Executive Summary: Data Residency in Turkey –
Q&A Format
- Overview
1.1 General Personal Data
Q: Can personal data be transferred abroad?
A: Yes, but under specific conditions. Before June 1, 2024,
personal data could be transferred abroad only if explicit consent
was obtained or if a legal basis other than consent existed. These
legal bases were outlined under Article 5 of the Data Protection
Law (DPL). However, the applicability of these bases was limited
due to the absence of an official safe country list. Under the new
amendments, explicit consent is no longer the primary requirement
for cross-border transfers.
Q: What are the safeguards for data
transfers?
A: The law specifies several mechanisms that can be used to
ensure adequate protection for cross-border data transfers. These
include: (i) agreements between correspondent authorities, where
public institutions or professional organizations in Turkey and
their counterparts abroad establish