Marriage in Turkey

Formalities

According to Turkish Marriage regulations, a Turkish national and a foreigner or two foreigners with different nationalities can be married by Turkish authorities.

Two foreigners of the same nationality can be married either by the offices of their own Country's Embassy or Consulate or by the Turkish authorities.

All marriages done by the Turkish authorities are subject to the relevant articles of the Turkish Civil Code and related regulations.

Whether they are Turkish or foreigners, Turkish relevant authorities do not conduct these marriages, unless the petitioners can provide their marriage licenses issued by the proper Civil Status Registrars of his or her own Country, that they hold the nationality of, respectively.

Conditions for a legal Marriage

1- Capacity to marry: Only those persons who are of sound 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.

2- Absence of consanguinity: Marriage between close relatives is prohibited.

3- Already existing marriage: Monogamy is one of the essential principles of Turkish family law. A second marriage can not be entered into unless the first is terminated.

4- Waiting period: Married women whose marriage has been dissolved cannot marry before the expiration of three hundred days from the date of dissolution.

5- Sickness: Certain medical conditions also constitute a bar to marriage.

Only civil marriages performed by authorized marriage officers are legally binding in Turkey.
Necessary documents for marriage:
1- Petition of the marriage. To start an action the groom and bride must file a petition of the marriage. "Evlenme Beyannamesi"

2- Passport, Identification card, birth certificate,