Ç-135 (C-135) Restriction Code: Unpaid Administrative Fine

The Ç-135 restriction code (C-135) is entered in the record of foreigners who have not paid an administrative fine imposed under Article 102 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection (YUKK). While Ç-120 shows debts relating to visa and residence fees, Ç-135 concerns fines arising from acts that the Law defines directly as misdemeanours.

📋 Which Fines Lead to Ç-135?

Art. 102/1 of Law No. 6458 provides an administrative fine, unless a heavier penalty is required under other laws, for the following acts:

• Foreigners who enter or leave Türkiye unlawfully, or attempt to do so (a),
• Those who managed to enter Türkiye despite an entry ban (b),
• Those who did not leave Türkiye within the period given by an invitation to leave (c),
• Those who escape during deportation, administrative detention and international protection procedures (ç),
• Those who do not comply with the obligations imposed as alternatives to administrative detention (e).

In addition, Art. 102/2 provides a fine per foreigner for persons who enable undocumented foreigners to enter, shelter or stay and for those who rent out property to them; this fine is directed not at the foreigner but at the person who provides the opportunity or rents out the property. The tenancy of foreigners is covered in the article on lease relations with foreign tenantsTR.

⏳ Payment Period and Increase

Under Art. 102/5, fines are imposed by governorships, the Directorate General or law-enforcement units and are paid within thirty days of notification. If the same misdemeanour is repeated by a natural person within a calendar year, the fine is increased by half (Art. 102/3). The amounts in the Law are base figures; the amount applied is updated every year by the revaluation rate. The fine does not prevent the application of other administrative measures in the Law (Art. 102/4); that is, both a fine and deportation can arise together.

⚠️ Consequences of Non-Payment

• Visa obstacle: Visas are not issued to those who do not agree to pay receivables that must be collected under Law No. 6183 (Art. 15/1-ğ).
• Prior permission requirement: Because of administrative fines, admission to the country may be made subject to prior permission by governorships (Art. 9/7).
• Pursuit as a public receivable: An unpaid fine is pursued under Law No. 6183; for a foreigner with assets or a bank account in Türkiye, collection measures such as attachment may also come up.

Alongside Ç-135 there is usually a code showing the act that gave rise to the fine. For example, Ç-137 (C-137) may appear where the invitation to leave was not complied with, and Ç-113 (C-113) where there was unlawful entry or exit.

⚖️ Objecting to the Fine

Because Law No. 6458 does not set out a separate objection route for administrative fines, an application can be made to the criminal judgeship of peace within fifteen days of notification under Art. 27 of the Misdemeanours Law No. 5326. If this period is missed, the fine becomes final and only the option of payment remains. Where notification was irregular, for example given in a language the foreigner does not understand and without an explanation of rights, the start of the period may be separately argued. For the general framework, see the article on objection to an administrative fineTR.

Related codes and articles: Ç-120 (C-120) Restriction Code, Ç-136 (C-136) Restriction Code.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions