By Justin Mays:
So, you have been vaccinated abroad and may need to prove your vaccination status while in Turkey. Fear not, merging your foreign covid vaccine records with the Turkish Ministry of Health’s records is a simple and quick process.
Write a dilekçe (a request letter) in Turkish. The request letter should include:
- Your Turkish identity card number
- Your HES (Life Fits Into Home) code
- Your full name, cell phone number, and local address
- The dates administered, and the type of vaccine received
Along with the signed letter, provide a photocopy of your Turkish kimlik (identification card) and vaccine certificate.
Take your documentation to the il sağlık müdürlüğü, your local health services office. Make sure it is the one in the area where your Turkish address is registered. They will not accept it if it is from a district where you are not residing.
The wait can be anything between 3 days to a month to be registered in the e-nabiz records and HES app. On average you can start checking after a week has passed and most likely it will be entered into the system. After it is in the system you will be able to access your blue Turkish Vaccination Certificate and create an EU Compatible Heath Passport for travel.
The sooner you can get your vaccine recognized in the system the better. Many facets of life require proof of vaccine including going to performances and movie theaters. Streamlining your records will ensure you can enjoy all that Turkey has to offer!
