Mesci Law Firm is a globally recognized law firm in Turkey known for its expertise in matters pertaining to Turkish citizenship. With a comprehensive understanding of Turkish immigration laws and regulations, our law firm has established a commendable track record in assisting individuals seeking Turkish citizenship, particularly through marriage.
Obtaining Turkish citizenship by marriage holds several benefits. It enables individuals to enjoy the rights and privileges of Turkish citizens, including access to education, healthcare and employment opportunities. It also grants them the ability to live, work and travel freely within Turkey without the need of a residence permit or work permit. Our law firm in Turkey offers a wide range of legal services related to Turkish citizenship by marriage. These law services include:
- Legal Consultation: Our law firm provides detailed and personalized consultations to clients seeking Turkish citizenship by marriage. Our law firm in Turkey assess each client’s unique circumstances and provide tailored advice on the eligibility requirements, documentation and application process.
- Application Assistance: Our law firm guides clients through the entire application process, ensuring that all required documents are properly prepared and submitted. They help clients understand the necessary paperwork and strive to streamline the application process, minimizing any potential complications.
- Documentation Support: Obtaining Turkish citizenship by marriage involves providing various supporting documents. Mesci Law Firm assists clients in gathering the necessary paperwork, ensuring all documents meet the legal requirements and are appropriately translated and notarized.
- Legal Representation: In cases where legal representation is required, Mesci Law Firm offers experienced lawyers who are adept at navigating the complexities of Turkish immigration law. They provide strong representation during hearings and interviews to protect the rights and interests of their clients.
Upon receiving numerous requests from our prospective clients, we have decided to provide you with this article containing information about foreigners getting married in Turkey, requirements for foreigners getting married in Turkey, the requirements for acquiring Turkish citizenship by marriage, the legal procedure and necessary documents for obtaining Turkish citizenship through marriage. As Mesci Law Firm, we also offer legal assistance for marriage applications to our foreigner clients who wish to get married officially in Turkey.
Our law firm has assisted many foreign clients in getting married in Turkey, witnessed the happiness of numerous couples, and filed numerous applications for acquisition of Turkish citizenship by marriage. Please contact our law firm in Turkey for detailed information on the subject.
Getting Married in Turkey
The marriage applications made by foreigners are accepted by the registrar of marriages. Foreigners who get married in Turkey are subject to the provisions and procedures regarding the marriage of Turkish citizens, as stipulated in Regulation No. 85/9747 and dated 10/7/1985, also known as the Marriage Regulation. According to Article 12 of the Marriage Regulation, a Turkish citizen and a foreigner or two foreign individuals of different nationalities can get married in the presence of an authorized Turkish marriage officer.
Similarly, according to the same article, two foreigners of the same nationality can get married either before the representatives of their own country in Turkey or before the authorized Turkish authorities upon authorization provided by their national laws. Therefore, we can say that there is no legal impediment to foreigners getting married in Turkey and foreigners can also get married in Turkey. In order to make sure the marriage is legal and valid, marriage shall be conducted with the presence of a legal officer. The application, along with the necessary documents, is made to the relevant marriage office.
In order for foreigners to be able to get married in Turkey, they must first obtain a certificate of eligibility indicating they can marry, from the competent authority in their country of nationality. To learn the list of required documents for foreigners willing to get married in Turkey and requirements of an eligibility certificate, you can read our article “Marriage in Turkey for Foreigners” to obtain detailed information.
Filing Application for Turkey Citizenship by Marriage
If you are interested in filing application for Turkey Citizenship by Marriage, you can contact our law firm in Turkey. The procedure for acquiring Turkish citizenship through marriage has been made more difficult in our legal system. In the period of the former law, Law No. 403, foreign women were able to acquire Turkish citizenship by marrying a Turkish man directly. However, in the period of the new law, Law No. 5901, the acquisition of Turkish citizenship through marriage has been made more difficult by imposing various conditions.
