrected with the below-mentioned Circular), bus, train or other public transportation,
2. Before attending events such as concerts, plays or movies,
3. Personnel working in the schools of the Ministry of National Education such as teachers, bus drivers, cleaning staff,
4. Employees in all public and private workplaces,
5. Persons who will attend student camps organized by public and private institutions.

Subsequently, the Ministry of the Interior has issued another Circular regarding PCR Test Application in Air Travels (in Turkish, “Uçak Seyahatlerinde PCR Testi Uygulamasına İlişkin Genelge”) on 16 January 2022, in order to correct misunderstandings arising from the Circular dated 15 January 2022. Accordingly, the PCR test requirement will continue to be implemented for;

1. those who will travel intercity by plane and who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated and have not been impacted by the coronavirus in the last 180 days.
2. those who will travel abroad (being subject to the rules of the relevant country)
3. the employees of nursing homes and child care homes and prisons and detention houses,
4. the detainees and convicts in prisons and detention houses in certain cases.

Hence,

• For those who will travel intercity by plane and who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated and have not been impacted by the coronavirus in the last 180 days a negative PCR test result taken 48 hours before the travel will be required.
• Airline companies will make inquiries regarding vaccination status, past disease or Negative PCR test result taken 48 hours before travel through passengers’ HES codes before accepting boarding.
• Those who are not vaccinated or have not been impacted by the coronavirus or do not have negative PCR test result will not be allowed to travel by plane.

Our Law Firm remains at your disposal for any further clarifications you may need.