Marriage to a Foreign National: Required Documents and Steps

Published: 10 September 2026 · Reading time approximately 7 minutes

There is no legal difficulty in a Turkish citizen marrying a foreign national in Türkiye. In practice, though, the difficult part is almost always the same: obtaining the documents to be brought from abroad from the right authority, having them certified and having them translated in the required form.

Where can you marry?

• A Turkish marriage registry office. A ceremony held at a municipal marriage office is the principal route for marriages between a Turkish citizen and a foreign national.
• The foreign national's consulate. Only if both parties are citizens of the same state and the law of that state grants the authority may the marriage take place before that country's representation in Türkiye.
• A marriage contracted abroad. It is valid; but for it to take effect in Türkiye it must be registered in the civil registry records.

Documents requested from the Turkish citizen

• Identity card or Republic of Türkiye ID card
• Marriage declaration
• Health report
• Biometric photograph
• If there was a previous marriage, a document relating to the divorce or the death record

Documents requested from the foreign party

1. 1

   Passport and its translation

   The passport must be valid and a notarised sworn translation of it must be submitted.

2. 2

   Certificate of single status (certificate of capacity to marry)

   It is obtained from the competent authority of the person's own country or from their consulate in Türkiye, and shows that there is no impediment to their marrying. It is the most critical document in the process.

3. 3

   Birth certificate or civil registry extract

   It must include the given name, surname, place and date of birth and the names of both parents.

4. 4

   Apostille or consular legalisation

   If the documents come from a country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille is required; if not, certification by the relevant consulate.

5. 5

   Sworn translation and notarisation

   All documents in a foreign language are translated into Turkish by a sworn translator and certified before a notary.

6. 6

   Health report and photograph

   Obtained in the same way as for the Turkish citizen.

7. 7

   Lawful stay in Türkiye

   During the procedure you are expected to be present with a valid visa, a visa exemption or a residence permit.

The document list may differ according to the foreign national's citizenship and the marriage registry office applied to. Confirming the current list with the relevant municipality before booking an appointment prevents a wasted trip.

The requirement for a sworn interpreter at the ceremony

If one of the parties to the marriage does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter must be present at the marriage ceremony. The interpreter translates the parties' declarations and signs the marriage register. This is not a formality: whether a party has expressed their will with understanding goes to the validity of the marriage.

Do not leave arranging an interpreter for the ceremony day to the last minute; for details you can look at our marriage ceremony interpreting page.

After the marriage: the residence permit

A foreign national who marries a Turkish citizen may apply for a family residence permit . This permit is issued and renewed for set periods each time. A family residence permit does not on its own confer the right to work: if you are going to work in Türkiye, a separate work permit must also be obtained.

Marriage and Turkish citizenship

Marrying does not confer citizenship automatically. Under Law No. 5901, Turkish citizenship through marriage requires a marriage that has lasted at least three years and in which the couple genuinely live together ; the application is also subject to separate assessment. We explain the conditions in detail on our Turkish citizenship consultancy page.

Common mistakes

• Missing the validity period of the certificate of single status and having to obtain the document again
• Having only a translation made instead of obtaining an apostille
• The spelling of names differing between the passport and the other documents
• Forgetting to arrange a sworn interpreter for the ceremony day
• Starting the procedure while in violation of your permitted stay
• Delaying the residence permit application after the marriage

We handle the entire process from the certification of the documents to the wedding day and the residence permit application that follows, all from a single point of contact: foreign marriage procedures service.