Marriage Procedures with a Foreign National in Turkey

A Turkish citizen and a foreign national (or two foreign nationals) can get married before an authorized Turkish marriage officer. Two foreigners of the same nationality may also marry at their own consulate in Turkey. Proxy marriage is not allowed; the ceremony must be attended personally by both parties with two witnesses. Most documents are valid for six months, and foreign documents require an apostille/consular authentication and sworn translation. Applications can be made to any marriage office. After marriage, the foreign spouse may apply for a family residence permit.

1) Who Can Marry and Where?

• Turkish–foreign or two foreigners of different nationalities: They can only marry before an authorized Turkish marriage officer (municipality, civil registry, or mufti’s office).
• Two foreigners of the same nationality: If their national law allows it, they may marry at their own diplomatic mission (embassy/consulate) in Turkey or before Turkish authorities.
• Form of the ceremony: It must be public, held in the presence of at least two witnesses, and both parties must attend in person. Proxy marriage is not allowed.
• Application location: Since the regulation of 29.12.2020, the address/residence requirement has been removed; applications can be made to any marriage office in Turkey.

2) Marriage Eligibility, Age, and Impediments

• Age requirement: A man or woman cannot marry before turning 17. Marriage at 16 is only possible with a court’s permission.
• Capacity: Lack of mental capacity, guardianship restrictions, prohibited degrees of kinship, and existing marriages are legal impediments.
• Waiting period (iddet): A woman whose marriage has ended cannot remarry for 300 days. This period may be lifted by a court decision proving she is not pregnant.

3) Required Documents (Checklists)

Note: Each municipality may have minor differences in required documents. Always confirm with the specific marriage office before applying. The lists below reflect general practice and official sources.

A) For the Turkish Citizen

• Original Turkish ID Card and population registration extract / marriage eligibility certificate (provided by the officer).
• Medical report (from a family physician or state hospital).
• Biometric photo (taken within the last six months).
• If applicable: Consent letter (for minors or persons under guardianship) or court decision lifting the waiting period.

B) For the Foreign National

• Passport and notarized sworn Turkish translation.
• Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (capacity/single status) issued by the competent authority or the foreigner’s diplomatic mission; requires apostille or Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication, depending on the country. Multilingual (ICCS) forms may not need apostille.
• If applicable: Birth certificate, divorce decree, or death certificate, with sworn translations and apostille/authentication.
• Medical report and biometric photos.
• Legal stay requirement: Many municipalities require foreigners to have a valid visa, residence permit, work permit, or visa exemption.
• Document validity: Most documents are valid for six months; the marriage license is also valid for six months.
• Interpreter: If one party does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter must be present at the application and ceremony.

4) Application Steps (Procedure)

1. Appointment and preliminary check: Obtain an appointment from any marriage office of your choice.
2. Document preparation: Gather all necessary documents with translations and apostille/authentication. Names, dates of birth, and other personal details must be consistent across all documents.
3. Medical report and photos: Obtain these before your appointment.
4. Application and file review: If there are no impediments, a Marriage License (Evlenme İzin Belgesi) will be issued — valid for six months in Turkey or abroad.
5. Marriage ceremony: Held before two witnesses and attended personally by both parties; proxy marriage is not allowed.
6. Family book and registration: After the ceremony, the marriage is registered, and a family book is issued. If the marriage is performed at a foreign consulate, registration in Turkey is required.

5) Sample Notes from Municipal Practices

• Ankara Metropolitan Municipality: Documents issued in Turkish by a foreign consulate may require authentication by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs unless they are multilingual or apostilled; interpreter presence is mandatory.
• Arnavutköy (Istanbul): Emphasizes the six-month validity rule, refusal of honorary consulate documents, and consistency of names and birth dates across all documents.
• Çankaya (Ankara): Requires proof of legal stay (visa, residence permit, work permit, or visa exemption).

6) After Marriage: Family Residence Permit

If the foreign spouse will live in Turkey after marriage, they may apply for a family residence permit through the e-Residence (e-İkamet) system. This permit can be granted for up to three years at a time, provided family unity continues.

7) Practical Tips (Avoid Rejection)

• Confirm whether your country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention in advance.
• If you have multilingual ICCS certificates (Form A or B), additional translation is often not required.
• Ensure name spelling consistency across all documents (passport, ID, birth certificate).

Marriage with a Foreign National – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is it possible to marry a foreign national in Turkey?
Yes. A Turkish citizen and a foreign national—or two foreigners—can marry before an authorized Turkish marriage officer (municipality, civil registry, or mufti).
The ceremony must be attended in person by both parties with two witnesses; proxy marriage is not allowed.

2. Can two foreigners marry each other in Turkey?
Yes, in two ways:

• If they are of different nationalities, they may marry before a Turkish marriage officer.
• If they are of the same nationality, they may marry at their own consulate or embassy under their national law.

3. To which municipality should we apply?
There is no address requirement. You may apply to any municipality marriage office in Turkey.

