Turkish Citizenship by Marriage: Three-Year Rule, Documents and Interview 2026

Marrying a Turkish citizen does not automatically confer Turkish citizenship. A foreign national who has been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years and whose marriage is continuing may apply for citizenship if they live in family unity, do not engage in any activity incompatible with the marital union and pose no obstacle in terms of national security and public order. In Turkey, the application is filed with the governor’s office (valilik) of the province where the applicant is domiciled; abroad, it is filed with a Turkish diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate). After a police inquiry, an archive check and an interview with the spouses, the decision is made by the Ministry of Interior. Meeting the conditions does not create a right to citizenship; a rejection can be challenged by an action for annulment within sixty days starting from the day after written notification.

What Is Turkish Citizenship by Marriage?

Turkish citizenship by marriage is the acquisition of Turkish citizenship by a foreign national married to a Turkish citizen, by decision of the Ministry of Interior (the Ministry), on an application based on that marriage. The statute calls this route the “acquisition of Turkish citizenship by marriage” (Türk vatandaşlığının evlenme yoluyla kazanılması). It is governed by Article 16 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (the Citizenship Law):

Article 16 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (unofficial translation):
“(1) Marriage to a Turkish citizen does not directly confer Turkish citizenship. However, foreigners who have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years and whose marriage is continuing may apply to acquire Turkish citizenship. The following conditions are required of applicants: a) living in family unity, b) not engaging in any activity incompatible with the marital union, c) not being in a situation that constitutes an obstacle in terms of national security and public order. (2) If, after the application, the marriage ends because of the death of the Turkish citizen spouse, the condition in subparagraph (a) of the first paragraph is not required. (3) Foreigners who acquire Turkish citizenship by marriage retain Turkish citizenship if the marriage is declared null, provided that they were in good faith in marrying.”

The first sentence of the article is the core of the rule: marriage does not confer citizenship; it only makes an application possible. A citizenship file is prepared on the applicant’s behalf and sent to the Ministry. Those whose situation is found suitable after the Ministry’s examination and checks may acquire Turkish citizenship by decision of the Ministry, and the requests of those not found suitable are rejected (Article 19(1) of the Citizenship Law). Citizenship takes effect from the date of the decision granting it, not from the date of the application or the interview (Article 20(1) of the Citizenship Law).

This rule is not new. Article 5 of the repealed Turkish Citizenship Law No. 403, as amended by Law No. 4866 of 12 June 2003, also stated that “marriage to a Turkish citizen does not of itself bestow Turkish citizenship”; it required at least three years of marriage, actual cohabitation and the continuation of the marriage. Law No. 5901, which is in force today, entered into force in 2009 and continued the same approach in Article 16.

The marriage route is separate from the general acquisition of citizenship. The general route requires, among other things, five years of uninterrupted residence in Turkey immediately before the date of application and the ability to speak sufficient Turkish (Article 11(1) of the Citizenship Law); Article 16 does not list these conditions. Acquisition by investment, by contrast, rests on the exceptional cases in Article 12 of the Citizenship Law and ends with a decision of the President on the Ministry’s proposal; details are in our article on Turkish citizenship by investment.

What Are the Requirements for Citizenship by Marriage?

Four elements are required together: a marriage that has lasted at least three years and is continuing, and the three conditions in Article 16(1). These conditions are examined through the review by the receiving authority (müracaat makamı, the governor’s office or diplomatic mission where the application is filed), the inquiry by the Provincial Security Directorate (il emniyet müdürlüğü, the provincial police), the archive check by the National Intelligence Organization and the General Directorate of Security, and the commission interview.

a) A Marriage of at Least Three Years That Is Continuing

The applicant must have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years, and the marriage must be continuing at the time of the application. Because the statute requires the applicant to be “married”, an engagement, or living together without a formal marriage, does not count toward this period. How the period is calculated is explained under a separate heading below.

b) Living in Family Unity

The spouses must actually maintain their marital union. The Provincial Security Directorate investigates whether the foreign national lives in family unity and records its opinion in the inquiry form (Article 28(1) of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, the Regulation). Decisions of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State (Danıştay) show how this condition is assessed. (Turkish citations write case numbers as “E.”, for esas, and decision numbers as “K.”, for karar; this article gives them as Case No. and Decision No. All quotations from Turkish statutes and court decisions in this article are unofficial translations.)

• Not living under the same roof does not by itself defeat the condition. In its decision of 10 March 2021 (Case No. 2016/13579, Decision No. 2021/1030), the Chamber considered an applicant who regularly supported their Turkish spouse financially while the spouse was in prison and who lived in the same apartment building as the spouse’s family. It concluded that the applicant “continued to maintain the marital union with the spouse emotionally, even if not actually under the same roof”, and unanimously reversed the judgment of the administrative court (idare mahkemesi) dismissing the action.
• A separation shown by the interview record justifies a rejection. In the decision of 28 December 2020 (Case No. 2016/1315, Decision No. 2020/6961), the interview record stated that the spouses “did not know each other or each other’s families and did not share the same home”. The Chamber accepted that this record established that the spouses did not live in family unity, and unanimously reversed the administrative court’s judgment annulling the rejection.
• Family unity must be shown concretely. In the decision of 23 November 2021 (Case No. 2017/145, Decision No. 2021/5759), the Turkish spouse had not attended some interviews, and at the last interview the spouses could not answer the questions adequately and gave contradictory statements. The Chamber noted that the family unity condition “had to be established concretely, free from any doubt”, yet no information or documents to that effect had been submitted, and unanimously upheld the judgment dismissing the action.

Diplomatic missions may also ask for documents showing that the spouses live together; the Consulate General in Almaty lists these as a joint title deed, a bank account and bills.

c) Not Engaging in Activities Incompatible with the Marital Union

The Regulation provides that the Provincial Security Directorate investigates “whether the applicant has engaged in conduct such as prostitution or acting as an intermediary in prostitution in a manner incompatible with the marital union” (Article 28(1)(b)). This condition is examined separately from the existence of the marriage and of family unity.

d) No Obstacle in Terms of National Security and Public Order

To establish this condition, an archive check is requested from the National Intelligence Organization and the General Directorate of Security (Article 35(2) of the Regulation). The effect of a criminal record on the application, together with the differing views in Council of State decisions, is explained under a separate heading below.

e) Is Residence in Turkey or Knowledge of Turkish Required?

Article 16 of the Citizenship Law does not require residence in Turkey for any period or knowledge of Turkish; the conditions of five years of uninterrupted residence and the ability to speak sufficient Turkish belong to the general route (Article 11(1)(b) and (e) of the Citizenship Law). Spouses living abroad can therefore also apply through a diplomatic mission.

