ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler stated that 30,106 Syrian nationals were granted residence permits, and foreign national ID numbers by July 1, 2013, but this didn't mean a grant of Turkish citizenship.
In response to a parliamentary question from Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) Ankara Deputy Ozcan Yeniceri, Guler said that the Turkish ID number was issued to Turkish citizens only, and foreigners granted at least 6 months' residence were issued a separate ID number reserved for foreign nationals.
Guler said that Syrian nationals entering Turkey legally were granted temporary residence permits for up to 1 year upon application to the provincial security departments, except in Hatay and Sirnak. Guler stressed that the residence permit didn't mean a grant of Turkish citizenship.
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