4. What documents are required?
For the Turkish citizen: ID card, population registration extract, medical report, and photos.
For the foreigner: passport, single status certificate, birth certificate, sworn translations, apostille or consular authentication, medical report, and photos.
Documents are generally valid for six months.

5. What is a Certificate of No Impediment (Single Status Certificate)?
It confirms that the foreign national is not married and is legally eligible to marry.
It must be issued by the relevant authority in their home country or by their embassy/consulate in Turkey, usually with apostille or consular authentication.

6. What is an apostille, and is it required for all documents?
An apostille is an international certification that validates public documents between countries that are parties to the Hague Convention.
If your document is a multilingual ICCS Form A or B, apostille or translation may not be required.

7. How long are the documents valid?
Most municipalities require that all documents be no older than six months.
The Marriage License is also valid for six months from the date of issue.

8. Is a medical report required? Where can it be obtained?
Yes. A medical report is mandatory before marriage.
It includes blood type and communicable disease screening.
You can obtain it from your family doctor or a state hospital.

9. Is an interpreter required if the foreigner doesn’t speak Turkish?
Yes. A sworn interpreter must be present at both the application and the ceremony if one party does not speak or understand Turkish.

10. Is legal residence in Turkey required?
Most municipalities require proof of legal stay (visa, residence permit, work permit, or visa exemption).
The visa should cover the date of the marriage ceremony.

11. Are documents from honorary consulates accepted?
No. Only documents issued by official embassies or consulates are accepted.
Documents from honorary consulates are generally rejected.

12. Can I apply for marriage through a proxy or representative?
No. Under the Turkish Civil Code and the Marriage Regulation, proxy marriages are not permitted; both parties must attend personally.

13. What if the foreigner has been previously divorced?
If the divorce was finalized in a country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the judgment must bear an apostille.
If not, it must be authenticated by the consulate/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translated into Turkish by a sworn translator.

14. Does marriage automatically grant Turkish citizenship?
No. Marriage does not automatically grant citizenship.
Under Article 16 of the Turkish Citizenship Law, a foreigner can apply for citizenship after at least three years of marriage, provided family unity continues and there are no threats to public order or security.

15. Can the foreign spouse stay in Turkey after marriage?
Yes. The foreign spouse may apply for a Family Residence Permit, valid for up to three years, renewable as long as the marriage continues.

16. Is a consular marriage valid in Turkey?
If two foreigners of the same nationality marry at their own consulate, the marriage is valid; however, it must be registered in Turkey.
Registration is done by submitting the apostilled and translated marriage certificate to the local civil registry office.

17. In which cities is the process easier?
All municipalities have equal authority.
However, Istanbul (Fatih, Arnavutköy, Üsküdar) and Ankara (Çankaya, Keçiören) are known for their experience with foreign marriage applications, which can make procedures smoother.

18. Is a wedding ceremony required?
No. The official marriage before a marriage officer is legally sufficient.
Once the marriage declaration is signed before the officer, it becomes legally binding.

19. Where can foreign-language documents be translated?
Translations must be done by notarized sworn translators.
If translated abroad, the documents must also be notarized in Turkey, and sometimes require consular authentication.

20. How is the surname determined after marriage?
Under the Turkish Civil Code, a woman may take her husband’s surname, keep her maiden name, or use both together.
For foreigners, passport changes follow their own country’s legal procedures.

Additional Notes

• Although the general validity of documents is six months, some municipalities require them to be issued within 90 days.
• Correct any inconsistencies in your name or birth date before applying.
• Religious marriage without a civil ceremony is not permitted in Turkey.

Document Checklist (Quick Reference)

Document/Process	Turkish Citizen	Foreigner	Notes
ID/Passport	✔️	✔️	Foreigner’s passport must have a notarized Turkish translation
Certificate of No Impediment	✔️	✔️	Foreigner: issued by home country/consulate + apostille/authentication
Birth/Marital Status Certificate	(If required)	✔️	Translation + apostille; not needed if multilingual
Medical Report	✔️	✔️	Issued by family doctor/state hospital
Photo (within 6 months)	✔️	✔️	Preferably biometric
Consent/Court Permission	(If age-based)	(If age-based)	Required for ages 16–17
Interpreter	–	(If needed)	Mandatory if one party doesn’t speak Turkish

Example List of Apostille Convention Member Countries (Alphabetical)

Below is a non-exhaustive list of countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention:

United States, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Albania, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cook Islands, Czech Republic, China (Hong Kong & Macao SARs), Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Armenia, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Georgia, South Africa, South Korea, Croatia, Netherlands, India, United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Iceland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Namibia, Norway, Uzbekistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Greece.

Notes for Turkey:

• Turkey has been a party to the Apostille Convention since September 29, 1985.
• The full and updated list of member countries can be found on the official websites of the Turkish Ministry of Interior and the Hague Conference (HCCH).