A work permit application is checked using the application number through the e-Permit system (ecalismaizni.csgb.gov.tr) or e-Devlet. "Under review" means the application is being examined, while "missing documents" means additional documents have been requested; the average process takes 30-35 working days, and a missing-documents notice can extend it by weeks.
What Is the e-Permit System, How Is an Application Checked?
In Türkiye, work permit applications for foreigners are carried out electronically through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s e-Permit system (ecalismaizni.csgb.gov.tr). Just as the application is made online, every stage of the process can be followed through the same system — no waiting for paper documents, no need to chase the file by hand. This makes the process both transparent and trackable; but for an applicant who doesn’t know what the label on screen actually means, that same transparency can be confusing. The application-creation side of the system — who applies, how to log in, when an extension opens — is a separate topic; for those steps you can see our article e-Permit System Guide: Online Application.
Status is checked through official channels: one is an independent inquiry screen accessed only with the application number, the other is a screen entered with e-Devlet identity verification that shows all past applications together. Which channel suits which side (the one holding the application number, or the one with e-Devlet access) depends on whose behalf the application is being tracked.
On the employer side, the application is usually tracked directly through the corporate account on the e-Permit portal; the party who submits the application is also the party who first sees its status. If more than one authorised person has access to the corporate account, clarifying who is tracking which application — especially at companies running simultaneous applications for several foreign employees — prevents confusion.
Important A foreign employee does not personally have the authority to apply through e-Permit or to log in to the employer’s account. The tracking channel available to the employee is the personal inquiry screen on e-Devlet — they may not be able to see all the application details on the employer’s side. For this reason, regular information-sharing between employer and employee keeps the process predictable for both sides.
The information shown on the inquiry screen usually consists of the application date, the current status label, and, where applicable, a note/request field from the Ministry. Read together, these three pieces of information make clear which stage the application is waiting in and whose turn it is to act next — the Ministry’s, or the employer’s.
Not to Be Confused Work permit tracking runs through the e-Permit (Ministry of Labour) system, while residence permit tracking runs through a separate system, e-Residence (Presidency of Migration Management). The two systems are independent of each other, and the same person’s different processes appear on different portals. For how the online side of the residence permit works, see our article e-Residence Application: Online System Guide.
Where Do I Find the Application Number?
The application number needed for the inquiry is generated automatically by the system the moment the online application is completed and confirmed with an e-signature, and it is usually shown on screen as well as sent as a confirmation notice to the registered email address of the account that submitted the application. This number is the unique identifier of the application — if the same employer is running applications for more than one foreign employee, each file’s number should be kept separately.
If the application number is lost or cannot be found, applications matching the ID number can be viewed again through the official system; in this case there is no need to memorise the number either. For employers tracking through a corporate e-Permit account, the number always remains stored in the account’s application history screen.
What Do the Status Labels Mean?
The status expressions seen on the e-Permit screen show which stage the application is at. The most common labels and what they mean:
| Status | What does it mean? |
|---|---|
| Under review | The application has entered Ministry review after all information and documents were confirmed with an e-signature. No further action is expected; the process continues on its own course. |
| Missing documents / additional document request | A deficiency or need for clarification has been identified in a document during review. If the requested document isn’t uploaded within the set time, the application may be concluded unfavourably. |
| Concluded applications | The review has finished — the outcome appears in this menu as either favourable (permit granted) or unfavourable (rejected). |
| Approved / awaiting fee | The application has concluded favourably; payment of the fee and the stamp-duty paper charge is awaited for the permit document to be issued. |
| Rejected | The application has concluded unfavourably. What the rejection reason means and the conditions for reapplying require separate assessment. |
For a detailed reading of a rejection decision and the possible next steps, see our article Work Permit Rejected: What Does a Rejection Decision Actually Say?
In some cases an additional note also appears on screen — for example, that the application has been forwarded to the relevant unit, taken into a second review, or is awaiting approval from a higher authority. These kinds of interim notes don’t change the outcome; they only show which desk within the Ministry the file is currently on, and they don’t require any separate action from the applicant.
How Long Does the Process Take?
If the documents were submitted complete, the Ministry’s review takes an average of 30-35 working days. This is not a fixed ceiling but an average — the actual duration varies with the type of application, the employer’s file history, and the Ministry’s current workload; the current timeframe should be confirmed before applying.
