New era in green and gray passport applications: YÖK digitized the procedures

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has moved the green and gray passport applications of personnel working at state universities to the digital environment. With the new application, applications will be made electronically, approved by authorized superiors with an electronic signature, and forwarded directly to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVI). The system will also cover retired university personnel.

NEW MODULE FOR PASSPORT PROCEDURES

In a letter dated November 13, 2026, YÖK Information Technology Department informed state universities that the "Passport Transactions" module prepared within the Personnel Information System (PBS) has been made available for use.

Through the new system, university employees will be able to submit their passport requests with special stamps (green) and service stamps (gray) electronically. Personnel who want to apply will be able to use the "Individual Transactions → Passport Application" tab after logging into the system at pbs.yok.gov.tr.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE APPROVED WITH ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE

Requests submitted via PBS will first be examined by the personnel units of the universities. Applications deemed appropriate will be approved with the electronic signature of the authorized supervisor and sent directly to NVI.

If there is missing or incorrect information in the applications, corrections will be made by the Personnel Department of the relevant university.

THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO SEND A WET SIGNED DOCUMENT

The regulation also aims to reduce physical document traffic in passport transactions. In the letter sent by YÖK to universities, it was stated that there is no need to send a separate document with wet signature or electronic signature for applications approved with electronic signature and forwarded to NVI.

Thus, the stages of preparing additional documents and sending physical documents in the application and approval processes will be eliminated.

RETIRED PERSONNEL ARE ALSO IN THE SCOPE

The new module can be used for current university employees as well as personnel who have left their positions due to retirement or resignation. Passport request documents of retired employees can be prepared through the system. Procedures within this scope will be carried out by officers authorized by the Personnel Departments of the universities.

TWO SEPARATE AUTHORITIES WILL BE DEFINED IN UNIVERSITIES

YÖK asked universities to create two separate job descriptions in order to use the application. Accordingly, the "Passport Approval Authority" will examine the applications and approve the requests deemed appropriate, and may return incomplete or incorrect applications.

The "Passport Signing Officer" will also sign the approved applications with an electronic signature and ensure that they are forwarded to NVI. Universities were asked to complete the authorization procedures through PBS by determining the personnel who will undertake these duties.

It was reported that technical support requests regarding the application can be sent to [email protected].