Uzbek migration to Turkey: from historical roots to the modern community

In recent decades Turkey has become one of the largest destinations for citizens of Uzbekistan. The community's historical roots reach back to the early 20th century, while modern labor migration accelerated mainly from the 2010s. Below, the historical roots, the visa regime, the figures in Turkey's official statistics, where migrants concentrate and the restrictions of recent years are set out using only verified sources.

Historical roots

After 1917, the establishment of Soviet rule and anti-religious policy forced many Turkic- and Persian-speaking Muslims from Central Asia — including the Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand areas — into emigration; some found refuge in Turkey. In 1952 the Turkish government admitted roughly 2,500 Turkestani refugees from India and settled them in Istanbul and other provinces, forming 'Türkistanlı' communities. During the war in Afghanistan, a further wave of Turkestani émigrés came to Turkey.

Istanbul — a Central Asian district

Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district has long been a hub where people from Central Asia — including those working in the textile industry — gather. Later, districts such as Başakşehir also became areas where Uzbek and other Central Asian communities live. Istanbul still concentrates the bulk of Turkey's foreign residents today.

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The visa-free regime: 2018

Under a decree signed on 11 November 2018 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the visa-free stay for citizens of Uzbekistan was extended from 30 to 90 days within any 180-day period. A longer stay requires a short-term residence permit (ikamet). The decree made travelling to and staying in Turkey significantly easier for Uzbeks.

In numbers: residence permits

According to Turkey's Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi), as of 3 April 2025 the number of Uzbekistan citizens holding residence permits was 58,747 — 7th among all foreign nationalities. Of these, family permits numbered 15,714 (2nd overall) and student permits 5,960. At that time, more than 1 million foreigners held Turkish residence permits, about 533,000 of them in Istanbul.

In numbers: flows and work

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), in 2025 Uzbekistan citizens made up 6.9 percent of foreign nationals who immigrated to the country — one of the largest flows from Central Asia (Turkmen were first at 23.4 percent). Uzbekistan citizens are also among the nationalities granted the most work permits by Turkey.

Why Turkey

Several factors make Turkey attractive to Uzbeks: closeness of language, faith and culture (the Turkic language family, a majority-Muslim population), a visa-free or easy-entry regime, and demand for workers in textiles, construction, services and care work. Most find work in Istanbul and other large cities.

Restrictions and difficulties

In recent years Turkey has introduced neighborhood-level limits on foreigners registering their residence: as of 2025, new foreign registration is closed in 1,169 neighborhoods. Under the rule, if registered foreigners exceed 20 percent of a neighborhood's population, that neighborhood is closed. Ten districts of Istanbul — including Fatih, Başakşehir and Zeytinburnu — are fully closed. The limit applies only to new applications and does not affect existing permit-holders. Some Uzbeks also work in irregular status.

The 2026 labor agreement

In January 2026, Turkey and Uzbekistan signed labor agreements. Under them, from 1 March 2026 citizens of Uzbekistan who have lived continuously in Turkey for at least three years may obtain a work permit, and the two states agreed to regularize the status of Uzbeks in irregular situations. Turkey's employment agency (IŞKUR) is to forward requests for in-demand occupations to Uzbekistan's Migration Agency.