The main factors that extend the timeframe:
- A missing-document or clarification request from the Ministry (not noticing the notice extends the process even further)
- A flag in the employer company’s tax/social security records, or a recurring issue from past applications
- Uncertainty in category selection — the system can pause review at this point
- Busy application periods — during periods with higher application volume, such as the start of the year and the summer months, the Ministry’s review queue can grow longer
When tracking the timeframe, it’s more reliable to look at the current status on screen than at a single date. “30-35 working days” is an average, not a commitment — this period is not defined as a fixed ceiling in official legislation; the actual duration varies by file, period and type, and should be confirmed against the current status before applying.
For the general flow of the application process and the employer eligibility criteria, see more comprehensive information in our article Foreign Work Permit Application: Process and What to Know.
Approximate time distribution of the stages
The process broadly falls into three blocks. The preparation block (gathering documents, obtaining confirmations) is entirely in the applicant’s hands, and its duration varies with the complexity of the file. Online application and e-signature confirmation are usually completed within a day or two. Ministry review is the block that sits outside the applicant’s control and cannot be directly sped up — the only thing that can be done at this stage is to respond in time to any additional document request that may arrive.
What to Do When a Missing-Documents Notice Arrives?
When a missing-documents notice arrives, the application does not fall out of the queue — its record is preserved. The requested document is prepared in the format and confirmation style the Ministry expects and uploaded with e-signature through the relevant application’s transaction screen. Once uploaded, the review continues from where it left off.
Time Is Critical The time allowed for uploading additional documents is limited; if no response is given within that time, the application may be concluded unfavourably. Missing the notice — particularly for employers who don’t regularly check email or portal notifications — is one of the most common causes of delay in the process.
In practice, a missing-documents notice comes from two different causes: either the document was never uploaded at all, or the uploaded document doesn’t meet the format, date, or confirmation style the Ministry expects (for example apostille, translation, notarisation). In the second case, simply re-uploading the document isn’t enough — the criterion that wasn’t met needs to be correctly identified; otherwise the same document may be rejected a second time and the process is extended by another round.
Although the notice is generally visible through the system, some employers notice the delay late because they don’t check the portal regularly. The applicant checking the status screen at regular intervals — particularly once Ministry review has begun — say, once a week, greatly reduces the risk of missing a notice.
What Can Be Done When an Application Stalls
An application that exceeds the average timeframe usually has an underlying reason — a missed missing-documents notice, a current tax/social security issue in the employer’s file, or a category mismatch, for example. Which reason applies is understood by looking at the file’s current state; a generic checklist doesn’t produce the same result in every case. For a delayed application, assessing the file as a whole, rather than checking documents one by one, generally produces a faster result.
For a permit whose term is about to expire, detailed information on the extension process is in our article Work Permit Extension. Tracking of extension applications also runs through the same e-Permit screen, with the same status labels — the only difference is the requirement that the extension application be opened before the end date of the existing permit.
After Approval: Document and Card Tracking
When an application moves to “approved” or “completed” status, the process is not yet fully finished. The fee and the stamp-duty paper charge must be paid within the set time; if payment isn’t made, even an approved application can time out and be rejected. After payment, the permit document reaches the employer’s registered email address or by post; card delivery status can also be tracked separately through the official system.
This final stage is a commonly overlooked point: once the application is approved, the process is assumed to be over, yet if payment and document-delivery tracking are neglected — particularly when the employer is running several applications at once — the risk of an overlooked payment is real.
Professional Support During the Tracking Process
Every status label on the e-Permit screen requires a different action behind it — sometimes waiting is enough, sometimes a fast and correct document upload is needed, and sometimes there’s a mismatch in the file itself. Tracking only “what does it say on screen” is different from understanding the underlying reason — and the cost of missing a notice is often weeks of delay.
Legislation changes frequently; the system’s interface, document format requirements and timeframe standards are updated over time. A status label interpreted with last year’s knowledge may carry a different meaning this year. At JS Vural Danışmanlık we run work permit applications on the employer’s behalf not only during file preparation but also through the tracking stage after the application is submitted — noticing a change in status and responding in time increases the likelihood that the process concludes correctly the first time and on schedule. Every file is unique; you can request an initial consultation on the current status of your application. Even if your application hasn’t been opened yet, starting the process from the outset with the right category and a complete file significantly reduces the surprises you might otherwise encounter at the tracking stage later on.