A foreigner who needs a tax number in Türkiye does not have to start with a queue at the tax office. The application can be filed online through the Digital Tax Office (Dijital Vergi Dairesi) of the Revenue Administration (Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı, GİB). Yet this is exactly where many people get stuck: they pick the wrong service, type their details from memory, or hit a message saying their passport data could not be verified. Here is how to get through it without extra visits, and what to do if the online route fails.
The official name of the service is “Yabancılar İçin Potansiyel Vergi Kimlik Numarası Başvurusu”, shown in English as “Potential Tax Number Application for Foreigners”. If the online identity check does not go through, you can apply in person at a tax office (vergi dairesi). This guide is based on GİB’s application screen and the official guidance published by Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) for its international academics.
In brief
- The error “Kimlik ve pasaport bilgilerinizin doğruluğu sağlanamadı” is not a dead end: if your details are correct and the system still rejects them, you can apply in person at a tax office.
- A new number is requested online through GİB’s “Potential Tax Number Application for Foreigners”.
- After a successful application, the number is displayed on the result screen.
- For an in-person application, İTÜ lists three documents: the original passport, a copy of the passport’s personal details page and a written request for a tax number.
- Looking up a number you already have is a separate e-Devlet service and requires identity-verified login.
What is a foreigner’s tax number in Türkiye (vergi kimlik numarası)?
It is the number used to identify a foreign national when they do not hold a valid foreigner identification number (yabancı kimlik numarası). That is how İTÜ’s official guidance describes it.
On GİB’s online platform the number appears as a “potential tax identification number” (potansiyel vergi kimlik numarası). So rather than searching the system for “tax number” alone, it helps to look for the full name of the service, which keeps you from confusing it with similar services nearby.
In practice, a tax number is often requested when a foreigner starts arranging things in Türkiye. The official sources behind this article do not list those situations, so if a bank, notary or other organisation asks you for one, check with them that this is the number they need.
Where do you apply for a tax number online?
Online applications go through GİB’s official Digital Tax Office. The direct link to the application screen is dijital.gib.gov.tr/foreigners/kimlikNoBasvuru.
This screen is the reference point for the whole process; there is no need for intermediaries or unofficial sites. İTÜ’s guidance also points foreigners to the online application and asks them to complete the form in full.
How to get a tax number online: 4 steps
Short answer: have your passport ready, open the correct GİB service, fill in every field exactly as in your passport, and make sure the number appears on the result screen.
| Step | What to do | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Passport at hand | Keep your valid passport next to you while filling in the form | Copy details from the document, not from memory |
| 2. The right service | Open “Potential Tax Number Application for Foreigners” | This is for a new number, not a lookup of an existing one |
| 3. Every field | Enter identity, passport and contact details | Name exactly as in the passport, passport number without typos |
| 4. Review and confirm | Check your entries and follow the confirmation steps | Make sure the number shows on the result screen |
Step 1. Have your passport ready
The online application uses your identity and passport details, so keep your valid passport with you. Typing from memory makes mismatches more likely, and mismatches are what most often stop the system from verifying you. İTÜ’s guidance also walks through the process using passport data.
Step 2. Open GİB’s official application screen
Go to the “Potential Tax Number Application for Foreigners” service in the Digital Tax Office. This screen is for obtaining a new number. Checking an existing number is a different service, covered below.
Step 3. Complete every field
The form asks for identity, passport and contact details, including first name and surname, place of birth, mother’s and father’s names, country, passport number and phone number. All fields must be completed.
Before you submit, check that:
- your first name and surname match your passport;
- the passport number is typed correctly;
- personal details are entered in the right fields;
- contact details and all other mandatory fields are filled in.
This is not a formality: according to İTÜ, the system’s inability to verify identity and passport details is one of the problems applicants run into online.
Step 4. Review and complete the application
Re-read your entries and follow the confirmation steps on screen. According to İTÜ, after a successful application the tax number is displayed on the result screen.
Submitting the form and seeing the number are two stages of the same process. So do not close the page straight after submitting: make sure the number has appeared and save it.
GİB says your details could not be verified: what now?
First compare what you entered with your passport. If everything is correct and the error persists, apply in person at a tax office. An online error does not mean you cannot get the number.
İTÜ’s guidance quotes this system message: “Kimlik ve pasaport bilgilerinizin doğruluğu sağlanamadı”, meaning “The accuracy of your identity and passport details could not be confirmed”.
The order İTÜ recommends is simple: try the online application first, and if it cannot be completed that way, go to the tax office.
How do you apply in person, and which documents do you need?
If the online route fails, a foreign national can apply at a tax office (vergi dairesi). İTÜ’s guidance lists three documents.
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Original passport | Presented as your identity document |
| Copy of the passport’s personal details page | A copy of the page showing your personal information |
| Written request for a tax number (vergi numarası talep dilekçesi) | Your formal request to be assigned a tax number |
This list comes from İTÜ’s official guidance for international academics. The sources do not say definitively whether extra documents may be requested in specific cases, so it is best to confirm with the tax office where you plan to apply.
Already have a number? How to look it up
If you were assigned a number before, you do not need a new application; you need to find or check the existing one. The e-Devlet portal offers GİB’s “Vergi Kimlik Numarası Sorgulama” (tax number lookup) service. To use it, you must log in with one of the identity verification methods the system accepts.
Service link: turkiye.gov.tr/gib-intvrg-vergi-kimlik-numarasi-sorgulama.
| New number | Existing number | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | GİB Digital Tax Office | e-Devlet portal |
| Service | Potential Tax Number Application for Foreigners | Vergi Kimlik Numarası Sorgulama |
| Access | Online form with passport details | Identity-verified login required |
The fact that e-Devlet has a lookup service does not mean you can use it to apply for a new number: the two screens serve different purposes.
Common mistakes
- Wrong service. Confusing the e-Devlet lookup with GİB’s application for a new number.
- Details from memory. A small mismatch with the passport in the name or document number is a frequent reason the online check fails.
- Closing the page too early. The number has to be seen and saved on the result screen.
- Giving up after an error. If your details are right and the system still rejects them, you can apply in person.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply online before arriving in Türkiye?
GİB does have an online application screen for foreigners. However, the official sources used here do not describe in detail the conditions or technical access for applications made from abroad. So the existence of the online service alone does not guarantee a smooth application from any country.
Do I have to go to a tax office?
No, you can apply online first. Applying in person is the alternative when the system cannot verify your passport details even though they are correct.
Where will I see the number after an online application?
According to İTÜ, after a successful application the tax number appears on the result screen.
Which documents should I take to the tax office?
İTÜ lists the original passport, a copy of the passport’s personal details page and a written request for a tax number.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
The accessible official material used for this guide gives no clear information on a fee or a fixed processing time for every application. Rely on the current notes on GİB’s application screen.
What is the difference between applying and looking up?
A new number is requested through GİB’s Digital Tax Office. Looking up an existing number is an e-Devlet service that requires identity-verified login.
More on TRBW
- Beyanname in Türkiye: how a tax return differs from a customs declaration
- How a foreigner can prove income in Türkiye
Source
- GİB — Potential Tax Number Application for Foreigners
- Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) — tax number guidance
- e-Devlet — Vergi Kimlik Numarası Sorgulama
This article is for information only and is not a substitute for advice from a tax professional. Procedures and requirements may change, so check GİB’s application screen and confirm with the tax office before applying.