However, an applicant whose domicile (yerleşim yeri) is in Turkey must submit their most recent residence permit card (Article 26(1)(d) of the Regulation). The Regulation also defines residence as a concept meaning “the presence of the foreigner in Turkey with a lawful residence permit” (Article 3(1)(h)). The 10th Chamber of the Council of State has found this document requirement lawful:

Decision of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, 11 June 2025 (Case No. 2021/406, Decision No. 2025/2887) (unofficial translation):
“... there is no doubt that the citizenship applications of foreigners who are domiciled in Turkey but do not hold a residence permit in Turkey cannot be processed owing to missing documents, or will be decided negatively, because of this situation of theirs, which is contrary to public order.”

The Chamber gave this decision unanimously, in an action for annulment of the Regulation provision brought before the Council of State at first instance, and the decision is open to appeal. The same provision had earlier been found lawful in the decision of 22 May 2024 (Case No. 2019/10218, Decision No. 2024/2102); in that decision the Chamber stated that a certificate of domicile (yerleşim yeri belgesi) cannot replace a residence permit. An applicant living in Turkey should therefore check that their residence permit is valid before applying. The family residence permit granted to the foreign spouse of a Turkish citizen is explained under a separate heading below.

f) Does Meeting the Conditions Give a Right to Citizenship?

No. Under Article 10(1) of the Citizenship Law, “meeting the required conditions does not give the person an absolute right to acquire citizenship”. In its decision of 17 May 2023 (Case No. 2022/2372, Decision No. 2023/1014), the Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chambers of the Council of State (Danıştay İdari Dava Daireleri Kurulu) expressed this for the marriage route as follows:

Decision of the Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chambers of the Council of State, 17 May 2023 (unofficial translation):
“After examination and checks as to whether a foreigner who has applied to acquire Turkish citizenship by marriage meets the conditions in Article 16 of Law No. 5901, the State has broad discretion as to whether the request will be granted, because admission to citizenship falls within the scope of sovereign rights.”

The Plenary Session gave this decision by majority. In that case, the rejection was based on the National Intelligence Organization’s assessment that admitting the applicant to citizenship was not appropriate. The Plenary Session found the rejection lawful and reversed the administrative court’s insistence decision annulling the act (a decision in which the court refuses to follow a reversal and maintains its earlier judgment). Broad discretion does not exclude judicial review of a rejection: the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, which accepts the same discretion, annulled in its decision of 15 October 2025 (Case No. 2023/5620, Decision No. 2025/4552) the rejection of an applicant whose underlying criminal judgment had ceased to exist (see below, under the heading on criminal records).

When Is the Three-Year Period Completed?

The three years must have been completed on the date of the application. The date of application is the date on which the application form is entered in the incoming records of the receiving authority (the governor’s office or diplomatic mission where the application is filed) (Article 64(6) of the Regulation). An application filed before the three years have passed is not accepted:

Article 25(2) of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law (unofficial translation):
“The receiving authorities carry out a review concerning the foreigner who has applied. If the review reveals that: a) the foreigner has not been married to a Turkish citizen for three years, b) the marriage ended for reasons such as divorce or death before the date of application, c) the foreigner is being tried for any offense or is a convicted person or a detainee, ç) the foreigner cannot produce the documents required under Article 26, the application is not accepted, and the necessary notice of this is served on the person concerned.”

An early application is not accepted, and this is served on the applicant; once the period has passed, a new application must be made. The application should therefore be made after the three years are completed.

If the Turkish spouse acquired citizenship later, the time spent in the marriage is calculated from the date on which the spouse acquired Turkish citizenship (Article 25(3) of the Regulation). For example, where a spouse who was a foreigner at the time of the marriage acquires Turkish citizenship two years later, the three years for their foreign spouse start on the date of that acquisition.

A marriage concluded abroad before foreign authorities is valid, provided that it complies with the Turkish Civil Code No. 4721 (the Civil Code) and there is no ground requiring nullity. The marriage must be reported to the diplomatic mission within thirty days at the latest and is registered in the civil registry (Article 24 of the Civil Registry Services Law No. 5490). The civil registry record extract of the Turkish spouse for the application file is obtained by the receiving authority from the system (Article 26(1)(b) of the Regulation); for applications filed abroad, it is also checked whether the marriage is recorded with the official authorities (Article 30(4)). The Consulate General in Almaty also lists among the application requirements “the marriage having been registered in the civil registers in Turkey”. A couple who married abroad must therefore have the marriage registered in the Turkish civil registry before applying. Neither the Citizenship Law nor the Regulation expressly states whether the three years are counted from the date of the marriage abroad or from the date of registration.

Where and How Is the Application Filed?

In Turkey, the application is filed with the governor’s office of the place of residence; abroad, it is filed with the diplomatic missions (Article 37 of the Citizenship Law). The Regulation sets out the details as follows:

Article 64(1) of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law (unofficial translation):
“Applications concerning the acquisition, loss and proof of Turkish citizenship and multiple citizenship are made in person, or by a special power of attorney for the exercise of this right, in Turkey to the governor’s office of the place of domicile and abroad to the diplomatic missions. Applications made by post are not accepted.”

In Turkey, the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship (il nüfus ve vatandaşlık müdürlüğü) receives the application on behalf of the governor’s office (General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs [NVİ], Citizenship Services Frequently Asked Questions). A diplomatic mission is an embassy, consulate general or consulate of the Republic of Türkiye in a foreign country (Article 3(1)(d) of the Regulation).

Applying through a representative. The Citizenship Law and the Regulation allow the application to be made by special power of attorney. NVİ, however, states that “in applications for which fingerprints are mandatory, the application must be made in person”, and that missing documents and other steps requested after the application can be handled in person or through a representative; the same page does not list which applications require fingerprints. Diplomatic missions may also require an application in person; the Consulate General in Almaty requires applicants to apply in person with their documents. The interview, in any case, is conducted with the foreign spouse and the Turkish spouse (Articles 29(1) and 30(2) of the Regulation); a representative cannot attend the interview in the spouses’ place. If the application is to be made through a representative, the method should therefore be checked with the receiving authority in advance.

Which Documents Are Required?

