Acquiring Turkish Citizenship Through Marriage
Turkish citizenship can be acquired in two ways. The first is by birth. Another way to acquire citizenship later in life is through “Acquiring Citizenship Through Marriage,” as explained below.
Requirements for Becoming a Turkish Citizen Through Marriage
First of all, marrying a Turkish citizen does not automatically grant foreigners the right to become Turkish citizens. Article 16 of the Citizenship Law No. 5901 regulates the requirements for becoming a Turkish citizen through marriage. According to the relevant article of the law, a foreigner must meet the following requirements to become a citizen through their spouse:
The foreigner applying for citizenship must have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least 3 years and the marriage must still be ongoing;
The spouses must be part of the family unit;
The foreigner must not have engaged in activities contrary to the marriage union;
The foreigner must not pose a threat to public security. Foreigners
may apply for citizenship at the governor’s office where they reside if they meet the above conditions. However, if the spouse of a Turkish citizen dies after the date of application, the condition of the spouses living in a family union is not required.
The last paragraph of the law concerns the status of a foreigner who acquires Turkish citizenship through marriage. If the foreigner’s marriage is in good faith, their citizenship will not be revoked.
Documents Required to Obtain Turkish Citizenship Through Marriage
Documents Required for Application
Completed citizenship application form;
Photocopy of the Turkish spouse’s identity document;
Notarized Turkish translation of passport or similar document;
Notarized Turkish translation of the foreign spouse’s birth certificate;
Marriage certificate (photocopy to be submitted);
Most recent residence permit for foreigners residing in Turkey;
Document proving that the spouses live together as a family (such as a rental agreement or bank account number);
Biometric photograph taken within the last 6 months with a white background;
Notarized copy of any final court decision regarding the foreigner for any criminal reason;
Document proving payment of the citizenship application service fee.
How long will the citizenship acquisition process take?
Please remember that the speed of the process depends on you when applying for citizenship. The information and documents submitted in citizenship applications must be complete and accurate. The administration’s attempt to obtain this information will cause the application process to progress slowly.