Complementary Emergency Social Safety Net (C-ESSN) Project is a cash-based support project designed to improve the living standards of foreigners who remain in the "Most Vulnerable" situation as they cannot be directed to the livelihood. Assistance is provided through KIZILAYKART after the assessment on needs based.

It is not possible to benefit from both the ESSN Programme and the C-ESSN Project at the same time. Applicants who were detected that they need cash-based assistance are determined by the system as “ESSN” or “C-ESSN” beneficiaries according to their demographic criteria.

C-ESSN Project is funded by European Union. The project is implemented through KIZILAYKART Platform.

The Project aims to support foreigners living in Turkey under temporary protection / international protection / international protection applicants / humanitarian residence permit starting with the ID number 99 (according to the Foreigners and International Protection Law 6458, dated 04/04/2014) or it aims to support individuals who currently benefit from the ESSN programme and meet the vulnerability criteria of the C-ESSN project.

A monthly 450 TL cash support for each family member who met the criteria and deemed eligible is deposited to accounts within the scope of the C-ESSN Project. These supports are deposited into the existing KIZILAYKART's of the beneficiaries. For those who have not previously received assistance from the project, new KIZILAYKART is issued if they are fund demed eligible for the project. These card can be used for withdrawing cash from any ATM or buying goods via POS (point of sale) devices.

As long as the project fund is provided and eligibility of the individuls continue, individuals continue to receive cash assistance. Necessary information will be given to the beneficiaries before the end of the project.

You can tell us about any complaint you have by calling the toll free 168 Kızılay Call Centre. We will try to solve the issue on the phone. If we cannot resolve the issue together, we will get back to you shortly on your complaint by phone. You can also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Kizilaykart.Programlari or click here in order to register a complaint. 

There is no application system different from the ESSN Programme for the C-ESSN Project. Households have to make application to the ESSN Programme at the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations or Kızılay Service Centres in order to benefit from the C-ESSN Project. While the Payment List is being created, it is systematically determined which assistance households will benefit from within the framework of the ESSN Programme and C-ESSN Project criteria.

Solely making an ESSN Programme application suffices for applying for both assistance. You have to follow the steps below for applying to the ESSN Programme:

You need to ensure the following:

•All of your family members are registered at Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM), have an ID number starting with 99 and are registered under the same family number.

• Your address and all your family members are registered with the Population Department Office in your district. 

• For individuals with a disability level above 40% in the family, a Disability Report must be obtained from an authorized state hospital in Turkey.

• The application form must be filled in for all family members and all family members over the age of 18 must sign the form.

• You need to submit the completed application forms, family members' GIGM IDs and, if any, disability reports of the disabled people in the family to the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation (SYDV) or Red Crescent Service Center (HM) in your region and submit your application.

There is no application form to apply for the C-ESSN Project; Households applying for the ESSN Programme are considered to have applied for the C-ESSN Project as well. Households meeting the C-ESSN criteria are systematically transferred from the ESSN Programme to the C-ESSN Project. Application forms prepared to apply for the ESSN Programme are free of charge. You can get the forms from Kızılay Service Centers and Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations (SASF). If you do not know where the nearest Kızılay Service Center or SASF is, you can find the address by calling toll free 168 Kızılay Call Center or clicking here.

Every household applying to the ESSN Programme is considered to have applied to the C-ESSN Project as well. Households/individuals applying to the ESSN Programme are accepted into the ESSN Programme or the C-ESSN Project based on their vulnerability criteria. You will be notified via SMS whether you have been accepted to the program / project or if you have been accepted, which program / project you will benefit from.

To be eligible for assistance under the ESSN, you must meet the following requirements:

• Living in Turkey, under Temporary Protection / International Protection / International Protection Status Application and Humanitarian Residence Permit (according to the Law on Foreigners and International Protection with date 04.04.2014 and no. 6458) in settlements outside of camps.

• To have a valid identity card starting with 99 obtained from the General Directorate of Migration Management (GIGM). (You can find your 99 number by visiting this website and entering your 98 number: http://www.goc.gov.tr/gecicikoruma/Pages/YabanciKimlikSorgulama.aspx or by visiting your nearest DGMM office.)

• Be registered at the Population Department office in your area of residence.

• Have an adult family member as the primary applicant.

If you call toll free 168 Kızılay Call Center and report your situation, you will be referred to the relevant unit. In order to apply for the ESSN, your household must be registered with the Population Directorate.

Your eligibility for the ESSN Programme or the C-ESSN Project will be communicated within 5 to 9 weeks following the date of your application. We will inform you via SMS. If your phone number changes, inform the SASF / Kızılay Service Center where you applied and update the phone number without delay; otherwise, it will not be possible for us to communicate with you regarding the result of your application.

While the payment list is created for the households that have applied to the ESSN Programme and are found eligible, or the households that have already received assistance from the programme, which assistance they will benefit from is systematically determined within the framework of the TC-ESSN Project and the ESSN Programme criteria.