The receiving authority prepares a file on behalf of the foreign applicant consisting of the following documents (Article 26(1) of the Regulation):

• an application form stating the request (NVİ’s Vat-6 application form);
• a civil registry record extract (nüfus kayıt örneği) of the Turkish citizen spouse, which the receiving authority obtains from the system;
• a passport or similar document showing the applicant’s nationality, or, for a stateless person, a document to that effect if one can be obtained;
• a document showing identity details, such as a birth certificate or a civil registry record extract;
• if the applicant is domiciled in Turkey, the most recent residence permit card (ikamet tezkeresi, the residence permit);
• if there is a final court judgment against the applicant for any offense, a certified copy of it;
• if the day and month of the date of birth are missing, a supplementary document obtained from the competent authorities of the country, or, if this cannot be obtained, a signed statement accepting that the procedure under Article 39 of Law No. 5490 be applied; and
• a receipt showing that the service fee has been paid in at a tax office cash desk (Maliye veznesi).

NVİ’s list of application documents adds “2 biometric photographs, 50x60 mm, with a plain white background, as specified by ICAO and machine-readable”, and requires a notarized Turkish translation of duly certified foreign documents. Under the Regulation, it is sufficient for documents obtained from foreign authorities, such as diplomas and passports, to be translated into Turkish and notarized (Article 67(2)).

The application form asks for the foreign identity number, the date of marriage, whether there is any previous conviction for an offense or any pending trial, and the details of any minor children for whom citizenship is also requested. The applicant declares that the information in the form is true; if it later emerges that citizenship was acquired through a false statement or the concealment of material facts, this is a ground for annulment (see below).

Diplomatic missions may ask for additional documents. The Consulate General in Almaty, for example, requires the marriage certificate booklet (evlenme cüzdanı), documents showing that the spouses live together, reference letters from two Turkish citizens who know the applicant, and criminal record and address record documents. The Regulation also provides that, for applications abroad, a criminal record is requested if the laws of the state where the foreigner is located permit it (Article 30(4)). A person applying from abroad should therefore obtain the list of documents separately from the mission where they will apply.

If the foreign national is stateless, or cannot obtain a required document from the authorities of their state of nationality, the Ministry is informed and the procedure follows the instructions received; if the Ministry instructs that the document is not to be requested, a written statement containing the information that the document should have contained is taken (Article 39 of the Regulation). For children who are processed together with the applicant, additional documents such as a birth certificate, a consent document and, where necessary, a custody judgment are required (Article 38); details are under the heading on children below.

How Much Is the Application Fee (Service Fee)?

An application for citizenship by marriage requires payment not of a duty (harç) but of a service fee (hizmet bedeli); the fee for 2026 is TRY 957.26 (Turkish lira). The amount is set jointly by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance (Article 45(1) of the Citizenship Law).

• Amount (2026): TRY 957.26 for the acquisition of Turkish citizenship by marriage.
• Source and date: General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs, Citizenship Application Service Fees for 2026 (in Turkish), 14 January 2026.
• Payment: In Turkey, the fee is paid in at a tax office cash desk and the receipt is placed in the application file (Article 26(1)(g) of the Regulation). Abroad, the diplomatic mission collects the fee; the Consulate General in Houston, for example, collects the amount in US dollars, calculated at the selling rate of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye on the date of application. The method of payment should be checked with the mission where the application will be filed.
• Exemption: No service fee is charged to persons who have no income under Income Tax Law No. 193, or to their minor children processed together with them (Article 45(2) of the Citizenship Law).

Because the amount depends on the tariff set for the relevant year, the amount in force on the day of application should be confirmed with the receiving authority.

How Does the Process Work After the Application?

The process consists, in order, of a preliminary review, a police inquiry, an archive check, a commission interview and the Ministry’s decision. For applications in Turkey, the process follows Articles 25 to 29 of the Regulation; the differences for applications abroad are noted separately.

a) Preliminary Review and Preparation of the File

The receiving authority first examines whether the application can be accepted. The application is not accepted if three years have not passed, if the marriage ended by divorce or death before the application, if a trial against the applicant is pending, if the applicant is a convicted person or a detainee, or if the required documents have not been produced (Article 25(2)). For a foreign national found to meet the conditions, a file is prepared and the Provincial Security Directorate is asked to carry out an inquiry (Article 27). The file is prepared in two sets, one original and one photocopy; the original set is sent to the Ministry (Article 73(1)).

b) Police Inquiry

The Provincial Security Directorate investigates family unity, conduct incompatible with the marital union and any obstacle in terms of national security and public order; it records its positive or negative opinion in the inquiry form and attaches the records to the form (Article 28(1)). If no conclusion can be reached as to whether the marriage was concluded for the purpose of acquiring citizenship, the inquiry continues periodically, including by taking statements from relatives of the Turkish citizen spouse, until a conclusion is reached (Article 72(2)).

c) Archive Check

To determine whether there is an obstacle in terms of national security and public order, an archive check is requested from the National Intelligence Organization and the General Directorate of Security (Article 35(2) and Article 72(1)). The checks and the inquiry carried out are valid for one year; where deemed necessary, they may be renewed without waiting for this period to expire (Article 72(4)).

d) Commission Interview

Once the inquiry is completed, the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship sends the file to the citizenship application review commission (Article 28(2)). The commission is chaired by the provincial governor or a deputy governor designated by the governor, and consists of representatives of the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship, the Provincial Security Directorate, the Provincial Gendarmerie Command, the Provincial Directorate of National Education and the Provincial Directorate of Social Services (Article 69(2)). The commission takes its decisions by majority and states its opinion on whether the conditions for the application are met (Article 70(2) and (4) of the Regulation; Article 18 of the Citizenship Law). After the interview, the file is sent to the Ministry for a decision (Article 29(2)). The interview is explained under a separate heading below.

e) Applications Filed Abroad

Abroad, the diplomatic mission prepares the file. The vice consul responsible for consular affairs, or a higher-ranking official, interviews the spouses separately and together and records that official’s opinion in the interview form. If the laws of the country permit, a criminal record is requested; the marriage record is checked, and the file is sent to the Ministry for a decision (Article 30 of the Regulation).

f) The Ministry’s Decision and Service

The decision belongs to the Ministry of Interior; the opinion of the commission or of the mission is not a decision. The Ministry examines the file and has any missing information and documents completed (Article 35(1)). Those who meet the required conditions may acquire Turkish citizenship by decision of the Ministry; the requests of those who do not meet the conditions are rejected by the Ministry (Article 35(5) and (11)). The decision is served on the person concerned through the receiving authorities (Article 41 of the Citizenship Law; Article 86(1) of the Regulation). In Council of State decisions, these acts appear as acts of the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs of the Ministry of Interior.

g) How Long Does the Application Take?

