Türkiye strengthens border security, digital migration systems

Türkiye will further strengthen its institutional capacity in migration governance and continue advancing its ambition to serve as a global reference model, the head of the Directorate of Migration Management, Hüseyin Kök, said Sunday in a video message marking the agency’s 13th anniversary.

Kök said the past 13 years have seen a comprehensive institutional transformation, with migration policy in Türkiye now coordinated under a unified, strategic framework led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and implemented through cooperation among all relevant state institutions.

He emphasized that migration management is being shaped through an integrated approach combining security, administrative efficiency and international cooperation.

He said Türkiye is applying a five-pillar strategy to address irregular migration in line with human rights standards. The approach includes tackling root causes in source countries, strengthening border security, improving domestic enforcement and detection mechanisms, combating irregular labor, and ensuring effective return procedures.

He added that migration control is not limited to border enforcement, but is also reinforced through diplomatic engagement and bilateral cooperation with partner countries.

Kök highlighted that border security has shifted toward a technology-driven model supported by advanced surveillance systems. Alongside physical infrastructure such as border walls, patrol roads and lighting systems, Türkiye now uses electro-optical towers, seismic sensors and unmanned aerial systems to create a multi-layered border monitoring network designed to improve detection and response capacity.

He also pointed to the role of the National Coordination and Joint Risk Analysis Center (UKORAM), established in 2021, describing it as a key analytical hub for forecasting migration movements and cross-border risks.

He said the center enables early identification of irregular migration routes and broader security threats, including public health risks, through data-driven analysis. Kök added that border gate infrastructure has been modernized from Kilis Çobanbey in Kilis, southeastern Türkiye, to Hatay Cilvegözü in Hatay, southern Türkiye, while procedures at eight airports have been standardized through the takeover of inadmissible passenger processes.

He also cited the “Single Card at Ports” project as part of efforts to restructure maritime border management.

On domestic enforcement, Kök said the Mobile Migration Point system, launched in Istanbul in 2023, has expanded nationwide and now operates with 375 vehicles and thousands of personnel conducting field inspections and identity verification activities. He described it as a major tool in strengthening on-the-ground migration control capacity.

Kök stressed that Türkiye is also prioritizing the digital transformation of migration services. He said systems such as GÖÇBIL, the e-Residence platform, and the National Electronic Notification System (UETS) have significantly accelerated administrative procedures, improved data security and shifted core services into digital environments, increasing efficiency and transparency in migration management.

He added that Türkiye continues to fulfill responsibilities toward communities with historical and cultural ties, including Ahıska Turks. He said settlement processes in Erzincan’s Üzümlü district have been completed, while work continues in Bitlis’s Ahlat district, with coordination among state institutions to support integration and social stability. He also noted continued humanitarian support for communities affected by regional crises.

On voluntary returns of Syrians, Kök said more than 650,000 Syrians have returned voluntarily since December 2024, bringing the total to over 1.39 million since 2016.

He said returns are being conducted in a “safe, dignified and orderly” manner in line with international standards and under the observation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which he described as a key transparency mechanism.

DAILYSABAH