• Although you have a KIZILAYKART, if you do not use the assistance amount in your account for 6 months, your balance in your account will be refunded.
• If you do not pick up your card from the relevant Halkbank branch within 3 months after you are eligible for assistance and the amount of assistance is transferred to your account, the balances in your account will be withdrawn.

It is an assistance for severely disabled C-ESSN beneficiaries with a disability level of 50% or more. "Severe Disability Health Report" must be submitted during the application.

In order to benefit from this assistance, all households with a severely disabled person in their family must submit a Severe Disabiity Health Report at the time of application.

The report to be submitted to receive severe disability assistance has to include one of the expressions below.

• “Severely Disabled” (for adults in older dated reports)
• “Fully Dependent” (in newer dated reports) For children:
• “Very High Level of Special Needs”
• “Explicit Special Needs”
• “Specific Needs”

Only C-ESSN beneficiaries who meet the eligibility requirements can receive this assistance.

This payment is made monthly at the same time as C-ESSN payments, on the last day of the month.

Severe disability assistance payments will be uploaded to the same KIZILAYKART account on a same day as C-ESSN payments.

Every family member who is a C-ESSN beneficiary and has a valid health report can receive the severe disability benefit.

This SMS means that your card is ready to be received from the Halkbank branch assigned for you. The SMS you received also includes the address of the relevant Halkbank branch office. Only the primary applicant to ESSN may receive the KIZILAYKART. When you go to collect your card, do not forget to take your 99 ID Card with you.You will be asked to sign a consent form to provide Türk Kızılay and partners the power to access the account, closing the account or clear the balance in the account. After signing the consent form; you will receive 1) Your KIZILAYKART,
2) Your PIN number inside an envelope, and
3) The informative brochure on how to use your card.

You have to visit the Halkbank branch office communicated to you via SMS to receive your card for the first time. Please click here for the address of the Halkbank branch office closest to you. You do not have to go to a Halkbank branch office in order to use your monthly support; you may realise your transactions over any ATM or POS device.

KIZILAYKART may be used at any ATM for withdrawing cash and for any POS (point of sale) device for buying goods. It is free of charge to withdraw cash and checking your balance at Halkbank ATMs. You may also use Vakıfbank and Ziraatbank ATMs free or charge for withdrawing cash. However, balance control cannot be made from Vakıf Bank and Ziraat Bank ATMs. Vakıfbank and Ziraatbank ATMs provide services only Turkish.

The assistance is deposited in your KIZILAYKART on the last day of each month. Every month you will receive an SMS indicating that your cash support is ready to be used. In case of any delays in the depositing process, this will also be communicated to you via SMS.

Service is provided in Turkish and Arabic at all Halkbank ATMs across the country. For assistance, you can call the toll free 168 Kızılay Call Center and if you need any help, our operators will be able to help you in multiple languages including Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, English and Turkish.

In case of any of these situations, please call the toll free 168 Kızılay Call Center. The Kizilay Call Centre will verify your information and may put you through to the Halkbank call centre if necessary. Both Call Centres provide a service in multiple languages. Your old card will no longer be valid if you report it as missing or broken. In this case, your account will not be closed, you will only have to go to the Halkbank branch you are affiliated with to issue a new card in your name.

Card and PIN distribution and consent form is a form required to be signed by all eligible persons within the scope of the programme / project to allow the Turk Kızılay to access the bank accounts. Turk Kızılay needs to be able to access the accounts in order to view transaction details and share such details with the programme partners in compliance with the provisions under *LPDP, to deposit money into the account, blocking cards or closing the account. After receiving the consent forms, Halkbank will open a bank account for the card owner and link the card owner information in the payment list with the card.
* Law on Personal Data Protection

Yes, there are restrictions related with the use of card:

• Internet and mail order purchases are not allowed.
• The card cannot be used outside of Turkey in ATMs and POS devices.
• The card cannot be used for purchase at tobacco and alcohol merchants.
• The beneficiaries may access the balance in the card only by using their PIN numbers; they may learn their account balances by calling the toll free 168 Kızılay Call Centre, and complete the necessary confirmation steps when they are connected to Halkbank Call Centre.
• There is no possibility to use credit or open credit on the card and account, and the account balance can never go below 0.
• EFT, money transfers and deposits cannot be made on the account, except for withdrawals and shopping with a POS device.

Households that previously benefited from the ESSN Programme and were found eligible for the C-ESSN Project will continue to use their KIZILAYKART unless there is a change of household head (main applicant). However, in case of a change of household head, they will need to get a new card from the relevant branch notified via SMS. Beneficiaries whose KIZILAYKART is lost, damaged or destroyed can report the situation by calling toll free 168 Kızılay Call Center. 168 operator will verify your information and transfer you to Halkbank Call Center if deemed necessary.

Within the scope of the C-ESSN Project, no additional payments will be made except monthly payments. The C-ESSN Project aims to provide cash assistance to the most vulnerable group among the beneficiaries of the ESSN Programme who are disadvantaged in terms of being directed to the workforc. In this context, the amount to be paid per person per month is higher than the ESSN Programme amount considering the vulnerability levels. No additional quaterly payment is made for this reason.

For ATM usage, you can review the guide in this link.