Neither the Citizenship Law nor the Regulation sets a specific time limit for the Ministry to decide. However, if an application to the administration is not answered within thirty days, the request is deemed rejected and the route to court opens (Article 10(2) of the Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577); this implied rejection route is explained below, under the heading on rejection. The Regulation provides only that the commission meets within fifteen days at the latest when there is business on its agenda (Article 70(3)), and that the checks and the inquiry are valid for one year (Article 72(4)). The stage of an application can be tracked with the application number and the date of birth in the “Vatandaşlık Başvurum Ne Aşamada?” (“What stage is my citizenship application at?”) section of NVİ’s website. The application number can be obtained from the Provincial Directorates of Population and Citizenship and, for applications made after 10 November 2024, also from the diplomatic missions.

How Is the Interview Conducted, and What Is Assessed?

The interview is the hearing of the spouses, both separately and together, to determine whether the marriage is genuine or was concluded to acquire citizenship. Articles 29 and 30 of the Regulation do not specify the questions to be asked; what is assessed can be seen from the interview records reflected in Council of State decisions.

Article 29(1) of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law (unofficial translation):
“The foreigner who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship and their spouse are interviewed by the commission separately and together, and it is investigated whether the marriage is a genuine marriage or a marriage concluded for the purpose of acquiring Turkish citizenship.”

Abroad, the interview is conducted by the vice consul or a higher-ranking official (Article 30(2)). The opinion formed as a result of the interview is recorded in the interview form (Article 29(2)).

In the interview records reflected in Council of State decisions, the assessment covered whether the spouses knew each other and each other’s families, whether they shared the same home, whether they had children together, and whether the answers they gave separately contradicted each other (Decisions No. 2020/6961 and 2021/5759, cited above). These articles of the Regulation also contain no provision on the language of the interview or on whether an interpreter may be used; as noted above, the marriage route has no Turkish language requirement.

Can the administration itself assess that a marriage was concluded “only for citizenship”? Decisions of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State on this question have varied over time:

• In its decision of 5 October 2015 (Case No. 2012/8144, Decision No. 2015/4051), the Chamber held by majority that “unless there is a decision given by the judicial authorities, it is not legally possible for the administration to issue an administrative act on the basis of its own assessment that the marriage is a formality (sham)”. In that case, statements by neighbors showed that the spouses lived in the same home and that the marriage was continuing, and the administrative court’s judgment dismissing the action was reversed.
• In its decision of 11 February 2021 (Case No. 2016/1180, Decision No. 2021/445), again by majority, the Chamber held that, for the administration, “there is no legal obstacle to issuing an act after assessing” applications “for compliance with the conditions laid down in the legislation”. In that case, however, although the interview had led to the opinion that the marriage was not serious, the spouses had a child born of the marriage. The Chamber accepted that the conditions of family unity and of not engaging in activities incompatible with the marital union were met, and upheld, as to its outcome, the administrative court’s judgment annulling the rejection as based on an incomplete examination. The dissenting opinion argued that, even where the conditions are met, the State may decline to grant citizenship in the exercise of its sovereign right.

In the other 2020 and 2021 decisions cited above, the Chamber likewise accepted that the administration may assess the family unity condition on the basis of the results of the interview and the inquiry, but required that assessment to be supported by concrete findings in the file.

Does a Criminal Record Prevent a Citizenship Application?

A criminal record is an obstacle in some cases. If the applicant is being tried for any offense, or is a convicted person or a detainee, the application is not accepted (Article 25(2)(c) of the Regulation); persons sentenced to more than six months’ imprisonment, except for offenses committed by negligence, cannot acquire citizenship (Article 72(5)). An applicant against whom there is a final court judgment places a certified copy of the judgment in the file (Article 26(1)(e)). The Regulation also sets the six-month criterion for the national security and public order condition:

Article 72(5) of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law (unofficial translation):
“... except for offenses committed by negligence, persons sentenced to more than six months’ imprisonment cannot acquire Turkish citizenship, even if the sentence was suspended, became time-barred, was subject to the suspension of the pronouncement of the judgment, was converted into a fine or was pardoned.”

The same paragraph also provides that persons found to have engaged in activities aimed at destroying the state order established by the Constitution, to have engaged in activities related to offenses within the scope of counter-terrorism legislation, to have taken part in the offenses of rebellion, espionage or treason, or to have engaged in arms and drug smuggling, human smuggling or human trafficking, or to have been associated with these, cannot acquire citizenship. The suspension of the pronouncement of the judgment (hükmün açıklanmasının geri bırakılması), mentioned in the decisions below, is where the court reaches a judgment but does not pronounce it, and instead places the accused under supervision for a certain period; if the supervision period is completed in accordance with the conditions, the judgment is set aside and the case is discontinued.

Requests for annulment of the wording that contains the six-month criterion have been dismissed by the Council of State. In its decision of 25 October 2021 (Case No. 2021/2016, Decision No. 2021/2025), the Plenary Session of the Administrative Law Chambers upheld that part of the Chamber’s decision; the 10th Chamber of the Council of State also dismissed the action against that wording in its decision of 15 October 2025 (Case No. 2023/5620, Decision No. 2025/4552). The rule is in force; Council of State decisions, however, differ on how it is to be applied to a specific application:

• The view that the nature of the offense must be considered. In the same Decision No. 2021/2025, the Plenary Session concluded by majority that, in light of the explanatory memorandum of the Citizenship Law, “the intention of the legislature is to prevent persons who commit offenses directed at the existence and functioning of the state that seriously disrupt public order from becoming Turkish citizens”. In that case, the offense of injury, for which a sentence of six months and twenty days’ imprisonment had been imposed and its pronouncement suspended, was held not to be of a nature that prevents citizenship, and the part of the Chamber’s decision dismissing the action against the rejection was reversed.
• The decision finding that this view is not settled. In its decision of 3 March 2025 (Case No. 2024/2042, Decision No. 2025/484), again by majority, the Plenary Session upheld the insistence decision of an administrative court that had found lawful the rejection of an applicant with a sentence of one year and eight months’ imprisonment for forgery of an official document, the pronouncement of which had been suspended. Regarding the 2021 decision relied on by the Chamber, the Plenary Session found that “that decision of our Plenary Session does not have the character of settled case law, and there are also decisions in a different direction depending on the nature of the specific dispute”; it also stated that, in a file where the reversal decision has been complied with, the review on appeal must be limited to compliance with the reversal decision.
• The view that a judgment that has ceased to exist cannot be relied on. In its decision of 15 October 2025 (Case No. 2023/5620, Decision No. 2025/4552), the 10th Chamber of the Council of State considered a case in which the pronouncement of a sentence of eleven months and twenty days’ imprisonment for intentional injury had been suspended, the judgment had been set aside at the end of the supervision period and the case discontinued, and the application had been made after that. Stating that “it is clear that basing administrative acts on the decision to suspend the pronouncement of the judgment, which ceased to exist in law as a result of the decision to discontinue the case, would amount to a violation of the presumption of innocence”, the Chamber annulled the rejection. The decision was given at first instance, unanimously, and is open to appeal.

