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Foreigner’s Marriage in Turkey
Marriage in Turkey is one of the matters of interest to foreigners in this country. The reason for that is that foreigners are increasing dramatically. Therefore, it has become important for those wishing to stay longer in Turkey and settle there to know the legal procedures and conditions of marriage in Turkey.
Marriage Contract in Turkey
The marriage contract in Turkey is a civil contract regulated by the municipality’s marriage registration offices. The latter is the authority authorized to conduct marriage transactions in Turkey. According to the above, marriages that have not taken place are treated as unofficial contracts. Therefore, the Turkish government does not recognize religiously concluded contracts only. According to the above procedure, such contracts can be done only after signing a civil marriage contract.
Within the legal conditions and procedures, foreigners are allowed to marry in Turkey, and therefore organize the marriage contract, whether one of the spouses is a foreigner or both.
If one of the spouses is Turkish and the other is a foreigner, or the spouses are of two different foreign nationalities, the Turkish authorities only recognize the marriage contract concluded in the civil court in Turkey.
Suppose the spouses are of the same nationality. In that case, the Turkish authorities recognize the contracts certified by the embassy or consulate of their country, and marriage in Turkey can be confirmed in the civil court.
What Are Conditions of Marriage in Turkey?
For marriage to be legally established in Turkey, Turkish laws impose several conditions on applicants for marriage that must be met, which are:
A. Eligibility: In other words, the couple’s ability to marry. This is measured by two main factors: mind and age.
- Mind: Married couples should possess sufficient mental capacity to decide to marry unless the person with a health impairment or someone with special needs obtains a health report from the hospital indicating his eligibility for marriage.
- Age: The minimum age allowed for marriage in Turkey is 18 years, and there is an exception for those who reach the age of 16, provided that one or both parents attend and sign, which is regulated in the municipality.
With regard to marriage for those under the age of 16, it is considered in violation of Turkish laws even if one of the parents agrees. In such a case, the Turkish authorities usually separate the spouses, imprison the husband and the wife’s guardian and fine them financially.
B. Freedom From Certain Diseases
Some diseases may be an obstacle to the consolidation of marriage in Turkey, the most important of which are:
- Mental illnesses: such as madness, hysteria, paranoia, epilepsy, etc.
- Genetic diseases
- Chronic diseases such as HIV.
Like most other countries, the couple in Turkey is also required to undergo a comprehensive medical examination covering the above-mentioned diseases to ensure their safety, in addition to fertility checks and blood compatibility between spouses.
Related Article: Is HIV a Cause For Divorce?
C. No Existing Marriage
Although the most common religion in Turkey is the Islamic religion, Turkish law does not allow the organization of a second marriage contract unless the first contract between the spouses is terminated. As for the wife, a condition for allowing her to marry a second marriage is that nine months must have passed since the termination of the first contract, whether through a divorce or the death of the husband.
D. Other Terms
Like most other countries, the following types of marriage are prohibited:
- Homosexuality: None of these types is documented in the Turkish state records, and this marriage is not considered valid.
- Marriage of a father to his daughter or a son to his mother,
- Marriage to an uncle/marriage to an aunt,
- Marriage to the children of your brother/sister.
What Are The Papers Required to Marry in Turkey?
- A copy of the passport, translated and certified by the Notary Public in Turkey, can act as a temporary residence card for foreigners looking to marry in Turkey.
- A single document or civil status record is attested by the embassy or consulate of the foreigner’s country, and this document is usually called a “certificate of no objection”.
- A rental contract, a population register, or any proof of residence in Turkey.
- A certificate of record extracted from the embassy or consulate of the foreigner’s country, translated and certified by the Notary public in Turkey.
- Divorce certificate or death statement for the ex-husband in case of a second marriage
- Written consent from the husband’s guardian if they are between the ages of 16 and 18.
- Necessary medical reports.
Marriage Registration in Turkey
- Preparing the necessary papers to confirm the marriage (e.g., civil registration, birth certificate, etc.), translating what needs to be translated and attesting what can be attested from the Notary office.
- Going to the municipality and filling out the marriage form obtained from the registration office in the marriage department within the municipality.
- Delivering the following information to the registry office:
Registration form, personal photos of the couple, a certified translation of the record output document for each spouse, lease contract or proof of housing, the medical examination report for both spouses issued by a government hospital in Turkey, and other required documents according to the couple’s condition.
The form is delivered to the concerned employee with payment of the transaction fee in the presence of the spouses.
After a short period, the municipality will communicate with the spouses and set a date for the marriage contract, which will be held in the municipality.
After that, the family book issued by the Turkish municipality is delivered and translated into several languages as necessary.
What Are The Costs of Establishing Marriage in Turkey?
The costs of establishing marriage in Turkey can be divided into several sections, namely:
A. Marriage Processing Fees Costs in Turkey
Its value varies according to the municipality where you will establish your marriage.
B. Costs of Translation and Attestation of Official Documents
Some official documents require attestation from the embassy or consulate. The translation and attestation from the Turkish Notary prices vary according to the document type and the number of words.
The costs of health reports are free or almost free unless the report requires certain procedures to be paid during the examination.
Important Notes For Your Information
Married couples outside Turkey do not need to confirm their marriage inside Turkey, but their documents issued by their countries are approved with their translation into the Turkish language and attested by the Notary in Turkey.
The civil registration certificate must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the citizenship of the citizen according to their passport and then attested by their consulate in Istanbul (followed by the attestation of the Qaim Maqam) or their embassy in Ankara (followed by the seal of the Turkish Foreign Ministry).
The document must include the name of the father and mother, in which case the birth certificate is dispensed with. In the event that the document does not include the name of the father and mother, the birth certificate must also be attested.
The Turkish family book is useful for legally registering children and helps establish marriage within your home country upon return. The period between submitting the registration form and the invitation to the marriage contract is usually about a week. The Turkish municipality is the authority which determines the health center or government hospital from which medical examinations should be carried out, and reports should be obtained.
Certain Information Regarding Certain Countries
- Moroccan nationality requires their consulate in Istanbul and her embassy in Ankara, exceptionally, to hold a residence card in Turkey and other requirements. They can conduct a marriage transaction without the need to return to the consulate or embassy.
- With regard to citizens of European countries, it usually will not require certification from any party if the documents issued are multilingual Apostille or/and have been certified by the ratification of countries.
- A Syrian citizen holding a temporary protection card can bring a paper void of marriage impediments from the place they obtained the temporary protection card. It is sufficient for their marriage in the same city where they reside.
Related Articles:
- Marriage in Turkey For Non-Turkish Citizens,
- Divorce Proceedings in Turkey For Foreigners,
- Inheritance Sharing Between Spouses.
