How to marry in Turkey? – For Foreigners

In Turkey, only civil marriage is legal. Of course one may have any religious ceremony in addition to the civil one, yet the religious ceremony does not have any legal standing in Turkey.

It must be noted that Turkish officials cannot perform a marriage that would not be approved in the foreigner’s own country. It means that if the foreigner’s own country’s laws prohibit a foreigner from marrying, it is not possible for her or him to get officially married in Turkey. Relatively, the foreigner should be able to obtain from authorities of his/her own country the documents that are required by Turkish marriage law, so that the person will be able to marry in Turkey.

Same Nationality Marriage in Turkey

If both bride and groom do not hold a Turkish citizenship, and they both have have the same nationality (citizenship), their marriage will be valid if conducted either by Turkish authorities or by their country’s embassy or consulate officials. Please note that all embassies and consulates might not perform marriages in Turkey. So you will need to check with your country’s embassies and/or consulates.

For marriage by Turkish authorities, you must obtain a document from the authorities in your own country explicitly attesting to your eligibility for marriage. This document can be in the form of a marriage license or a statement (Evlenme Ehliyet Belgesi) taken from your country’s diplomatic missions (usually the consulate) based in Turkey.

Marriage Between Different Nationalities in Turkey

In cases when one of the parties (you or your fiancé(e)) are of different nationalities (citizenship), and neither of them are a Turkish citizen, their marriage must be conducted by a Turkish official. In the same token, the foreign national must obtain a document from the proper authorities in his or her own country confirming the eligibility for marriage. This document can be in the form of a marriage license or a statement (Evlenme Ehliyet Belgesi) taken from your country’s diplomatic missions (usually the consulate) based in Turkey.

Foreigner Marrying a Turk

If from the couples, one person holds Turkish citizenship and other person does not, the marriage must be conducted by a Turkish official. The person who is not holding the Turkish citizenship must obtain a document from the proper authorities in his/her own country attesting eligibility for marriage: a marriage license or statement (Evlenme Ehliyet Belgesi) that is taken from the embassy or consular authorities based in Turkey.

Polygamy in Turkey

Polygamy and repudiation was outlawed in Turkey on 1926 civil code. So polygamy and repudiation is under strict regulations in Turkish Republic

Constitutionally, the marriage and divorce matters are organized by the civil both entailing equal rights for the man and the woman. Marriage of a Muslim with a non-Muslim is legally possible. “Religious” marriages contracted under a member of the religious establishment are not recognized as lawful unions in Turkish Republic and relatively their progeny are not considered legal and legitimate.

What are the Conditions for a valid marriage in Turkey?

Capacity to marry: : Only those persons who have sufficient mental capacity to make fair judgments are allowed to marry. Mental illness is, therefore, a bar to marriage. In addition, a person must have reached the minimum age of 18 to marry.

Absence of Consanguinity:: Marriage between close relatives is prohibited.

An Already Existing Marriage:Monogamy is one of the essential principles of Turkish family law. A second marriage can not be entered into before the first one is terminated.

Waiting Period:: Married women whose marriage has been dissolved cannot marry before the expiration of three hundred days (nine months) from the date of dissolution. The divorce decree may also state a waiting period within which the spouse may not remarry.

Sickness: : Certain sicknesses, such as epilepsy, hysteria etc, constitute a bar to marriage.

What are the necessary documents for the marriage in Turkey?

Petition of the Marriage;to start an action, the groom and bride must file a petition of the marriage in person at the Municipality (Belediye), called as “Evlenme Beyannamesi” in Turkish.

Passport and Birth Certificate, , which has to be translated in Turkish by relevant authorities; this can be the Turkish Embassy in your country of origin or a certified notary in Turkey.

Health Certificate,, which has to be taken from a State medical institution in Turkey, named as “Saglik Ocagi” or “Devlet Hastanesi” in Turkish. Any report to be issued by private hospitals or clinics will not be accepted.

Photos:Six passport size photos belonging to bride and to groom.

Certificate of Celibacy (Certificate of Capacity to Marry), which states if a person is single, divorced, or widow. To be taken from the proper Civil Status Register of his/her own country. If this Certificate is to be issued in the country of the foreigner then it should be certified by the Turkish Consulate or Embassy there or it should have an apostil. It should also be translated into Turkish and notarized, otherwise it will not be valid. The Certificate of Celibacy can also be issued by the Consulate of the country of the foreigner located in Istanbul which has to be certified by the Governor of Istanbul (Istanbul Valiligi) located in Cagaloglu neighbourhood. Or if it’s issued by the Embassy of the country of the foreigner in Ankara then it has to be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic in Ankara.

Accommodation Document:: if both partners are foreigners then a letter should be written by the hotel that they’re staying. In this letter, the duration of stay and date of departure will be written.

Source: turkeytribune

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