The position of an applicant with a criminal record should therefore be assessed separately, together with the criterion in Article 72(5), in terms of the nature of the offense and whether the judgment later ceased to exist; Council of State decisions do not point in a single direction on this. Offenses committed by negligence fall outside the six-month criterion.

What Happens If the Spouse Dies or the Couple Divorces During the Application?

After the application, the death of the Turkish spouse removes the condition of living in family unity, and the application continues; if death or divorce occurs before the application, the application is not accepted. Neither the Citizenship Law nor the Regulation expressly regulates the consequence of a divorce after the application; such a divorce may lead to an adverse outcome for the application or for a pending action against a rejection.

• Death of the Turkish spouse after the application: If, after the application, the marriage ends because of the death of the Turkish citizen spouse, the condition of living in family unity is not required (Article 16(2) of the Citizenship Law). The other conditions continue to apply; the explanatory memorandum of the Citizenship Law also states that in this case “Turkish citizenship may be acquired provided that the other conditions are met”.
• Death or divorce before the application: If the marriage ended before the date of application for reasons such as divorce or death, the application is not accepted (Article 25(2)(b) of the Regulation).
• Divorce after the application: Neither the Citizenship Law nor the Regulation contains a provision expressly regulating the consequence of a divorce that occurs after the application but before the Ministry’s decision. Article 16(2) of the Citizenship Law covers only the death of the Turkish spouse and removes only the family unity condition; Article 16(1) refers to a foreigner “whose marriage is continuing” and to the condition of living in family unity. Citizenship also takes effect from the date of the Ministry’s decision (Article 20(1)). Because the family unity condition is not removed when the marriage ends for a reason other than death, a divorce before the Ministry’s decision may lead to an adverse outcome for the application or for a pending action against a rejection. In its decision of 3 November 2020 (Case No. 2016/15683, Decision No. 2020/4435), on an appeal by the administration, which argued that the applicant had divorced while the action against the rejection was pending, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State stated that “there is no doubt that the conditions of living in family unity and of not engaging in any activity incompatible with the marital union must exist together”. It reversed the administrative court’s judgment annulling the rejection, on the ground that a decision had to be made after investigating whether the applicant had divorced and whether these conditions continued to exist. The decision was unanimous as to the outcome and by majority as to the reasoning. The Chamber did not say that the application would be rejected automatically; it required the conditions to be investigated in light of the divorce.
• Another route after the marriage ends: A foreign national whose marriage has ended may seek citizenship through the general route if they meet its conditions; that route requires, among other things, five years of uninterrupted residence, the ability to speak sufficient Turkish, and an income or profession sufficient to support oneself (Article 11 of the Citizenship Law).

The effect of the end of the marriage on the right to stay in Turkey is explained below, under the heading on residence. If the divorce judgment was obtained abroad, its recognition and registration in Turkey is a separate matter; details are in our article on recognition and registration of a foreign divorce judgment (in Turkish).

What Can Be Done If the Application Is Not Accepted or Is Rejected?

A rejection by the Ministry can be challenged by an action for annulment (iptal davası) before the Ankara Administrative Court within sixty days starting from the day after written notification. The governor’s office’s non-acceptance of the application, by contrast, is a separate act; an action against it is brought against the governor’s office before the administrative court whose jurisdiction covers that governor’s office. If the conditions are met, a new application can also be made.

a) Non-Acceptance of the Application Differs from a Rejection Decision

There are two separate acts. If, in the preliminary review, the governor’s office or the diplomatic mission finds that the three-year condition is not met, that the marriage ended before the application, that a trial is pending or that documents are missing, it does not accept the application (Article 25(2) of the Regulation). This is an act of the receiving authority and is served on the person concerned. A rejection decision issued after the file has been sent to the Ministry, by contrast, is an act of the Ministry of Interior (Article 19(1) of the Citizenship Law).

If the governor’s office merely notifies the Ministry’s rejection, the act is still the Ministry’s. The 10th Chamber of the Council of State, noting that a letter of the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship served to notify the Ministry’s decision, determined the court with venue on the basis of the Ministry’s act (see below). Because the court with venue is determined by the place where the administrative authority that issued the act is located (Article 32(1) of Law No. 2577), it should be established before an action is filed whether the served letter notifies the governor’s office’s own decision or the Ministry’s decision.

If the non-acceptance results from missing documents, a new application can be made once the documents are completed. The governor’s office’s act is also an administrative act and can be challenged in court: the 10th Chamber of the Council of State examined the act of the Hatay Governor’s Office, which had not accepted an application because there was no residence permit, in an action brought together with a challenge to the underlying Regulation provision, and found it lawful (Decision No. 2024/2102, cited above). An action against the governor’s office’s act of not accepting or not processing the application, however, is brought against the governor’s office before the administrative court whose jurisdiction covers the place where the governor’s office is located (Article 32(1) of Law No. 2577; Decision No. 2023/2151 of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, cited below). Unless the Regulation provision is also challenged, this action is not brought before the Council of State; and the Ankara Administrative Court has venue only if the governor’s office is within that court’s jurisdiction.

b) If the Administration Does Not Respond: Implied Rejection

If an application to the administration is not answered within thirty days, the request is deemed rejected. The person concerned may bring an action within the time limit for bringing an action, counted from the end of the thirty days, that is, within sixty days before the administrative court (Article 7 of Law No. 2577). If no action has been brought, or an action has been dismissed as out of time, and the administration responds after the thirty days, an action may be brought within sixty days of service of the response (Article 10(2) of Law No. 2577). In a citizenship application, who the defendant is and which court has venue depend on the stage at which the silence occurred:

• If the file remained with the governor’s office: In decisions resolving venue disputes, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State treated the implied rejection of a citizenship application made to a governor’s office as an act of the governor’s office, and held that the action is heard against the governor’s office before the administrative court whose jurisdiction covers that office. In the decision of 25 April 2023 (Case No. 2023/1795, Decision No. 2023/2151), concerning the marriage route, an application made to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management of the Kilis Governor’s Office had not been accepted by the commission within the governor’s office on the ground that “no opinion had been formed that the applicant would contribute to our country”; in the action against the implied rejection, the Gaziantep Administrative Court was found to have venue. The Chamber applied the same criterion to applications based on descent: in the decisions of 20 January 2021 (Case No. 2021/78, Decision No. 2021/85) and 3 March 2021 (Case No. 2021/796, Decision No. 2021/874), the Adana Administrative Court, and in the decision of 20 October 2022 (Case No. 2022/4720, Decision No. 2022/4626), the Istanbul Administrative Court, was found to have venue; these decisions were based on the fact that no act had been issued by the Ministry. All of these decisions were given unanimously and are final.
• If the application was made directly to the Ministry: The Chamber found that the Ankara Administrative Court had venue for the implied rejection of an application for reacquisition of citizenship made to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs of the Ministry of Interior (decision of 6 March 2025, Case No. 2025/653, Decision No. 2025/1440; unanimous, final).
• If the file was sent to the Ministry and the Ministry did not respond: No Council of State decision directly addressing this situation on the marriage route has been found. Article 32(1), which looks to the place where the authority that issued the act is located, and the criterion of the decisions above suggest that the act would be attributed to the Ministry and that the Ankara Administrative Court would have venue; this, however, is an inference.

Before an action is filed, it should therefore be ascertained from the receiving authority whether the file is with the governor’s office or with the Ministry. An action filed before an administrative court without venue is dismissed for lack of venue, and the file is sent to the court with venue (Article 15(1)(a) of Law No. 2577); choosing the wrong court does not end the case, but it costs time.

c) Time Limit for Filing an Action

The time limit for bringing an action for annulment (in Turkish) against the Ministry’s rejection is sixty days, starting from the day after the date of written notification (Article 7 of Law No. 2577). This is the general time limit that applies where no separate time limit is set by a special law.

Before filing an action, and within the time limit for filing it, the person concerned may ask the higher authority, or, if there is none, the authority that issued the act, to cancel, withdraw or amend the act or to issue a new act. This application stops the time limit that has started to run; if it is not answered within thirty days, the request is deemed rejected, and the time limit starts to run again, taking into account the time that elapsed before the application (Article 11 of Law No. 2577). This application is not mandatory.

d) Venue, Subject-Matter Jurisdiction and the Defendant

An action against the Ministry’s rejection is filed before the Ankara Administrative Court. In its decision of 21 November 2024 (Case No. 2024/5576, Decision No. 2024/5208), resolving a venue dispute between the Aksaray and Ankara administrative courts, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State stated:

Decision of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, 21 November 2024 (unofficial translation):
“In that case, it is concluded that, under the general rule of venue laid down in Article 32(1) of Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577, the court with venue to hear the action is the Ankara Administrative Court, within whose administrative jurisdiction lies the place where the Ministry of Interior, which issued the contested act, is located.”

The decision was given unanimously and is final. In that case, the rejection had been notified by a letter of the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship of the Niğde Governor’s Office, and the Chamber treated that letter merely as a notification. Venue is a matter of public order (Article 32(2) of Law No. 2577). The defendant is the Ministry of Interior, which issued the act.

The action is heard by the administrative court. The 10th Chamber of the Council of State dismissed, for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, an action brought directly before the Council of State against the Ministry’s act revoking citizenship acquired by marriage, because the dispute did not fall within Article 24 of the Council of State Law No. 2575, and sent the file to the administrative court (decision of 11 September 2025, Case No. 2025/3954, Decision No. 2025/3746). By contrast, if the annulment of a provision of the Regulation, issued by the President, is also sought together with the individual act, the action is heard by the Council of State at first instance (Article 24(1)(b) of Law No. 2575); Decisions No. 2024/2102, 2025/2887 and 2025/4552, cited above, were given in actions brought in this way.

e) Does an Annulment Judgment Grant Citizenship?

No. An annulment judgment removes the rejection; the Ministry then carries out a new assessment. The 10th Chamber of the Council of State stated this expressly in Decision No. 2025/4552:

Decision of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State, 15 October 2025 (unofficial translation):
“... it is certain that the annulment of the contested implementing act on the ground stated above will not result in the plaintiff being directly admitted to Turkish citizenship, and that the defendant administration may carry out a new assessment with regard to the other matters required by the legislation and within its discretion, and may, as a result, issue a new act, positive or negative.”

f) Appeals

An appeal (istinaf) against the administrative court’s decision may be filed with the Regional Administrative Court (Bölge İdare Mahkemesi) within thirty days of service (Article 45(1) of Law No. 2577). Decisions of the regional administrative court that are not open to appeal to the Council of State (temyiz) under Article 46 are final (Article 45(6)). This sentence of the paragraph was annulled by the decision of the Constitutional Court (Anayasa Mahkemesi) of 27 March 2025 (Case No. 2024/189, Decision No. 2025/83) insofar as it concerns cases where the appeal is accepted in whole or in part; the annulment took effect on the publication of the decision in Official Gazette No. 32938 of 26 June 2025. For decisions given anew after an appeal is accepted, Article 46(2) applies today. Paragraph 2, added to Article 46 of the same Law by Law No. 7589 of 16 July 2026, opened the route of appeal to the Council of State, within thirty days, against decisions in which the regional administrative court, in cases outside the scope of paragraph 1, sets aside the first-instance decision and gives a new decision; however, cases heard by a single judge in the administrative and tax courts are excluded from this possibility. Final decisions given by the Council of State at first instance can be appealed within thirty days of service (Article 46(1)).

g) New Application

After a rejection, if the conditions are met, a new application can be made to the governor’s office of the place of residence or to the diplomatic mission; NVİ states that in this case the application can be reassessed. For a new application, the receiving authority prepares a new application file (Article 73(3) of the Regulation).

Can Citizenship Acquired by Marriage Be Lost Later?

Divorce is not listed in Article 16 as a ground that ends citizenship. The main routes that may later affect citizenship acquired by marriage are the annulment of the decision granting it, its revocation, and a declaration of nullity of the marriage. Separately, citizenship acquired by marriage, like any other citizenship, may be taken away by Presidential decision for acts unrelated to the marriage that are listed in Article 29 of the Citizenship Law, such as not leaving, despite notice, service with a foreign state that is contrary to Turkey’s interests, or voluntarily performing military service for a foreign state without permission.

a) False Statement or Concealment: Annulment

Article 31 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (unofficial translation):
“A decision granting Turkish citizenship shall be annulled by the authority that issued it if it resulted from the false statement of the person concerned or the concealment of material facts on which the acquisition of citizenship was based.”

