kimlik

Kimlik is a Turkish term meaning identity, referring to the characteristics, data, or documents that establish who a person is. In everyday language it is used to denote both a person’s identity and the documents that prove it, such as an identity card or identification number. Etymology: from kim, “who,” plus the noun-forming suffix -lik.

In Turkey, identification is organized around both a national identity number and official documents. Every citizen is assigned a T.C. Kimlik Numarası, an 11-digit number used to link records across public registries and many private-sector services. The primary government-issued identification document is the Nüfus Cüzdanı (identity booklet), issued by the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs. In many civil processes—voting, passport issuance, banking, healthcare—the presentation of the Nüfus Cüzdanı or the use of the T.C. Kimlik Numarası is required or highly common. With the growth of digital services, the e-Government portal (e-Devlet) relies on the national ID for authentication.

Privacy and data protection: The protection of personal data is governed by the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (KVKK). The handling of kimlik information is subject to strict rules to prevent fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized access.

Global usage: while closely associated with Turkey, the concept of kimlik exists in many cultures as identity verification and documents; similar systems exist worldwide using identity numbers and official papers.