Arrested at the airport
Stopped on a warrant, a wanted record (GBT) or an INTERPOL notice? You have the right to silence and to a lawyer — message us, day or night.
Learn more →
Istanbul Airport (IST) · Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
IST ⇄ SAW24/7
Legal help at Istanbul Airport — any hour, day or night.
Arrested, held or refused entry at IST or Sabiha Gökçen? Write to a licensed İstanbul Bar attorney on WhatsApp — in English or Turkish.
Or start with your situation
- I'm being held — opens WhatsApp with this as the first line
- I was refused entry — opens WhatsApp with this as the first line
- INTERPOL notice — opens WhatsApp with this as the first line
- Customs took my money or goods — opens WhatsApp with this as the first line
- Someone close to me is held — opens WhatsApp with this as the first line
Each one opens WhatsApp with a first line you can edit before you send it.
Confidential — attorney–client privilege
Licensed İstanbul Bar attorneys
The first hour · IST & SAW
Stopped, refused entry or detained? What to do first.
At the border, the first hours often shape what happens next.
Stay calm and polite
Do not resist or argue.
You may ask for a lawyer
And for an interpreter in your language.
Don't sign what you don't understand
Ask for a translation or an explanation first.
Keep every paper, take notes
Names, times, what you are told.
Your consulate can be informed
Foreign nationals can ask for this.
Message a lawyer
Airport (IST or SAW), terminal, what is happening.
Message a lawyer on WhatsApp
A family member can also send it for you.
Start here
What's happening to you right now?
Situations we handle
How we help with airport legal problems
The most common legal situations travelers face at the Turkish border — handled calmly, in plain English.
INTERPOL Red Notice
A red notice (kırmızı bülten) or extradition request against you? We explain what it means and challenge it where there are grounds.
Learn more →Police custody & statement
Held in custody (gözaltı) or asked to give a statement (ifade)? Don't sign anything without a lawyer — we attend and protect your rights.
Learn more →Denied entry & deportation
Refused at passport control (an inadmissible passenger / INAD case) or facing removal? We explain your options and act to protect your rights.
Learn more →Turkey entry ban (tahdit)
Banned from re-entering Türkiye? We check the restriction code and challenge or lift it where there are grounds, within the deadline.
Learn more →Visa violation & overstay
Overstayed your visa or e-Visa? We handle the fine, the exit and any re-entry ban — and tell you your real options.
Learn more →Residence permit (ikamet) problems
Ikamet refused, cancelled or a renewal stuck? We appeal the decision within the deadline and protect your status.
Learn more →Customs & seized goods
Cash, electronics or items held at customs? We handle declarations, penalties and recovery procedures.
Learn more →Detention at the border
Held by police or border officers? You have the right to a lawyer. We attend, advise and intervene.
Learn more →Don't see your situation? Message us — we'll tell you whether we can help.
After you message us
What happens after you message us
Here is what a first conversation can look like — from your first message to your own decision.
Istanbul Airport LawyerIllustration · not a real conversation
1You write
Hello. My brother has been stopped at passport control at Istanbul Airport (IST) and he can't use his phone. Can you help him?
Any language you are comfortable with. Tell us the airport (IST or SAW), the terminal and what is happening. A family member can write for you.
2A lawyer reads it and replies
Lawyer · İstanbul Bar
Thank you for writing. I will explain his rights and his options in plain words. It would help to know his nationality, and whether he was given any document.
Read by a licensed İstanbul Bar attorney. Everything you share is confidential (attorney–client privilege).
3You decide
Lawyer · İstanbul Bar
If you would like us to act, for example to attend the airport, I will first explain the scope of the work and agree the fee with you.
Thank you. I would like to talk to our family first.
Of course. Nothing is agreed until you decide.
We act only if you ask us to, with the scope and the fee agreed clearly before any work begins. Messaging us does not commit you to anything.
- Who reads my message?
- A licensed attorney of the İstanbul Bar.
- Do I have to decide now?
- No. Messaging us does not commit you to anything.
- What about the fee?
- If you want us to act, we agree it with you clearly before any work begins.
Message a lawyer on WhatsApp
Any hour, day or night · Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
Why travelers trust us
Steady hands when it matters most
Licensed Istanbul Bar attorneysRegistered, accountable lawyers — not a referral middleman.
English & TurkishWe advise in English and Turkish and can correspond with you in writing in your own language. If you need a spoken interpreter or a notary in your language, we arrange it at your own cost.
Transparent fees, agreed firstYou know the cost before any work begins. No surprises.
Available 24/7Nights, weekends and public holidays — flights don't wait, neither do we.
"At a border, the first hour decides everything. We make sure you are not alone in it."
— The Istanbul Airport Lawyer team
İstanbul Barosu · Registered Attorneys
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The WhatsApp line is open at any hour, including nights and public holidays. Tell us where you are and what is happening; an attorney can attend the airport in person depending on the situation and traffic.
Our legal advice and phone help are in English and Turkish. We can also correspond with you in writing in your own language, and if you need a spoken interpreter or a notary in your language, we can arrange one at your own cost. Just tell us what you prefer.
The first message to understand your situation carries no obligation. If you decide to engage us, we explain the fee clearly and agree it with you before any work begins.
Stay calm and polite. You may state that you wish to speak to a lawyer. Avoid signing documents you do not understand. Message us on WhatsApp straight away and we will guide you step by step.
Yes. Where the situation requires it, an attorney can attend IST or Sabiha Gökçen in person. We confirm this with you in our first conversation.
Completely. Everything you share is protected by attorney–client confidentiality under Turkish law.
Where we operate
Both Istanbul airports, around the clock
On call for Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) — 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Istanbul Airport (IST)
The large hub on the European side — where most international arrivals, border refusals and customs stops happen. We are on call here around the clock.
Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
The airport on the Asian side — smaller, but the same rules and the same rights apply, and we cover it every day of the year.
24 / 7 · 365 days
Guides & insights
Latest from our airport-law guides
Plain-English answers to what travelers face at Istanbul's airports — written by our attorneys, free to read.
Entry & Border
e-Visa or Visa Refused at Istanbul Airport: What to Do
Why a visa or e-Visa is refused on arrival, your rights at passport control, and the steps that keep your options open.
Read the guide → At the AirportStopped at Istanbul Airport: What to Do in the First Hour
The first hour shapes what follows — a calm, practical checklist for the moment you are pulled aside at IST or SAW.
Read the guide → DocumentsPassport Held or Taken at Istanbul Airport: What to Do
Why your passport may be held, what it means for your trip, and how to get it back without making things worse.
Read the guide →
We're ready now
Speak with a lawyer
One call or message is all it takes. We answer 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Phone+90 850 242 40 43
AddressSNS Plaza, 3rd Floor No.6, Gürsel Mah., Karataş Sk., 34413 Kağıthane, İstanbul
CoverageIstanbul Airport (IST) & Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
Hours24 hours · 7 days · every holiday
PRIORITY DESK · 24/7IST ⇄ SAW
Before you message us
Have your passport or ID and your flight details ready if you can. If you are being questioned, you do not have to sign anything before speaking to a lawyer. Stay calm — we will take it from here.
Message a lawyer on WhatsApp