A sweeping draft bill proposing major reforms to mobile phone subscriptions in Türkiye has been submitted to parliament, aiming to tighten identity verification and curb criminal misuse of mobile lines.
Key Provisions of the Bill
- Dedicated Numbers for Foreign Nationals: Once approved, foreign citizens and migrants will have six months to apply for new mobile numbers reserved exclusively for them.
- Mandatory Electronic Identity Checks: All subscribers will be required to undergo electronic identity verification. Operators must confirm identities using biometric data—such as facial or fingerprint scans—or a verified digital identity code.
- Restrictions on Identification Documents: Companies will no longer be permitted to open new lines using documents that lack electronic verification capabilities.
- Biometric Support from Migration Authority: If a foreign national lacks an electronically verifiable identity document, operators may request biometric identity information directly from the migration management authority.
- Exemptions: Diplomatic personnel and their families will be exempt from these requirements.
Compliance Deadlines
Foreign subscribers will have six months to update their existing lines to comply with the new system. Mobile operators will also be obligated to confirm every three months whether subscribers are still alive or, in the case of companies, whether their legal status remains valid. If this cannot be verified through official records, operators must automatically cancel the subscription.
Caps on Mobile Lines
The draft introduces a cap on the number of mobile lines that can be registered under a single individual. Operators will be barred from providing service to any lines exceeding this threshold.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Operators that violate the regulations could face administrative fines of 20,000 Turkish Liras ($471) per line.
Government’s Rationale
Officials say the reform is designed to combat fraud, theft, and credit card crimes, noting that such activities often involve mobile lines registered under multiple identities or unverified users.
