Turkey eases quarantine rules for Pakistani students, work permit holders

Students will be allowed to undergo mandatory quarantine of 10 days at designated dormitories instead of hotels

ANKARA:

The Turkish government, at the request of the Pakistan embassy and keeping in view hardships faced by Pakistani students to be joining their academic institutions in Turkey after the summer break, revised quarantine rules on Friday.

Under the new rules, which were effective from Friday (August 6) till September 1, the students will be allowed to undergo the mandatory quarantine of 10 days at designated dormitories instead of private hotels.

Students will be quarantined at the Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution's (KYK) Muhteşem Süleyman Dormitory in Istanbul and Tahsin Banguoğlu KYK Dormitory in Ankara.

Read more: Turkey tightens coronavirus measures, brings back weekend lockdowns

A valid student identification document showing that they study higher education in Turkey would be required, an official statement issued by the Pakistan Embassy in Ankara said.

Pakistani students studying in universities based in provinces other than Istanbul or Ankara will only be able to travel to the provinces where their registered universities are based after the end of the quarantine period in KYK dormitories in Istanbul or Ankara.

Those coming from Pakistan who have valid residence and work permits will be exempted from hotel quarantine and will spend their mandatory quarantine period in their residence.

However, such persons will only be allowed to go to their residence by private vehicle and cannot use domestic flights or public transportation.

Also read: Turkey to further ease coronavirus restrictions from July

Other than current students and holders of Turkish residence or work permit, those coming from Pakistan for visit or tourism purposes, will be quarantined at the designated private hotels as per previous practice.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara has conveyed deep appreciation and gratitude to the relevant authorities who amended the quarantine rules on our request.