If it later emerges that the marriage was concluded solely to acquire citizenship and that this was concealed in the application, the route that applies is the annulment of the decision granting citizenship under this article; the Citizenship Law sets no time limit for this annulment. On learning of such a situation in any way, the Ministry carries out, or has carried out, checks and an inquiry concerning the person (Article 57(2) of the Regulation). The annulment decision takes effect from the date of the decision and also applies to the spouse and children who acquired citizenship through the person concerned (Article 32 of the Citizenship Law); it does not, however, apply to transactions carried out as a Turkish citizen between the date of acquisition and the date of annulment (Article 58(1) of the Regulation). If the annulment decision requires the liquidation of property, the person must liquidate their property in Turkey within one year at the latest; if judicial remedies are sought against the annulment decision, the liquidation is postponed until the end of the case (Article 33 of the Citizenship Law).

If the Turkish spouse acquired citizenship later and that citizenship is annulled, the annulment does not affect the spouse who acquired Turkish citizenship by marriage (Article 58(2) of the Regulation).

b) Decision Issued Without the Legal Conditions: Revocation

Decisions on the acquisition of citizenship are revoked if it later emerges that they were issued although the legal conditions were not met, or were issued more than once (Article 40 of the Citizenship Law). Under the Regulation provision quoted by the 10th Chamber of the Council of State in Decision No. 2025/3746, “A revoked decision becomes void from the date of the original decision.”

Whether the legal conditions were met is, as a rule, determined as of the date of admission to citizenship. In its decision of 4 December 2025 (Case No. 2022/4453, Decision No. 2025/5775), concerning the revocation of citizenship acquired through the exceptional route, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State held that the “determination” of whether the legal conditions were met “must, as a rule, be made as of the date on which the person was admitted to Turkish citizenship”. Stating that facts arising after the acquisition of citizenship and unconnected with the earlier period cannot be a ground for revocation, it unanimously annulled the act. The decision concerns the exceptional route and is open to appeal; because the same Article 40 also applies to the marriage route, the criterion is a useful guide for this route as well. An action against the revocation of citizenship acquired by marriage is heard by the administrative court (Decision No. 2025/3746, cited above).

c) Nullity of the Marriage

Nullity (butlan) is the invalidation of a marriage by a court decision on grounds listed in the statute. A void marriage ends only by a court decision; even in a case of absolute nullity, the marriage produces all the effects of a valid marriage until the court’s decision (Article 156 of the Civil Code). The fact that a marriage was concluded solely to acquire citizenship is not among the grounds of absolute nullity listed in Article 145 of the Civil Code (one spouse being already married at the time of the marriage, permanent lack of capacity to discern, a mental illness that prevents marriage, and kinship that prevents marriage); for such a marriage, the decisive route in terms of citizenship is the annulment described above. The Citizenship Law and the Regulation regulate the effect of nullity on citizenship in different wording.

Under the Citizenship Law, pursuant to Article 16(3) quoted above, foreigners who acquired Turkish citizenship by marriage retain Turkish citizenship if the marriage is declared null, provided that they were in good faith in marrying. The Regulation, however, states:

Article 31 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law (unofficial translation):
“(1) A person who acquired Turkish citizenship by marriage loses Turkish citizenship if the marriage is declared null. However, a foreigner who acquired Turkish citizenship by marriage retains Turkish citizenship if, as a result of an examination by the Ministry, it is established that they were in good faith in marrying. (2) A child born of a marriage that has been declared null retains Turkish citizenship regardless of whether the mother and father were in good faith in marrying.”

According to NVİ, whether a foreigner whose marriage has been declared null retains citizenship “is put to the Ministry through the governor’s office”. The Civil Code also provides that a spouse who was in good faith when marrying retains the personal status acquired through that marriage (Article 158(1)).

Children and Dual Citizenship

A child born within marriage to a Turkish citizen mother or father is a Turkish citizen, and this does not depend on the foreign spouse’s application. Children of the foreign spouse from a previous relationship who are in that spouse’s custody may, under certain conditions, acquire Turkish citizenship together with their mother or father. Article 16 of the Citizenship Law contains no requirement to renounce the previous citizenship.

a) Children of the Couple

A child born within marriage to a Turkish citizen mother or father, in Turkey or abroad, is a Turkish citizen (Article 7(1) of the Citizenship Law). This child’s citizenship does not depend on the foreign parent’s application through marriage.

b) The Foreign Spouse’s Children from a Previous Relationship

Children who are in the custody (in Turkish) of the mother or father acquiring citizenship acquire Turkish citizenship if the other spouse (the child’s other parent) consents; if consent is not given, the procedure follows the decision of the court of the country where the mother or father has their habitual residence (Article 20(2) of the Citizenship Law; Article 37 of the Regulation). As a rule, children are processed together with their mother or father (Article 37(8)). Consent is given before a notary or before the officer handling the procedure at the receiving authority (Article 68(1)). Applications for minor children are made by their parent or guardian (Article 64(2)).

According to NVİ, a child who reaches the age of majority before the application process is completed cannot acquire citizenship through the mother and father; if the child meets the conditions, they must apply individually. If a child who was not processed together with the mother or father applies after reaching majority, Article 11 on the general route applies (Article 20(3) of the Citizenship Law). A child who acquired citizenship through the mother or father may renounce Turkish citizenship within three years of reaching majority; this right cannot be exercised if it would leave the child stateless (Article 34 of the Citizenship Law).

c) Is the Previous Citizenship Retained?

Neither Article 16 of the Citizenship Law nor Article 26 of the Regulation, which lists the application documents, contains a requirement to renounce the previous citizenship. The Citizenship Law defines multiple citizenship as a Turkish citizen holding more than one citizenship at the same time (Article 3(1)(b) of the Citizenship Law) and regulates the recording of multiple citizenship in the civil registry (Article 44). In the procedures of an applicant who holds the citizenship of more than one foreign state, the citizenship of the state with which the Ministry determines that the applicant has closer ties is taken as the basis (Article 64(4) of the Regulation). What consequence the applicant’s own country attaches to a citizen acquiring the citizenship of another state is determined by that country’s law and should be researched separately before applying.

