Am I Covered by EYT? A Short Roadmap

Your insurance start date matters more here than you might think.

Summary

EYT has been asked about so much that everyone seems to have an opinion, often wrong. The exact answer varies person to person, but knowing which questions to even ask helps.

Step by step

The first and most decisive question: did your insurance start before September 8, 1999, or after? That date is the core threshold of the EYT provision.
For those insured before September 8, 1999, there's no age requirement, premium days and insurance duration alone can be enough, though even those requirements vary by insurance type (SSK, Bağ-Kur, civil servant).
If you started after September 8, 1999, you're subject to the standard age requirements, EYT doesn't apply to you.
What trips people up: some worked a short-term job before 1999, got insured, then had a long gap before working again. That original insurance date still counts, so "when did I first get insured" might have an earlier answer than you'd assume.
The only reliable way to get the exact, current answer is pulling your SGK service record through e-Devlet. It states your actual insurance start date, total premium days, and which insurance branch you fall under, no online calculator, including ours, can substitute for that.

Why it matters

EYT is the common Turkish name for a change in Turkey's pension rules that removed the minimum retirement age for people whose social security coverage began before September 8, 1999. You only apply for retirement once, and the outcome shapes your pension for years. Applying before you qualify gets you rejected, while not realizing you already qualify can mean working longer than you need to. Because misinformation about EYT is so common, base your assessment on your official records, not on what you've heard.

What to look for in your SGK service record

Your first insurance entry date. This is what matters for EYT; compare it to September 8, 1999.
Total premium days. If you worked for several employers or at different times, make sure all of it is counted.
Your status: 4/a (employee, formerly SSK), 4/b (self-employed, formerly Bağ-Kur) or 4/c (civil servant). Which one you spent more of your later years under can decide which branch you retire from.
Gaps. If months you know you worked are missing, find out why.

Common mistakes

Confusing your hire date at a job with your insurance start date. What counts is when you were first registered as insured.
Assuming that buying back days through borrowing (borçlanma) also moves your start date earlier. It depends on the type, so check separately.
Assuming insurance during an apprenticeship, internship or vocational school automatically counts as your start date. This varies by case and period.
Quitting work before allowing for the time the application and approval take.

A sample scenario

Someone assumes EYT doesn't apply because their first regular job started in 2001. Pulling their service record on e-Devlet, they find a few months of insured work at a shop in the summer of 1998. That moves their first insurance date before the 1999 threshold. Whether they have enough premium days, and which branch they'd retire from, still has to be worked out, so they decide to get an official answer from SGK.

When to consult an expert

If you've worked under different statuses, have work history abroad, are considering borrowing days, or see gaps in your record, talk to your local SGK office or an experienced lawyer or accountant before applying. Check required premium days and other current conditions on SGK's official sources.