The fact that a foreign individual is married to a Turkish citizen does not automatically grant them Turkish citizenship. However, according to Article 16 of Law No. 5901 on Turkish Citizenship, foreign individuals who have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least 3 years and whose marriage is still ongoing can apply to acquire Turkish citizenship. Applicants are required to live within the family unity and not engage in activities that are incompatible with the marriage union. However, in the event that the marriage ends due to the death of the Turkish citizen spouse after the application, the condition of living within the family unity is not required.
Can I apply for Citizenship After 3 Years of Marriage
According to Law No. 5901 on Turkish Citizenship, foreign individuals who have been married for at least 3 (three) years and whose marriage is still ongoing can apply to acquire Turkish citizenship as we have mentioned above. Therefore, you can apply for citizenship after the completion of 3 (three) years of marriage. The foreign national who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship through marriage must submit an application to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs of the Ministry of Interior, along with the relevant documents, provided they meet the conditions prescribed by law. The following documents must be prepared to make a citizenship application:
- Application form for acquiring Turkish citizenship through marriage. This document is called the VAT-6 document in citizenship acquisition procedures.
- 2 biometric photographs measuring 50 x 60 mm, with a white background and complying with the standards set by ICAO.
- Passport indicating the applicant’s country of citizenship, along with a notarized Turkish translation.
- Notarized Turkish translation of a duly authenticated document showing all identity information to be used for registration.
- If the applicant’s place of residence is in Turkey, a residence permit.
- If there is a final court decision regarding any criminal offense, a certified copy of the decision.
- Receipt showing the payment of the services fee at the Treasury.
- Marriage certificate proving that the applicant has been married for three years and that the marriage is still ongoing.
- Original birth certificate of the applicant, duly authenticated, along with a notarized Turkish translation.
- Population registration document of the Turkish citizen spouse.
When Can You Apply for Citizenship After Marriage
The first requirement for a person married to a Turkish citizen to acquire Turkish citizenship is to have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years and for the marriage to still be ongoing. In other words, it is not sufficient for the applicant to have been married to a Turkish citizen for three years as a sole requirement for the application.
Therefore, it is possible to immediately apply for citizenship once the three-year period within the marriage has been completed. However, applications made before the completion of the three-year period in the marriage can be rejected, even if the three years have passed after filing for Turkish citizenship by marriage.
Why Could My Application Be Rejected?
If a foreign national married to a Turkish citizen applies before the legally required three-year period, if the three years have passed but the marriage is no longer ongoing, if the parties have entered into a fake marriage, if spouses do not live in family unity for example within the same house, if the applicant engages in activities that are incompatible with the marriage such as providing escort services or facilitating prostitution, or if the applicant poses a threat to national security and public order, the application may be rejected upon investigation.
Similarly, if the required documents for acquiring Turkish citizenship through marriage are missing and not completed within the period provided by the authorized institution, the application may be rejected.
Where to Apply for Turkish Citizenship
Applications for acquiring Turkish citizenship through marriage are made directly to the governorship of the applicant’s place of residence within the country (General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs of the Ministry of Interior), or to diplomatic missions abroad, either in person or through lawyer authorized by a special power of attorney for this purpose.
Applications sent by mail are not accepted. The citizenship applications of foreigners are evaluated by the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs, and the decision regarding Turkish citizenship, for those who do not have any circumstances that pose a threat to national security and public order, is submitted for the approval of the President. The final decision is made by the President.
Applications for Turkish citizenship through marriage generally take between 6 months to 1 year to be processed and finalized. If the citizenship application is rejected, you may reapply to the governorship of your place of residence, provided that you meet the requirements stipulated in the Law on Turkish Citizenship No. 5901, for a reassessment of your citizenship status. Foreigners whose Turkish citizenship applications have been rejected can file a lawsuit within 60 days from the date of notification of the rejection decision at the administrative court, claiming that the decision is unlawful.
Contact Us to Apply Turkey Citizenship by Marriage Mesci Law Firm is one of the leading Turkey Citizenship law firms in Istanbul, Turkey. You may contact our law firm in Turkey for Turkish Citizenship by Marriage through our contact page.
