Procedures for establishing marriage in Turkey

Civil marriage procedures in Turkey are one of the important issues and points for many Arabs and non-Arabs in Turkey, especially those residing there, after the number of resident foreigners reached very large numbers and from various Arab and foreign countries, east and west, and they decided to live in Turkey and To marry in it, they must know what procedures they must follow to establish marriage in Turkey

In this article, we will discuss the issue of fixing the marriage contract in Turkey in an organized and legal manner. We will introduce you to the steps to install marriage for foreigners in Turkey step by step, in addition to that we will answer all the questions that interest you in the procedures for establishing marriage in Turkey

Marriage Contract Procedures in Turkey

The marriage contract in Turkey is a civil contract that is organized by offices that register marriage in the city or municipality, which is the party responsible for carrying out the procedures for civil marriage transactions in Turkey, and the rest of the related procedures. Marriage in Turkey that is not proven by official government contracts is not recognized, and the Turkish government does not recognize contracts Performed religiously only

Marriage contract in Turkey

It is a civil contract that takes place in (registration offices in the marriage department in the municipalities)

• The minimum requirement for marriage is 18 years, and there is an exception: the municipality may accept the marriage of those who have reached the age of sixteen and above, provided that one of the parents is present and signed
• Polygamy is strictly prohibited in Turkish law
• A woman who has been married before, is not entitled to marry until after 300 days from the date of the end of her previous marriage (and this condition is not applied in general)
• People with mental disabilities may marry after obtaining positions from the competent health authorities

Documents required for a civil marriage fixation treatment in Turkey

In order to be able to start the marriage procedures in Turkey, the following documents and papers must be prepared:

• Issuance of a civil registration for marriage and the wife from the civil status in Syria, certified by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• A copy of the passport translated and certified by the Notary in Turkey (the notary public) and can act as a substitute for the passport with a temporary residence card for Syrians in Turkey.
• A single proof document or a civil status record that is attested by the embassy or consulate of the foreign country, and this (document) is called a bachelor’s certificate.
• A rental contract, a people's registration, or any document that proves residence in Turkey
• A record extract that is extracted from the embassy or consulate of the foreign country and translated and certified by the notary in Turkey (notary public)
• Divorce certificate or death statement for the ex-husband in case this was the second marriage
• Written consent from the guardian of the wife or husband if he or she is between the ages of 16 and 18
• Some municipalities in Turkey may require a document of support (the survey) to prove that the real name has not changed
• Necessary medical reports and analyzes

Are there cases in which the procedures for establishing marriage in Turkey are prohibited?

Yes, of course, there are two cases in which it is forbidden to establish marriage in Turkey, and they are:

1. Underage marriage: Turkish law forbids marrying underage girls before they have completed 17 years, and exposes the husband to imprisonment from six months to two years, and if it is proven that the wife was forced to marry while she is a minor, the penalty is imprisonment of up to 16 years.
2. The second wife: Turkish law prohibits polygamy. Paragraph 1 of Article 230 of the Turkish Penal Code imposes a penalty of imprisonment for a period of six months and up to two years on the husband who combines two wives.

The second wife cannot obtain her rights, according to Turkish law, if Article Two of the Turkish Constitution states that the Turkish Republic is a democratic, secular state governed by the rule of law, that takes into account the concepts of public peace, national unity, justice and respect for human rights consistent with Ataturk’s nationalism.

- In the event that the marriage results in a child, the child is registered in the name of his father and mother, who is considered by the Turkish state in this case as a single mother.

And if the person who came to Turkey is mainly polygamous, the Turkish state does not apply the penalties stipulated in the constitution to him, except that only one wife is recognized by the Turkish state.

Do foreigners have the right to establish marriage in Turkey?

Of course, yes, it is available to foreigners within the legal conditions and procedures for married couples in Turkey to regulate the marriage contract, whether one of the spouses is a foreigner or both are foreigners

If one of the spouses is of Turkish origin or holds Turkish citizenship and the other is a foreigner, or the spouses are of two different foreign nationalities: the Turkish authorities only recognize the marriage contract concluded and established in the civil court in Turkey

If the spouses are of the same nationality and the same country: the Turkish authorities recognize the contracts certified by the embassy or consulate of the country to which they belong, and the marriage in Turkey can also be established in the civil court

Steps to install marriage in Turkey

First of all, preparing the documents required to establish marriage in Turkey, translating what needs to be translated, and certifying what is required to be certified by the notary office

Go to the municipality and fill out the marriage form, which is obtained from the registration office in the marriage department within the municipality in the city in which you are.

Marriage transaction costs in Turkey

The average transaction costs, including translation, attestation, marriage book, and all file procedures, are approximately $350

Important Notes :

- If you want to use the contract in other countries, such as bringing the wife to the country in which the husband works, the marriage contract (the family book) must be translated by a sworn translator in the same city and certified by the notary public, then attested by the city’s governor, then from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then from the embassy of the requested country Recruitment

If you want to confirm the contract in Syria, it must be certified by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and then by the Syrian Consulate in Istanbul

It is worth noting that the Turkish state does not recognize any marriage outside the official civil marriage, which is carried out by the religious marriage department, and the fourth paragraph of Article 237 of the Turkish Penal Code imposes (a penalty of imprisonment for a period of between two and six months for anyone who performs a marriage within a framework Religious ceremonies only) Turkish civil law also prohibits intermarriage with more than one wife, and the Turkish Penal Code punishes those who combine two wives with imprisonment penalties, even if the second wife has married without registering this marriage in the civil registry, and Article 143 of the Turkish Civil Code states Not to recognize religious marriage before or after the civil marriage contract.