Residence and Work in Turkey While the Application Is Pending

A citizenship application does not replace a residence permit; an applicant whose domicile is in Turkey must submit a current residence permit (see above, under the heading on requirements). The following rules apply to residence and work for the foreign spouse of a Turkish citizen.

a) Family Residence Permit

The foreign spouse of a Turkish citizen may be granted a family residence permit for periods not exceeding three years at a time (Article 34(1) of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458). Requirements relating to income, health insurance, accommodation and criminal record apply to the sponsoring spouse (destekleyici) (Article 35(1)); for foreigners married to Turkish citizens, the requirement that the sponsor has stayed in Turkey with a residence permit for at least one year does not apply (Article 35(2)). The marriage must not have been concluded for the purpose of obtaining a family residence permit (Article 35(3)(c)); if there is reasonable suspicion, the governor’s office investigates whether the marriage was concluded solely for a residence permit, and if this is established, the permit is not granted or, if already granted, is canceled (Article 37(1)).

b) Divorce or Death of the Spouse

In case of divorce, a foreigner married to a Turkish citizen may be granted a short-term residence permit, provided that they have stayed for at least three years with a family residence permit; if it is established by the relevant court decision that the foreign spouse was a victim of domestic violence, the three-year requirement does not apply (Article 34(6) of Law No. 6458). In case of the sponsor’s death, those staying with a family residence permit dependent on the sponsor may be granted a short-term residence permit without any period requirement (Article 34(7)).

c) Work Permit

A foreigner who is married to a Turkish citizen and lives with their spouse in Turkey within the marital union may be granted exemptions, with regard to work permits, from the application of Articles 7, 9 and 10 of the International Labor Force Law No. 6735 (Article 16(1)(g)). In an application made on behalf of a foreigner who has lived in Turkey within the marital union with a Turkish citizen for at least three years, the work permit may be issued for up to three years, not exceeding the term of the employment or service contract (Article 36 of the Implementing Regulation of the International Labor Force Law). These provisions do not remove the obligation to hold a work permit; they provide exemptions and facilitation.

What Steps Follow Once Citizenship Is Acquired?

The decision granting citizenship is sent to the receiving authority; the person who acquired citizenship collects the duyuru belgesi (citizenship announcement document) from the receiving authority (the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship or the diplomatic mission) against signature. With this document, an application for a Republic of Türkiye identity card is made to the district civil registry directorate (ilçe nüfus müdürlüğü) or to the diplomatic mission (NVİ, Citizenship Services Frequently Asked Questions). The person’s record in the foreigners’ register is closed, with a link established to the new record (Article 35(12) of the Regulation); if the foreign identity number still appears active although the announcement document has been received, a petition may be submitted to the receiving authority.

Military service. Persons who acquire Turkish citizenship later perform their military service, according to their age and education on the date of acquisition, in the same way as those liable for service who reach military service age in that year. Those who document that, before admission to citizenship, they performed military service in the country they came from or are deemed to have completed military service, and those who are 22 or older in the year of admission to citizenship, are deemed to have performed military service. For those liable for military service, service is deferred at their request for two years from the date of admission to citizenship. These persons may be called up as needed in the event of mobilization (Article 43(1) of Military Service Law No. 7179).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a foreigner who marries a Turkish citizen automatically become a Turkish citizen?

No. Marriage does not directly confer citizenship. A foreigner who has been married for at least three years and whose marriage is continuing may apply; citizenship is acquired by decision of the Ministry of Interior and takes effect from the date of the decision (Articles 16, 19 and 20 of the Citizenship Law).

Does an engagement or living together without a civil marriage count toward the three years?

No. The Citizenship Law requires the applicant to have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years. The three years must be completed on the date of application, that is, the date on which the application form is entered in the incoming records; if they are not, the application is not accepted.

Can a foreign spouse apply without living in Turkey?

Yes. Article 16 of the Citizenship Law does not require any period of residence in Turkey; a foreigner living abroad applies to the diplomatic mission. An applicant whose domicile is in Turkey, however, must submit the most recent residence permit.

Is knowledge of Turkish required?

No. The requirement to speak sufficient Turkish belongs to the general route and is not in Article 16. The Regulation also does not regulate the language of the interview or the use of an interpreter.

Can the application be made through a lawyer?

Yes, by special power of attorney; the Citizenship Law and the Regulation allow this, but applications by post are not accepted. NVİ, however, states that applications for which fingerprints are mandatory must be made in person, and diplomatic missions may also require an application in person. The interview is in all cases conducted with the spouses themselves.

How long does the application take?

Neither the Citizenship Law nor the Regulation sets a specific time limit for the Ministry to decide. If an application is not answered within thirty days, the request is deemed rejected and an action can be brought (Article 10 of Law No. 2577). The status of the application can be tracked with the application number and the date of birth on NVİ’s “Vatandaşlık Başvurum Ne Aşamada?” page.

How much is the application fee?

The service fee for 2026 is TRY 957.26 (NVİ, 14 January 2026). The fee is not charged to persons who have no income under Income Tax Law No. 193, or to their minor children processed together with them.

Does the application lapse if the Turkish spouse dies while it is pending?

No. If, after the application, the marriage ends because of the death of the Turkish citizen spouse, the condition of living in family unity is not required; the other conditions continue to apply. If the death occurred before the application, the application is not accepted.

Does divorce after citizenship has been acquired end it?

No. Divorce is not listed in Article 16 as a ground that ends citizenship. However, the decision granting citizenship is annulled if it was obtained through a false statement or the concealment of material facts, and revoked if it later emerges that it was issued although the legal conditions were not met (Articles 31 and 40 of the Citizenship Law).

Is it necessary to give up the previous citizenship to become a Turkish citizen?

No; neither Article 16 of the Citizenship Law nor Article 26 of the Regulation, which lists the application documents, contains such a requirement. The consequences that the applicant’s own country attaches to the acquisition of another citizenship should, however, be researched separately under that country’s law.

Within what time limit and before which court is an action against a rejection brought?

Within sixty days starting from the day after written notification, against the Ministry of Interior (Article 7 of Law No. 2577). The 10th Chamber of the Council of State has held that the Ankara Administrative Court has venue in an action against the Ministry’s rejection (Decision No. 2024/5208). The governor’s office’s non-acceptance of the application, or its failure to respond, is a separate act; an action against that act is brought against the governor’s office before the administrative court whose jurisdiction covers that governor’s office. Before an action is filed, it should be established who issued the act and whether the file is with the governor’s office or with the Ministry.

Can a new application be made after a rejection?

Yes. If the conditions are met, a new application can be made to the governor’s office of the place of residence or to the diplomatic mission; a new file is prepared for the new application (Article 73(3) of the Regulation).