Atilla Toros, head of the Directorate General of Migration Management, revealed that the Foreigners Communication Center (YİMER) 157 functions not only as a general information hotline but also as an emergency service for victims of serious crimes, including human trafficking, domestic violence and migrant smuggling. Since its launch, YİMER 157 has been instrumental in rescuing 15,619 individuals.
Toros shared these insights in an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), highlighting the considerable efforts made since YİMER 157 began operations on Aug. 20, 2015. The center operates 24/7, providing critical support in emergencies and coordinating with law enforcement agencies to address issues such as human trafficking, domestic violence and migrant smuggling. Individuals can press "1" to be connected directly to the emergency hotline for immediate assistance.
He underscored YİMER 157's crucial role in tackling irregular migration and migrant smuggling, collaborating closely with the police, gendarmerie and the coast guard. Toros emphasized that these efforts are guided by principles of human rights, civilizational values and the rule of law.
Since the beginning of the year, YİMER 157 has received 909 emergency calls, resulting in the rescue of 231 people. The service ensures prompt emergency responses, rapidly relaying location information to law enforcement agencies.
Toros also noted a significant increase in foreign interest in Türkiye. Currently, 1,104,353 foreigners hold residence permits for purposes such as education, health, tourism and work. In total, 4,425,230 foreigners have legal residency rights in Türkiye, including those who have sought refuge in the country. In 2023, Türkiye welcomed 56,693,837 foreign visitors.
YİMER 157 provides extensive support to foreigners in Türkiye, including international investors, experts, scientists and asylum-seekers. The service operates in Turkish, English, Russian, Arabic and Persian and has fielded over 23 million calls. It has also been recognized with nine international awards for excellence in emergency services.
Toros concluded by emphasizing the directorate general's ongoing commitment to enhancing Türkiye’s international profile in higher education. He highlighted a new protocol with the Higher Education Council (YÖK), which enables international students to directly connect with a foreign representative by pressing "2" when calling YİMER 157.
"As the Directorate General of Migration Management, we continue our efforts to contribute to our country's goals of internationalization in higher education. The protocol we signed with YÖK is a milestone. In this context, international students who call YİMER 157 can press '2' after calling YİMER 157 to connect with a foreign representative regarding their specific issue directly," Toros explained.