The marriage of foreigners in Turkey is entirely possible, and the core requirement is a short set of documents: a valid passport, a certificate of no impediment to marriage from your home country, a recent health report, passport photos and a completed application at the local marriage office. Whether you are two foreigners marrying each other or a foreigner marrying a Turkish citizen, the same civil procedure applies. This guide walks through every document, where to get it, and how the process runs from start to finish.
Turkey performs civil marriages through the Marriage Office (Evlendirme Dairesi) attached to each municipality, and the paperwork is standard once you know what each authority expects. Get the documents right and the process is smooth. Miss a translation or an apostille, and you wait.
What Documents Are Needed for the Marriage of Foreigners in Turkey?
The marriage of foreigners in Turkey requires each partner to submit a specific file to the marriage office, and the documents required for marriage in Turkey are broadly the same for every nationality. The exact list can vary slightly by municipality, so it is always worth confirming with the local office before you gather everything. As a working checklist, each foreign national usually needs the following.
- A valid passport, plus a notarised Turkish translation of the identity page.
- A certificate of no impediment to marriage (in Turkish, evlenme ehliyet belgesi), confirming you are free to marry.
- A birth certificate or an official document showing full name, date of birth and parents’ names.
- A recent health report confirming there is no medical obstacle to marriage.
- Passport-size photographs, usually between four and six per person.
- A completed marriage application form (Evlenme Beyannamesi), signed at the office.
- For anyone previously married, proof that the earlier marriage has ended, such as a divorce decree or a death certificate of the former spouse.
Foreign-issued documents generally need to be legalised with an apostille and then translated into Turkish by a sworn translator, with the translation notarised. We explain that chain in detail further down.
Who Can Get Married in Turkey as a Foreigner?
Any adult foreigner who is free to marry can get married in Turkey, whether to another foreigner or to a Turkish citizen. Turkish civil law sets a small number of clear conditions, and the marriage office checks each one against your documents.
- Age: both partners must generally be at least 18. Turkish law allows marriage from 17 with parental consent and, in exceptional cases, from 16 with special permission from a judge.
- Single status: neither partner can be currently married. Turkey does not recognise polygamous marriage, which is why the certificate of no impediment matters so much.
- Capacity: both partners must understand and freely consent to the marriage.
- No prohibited relationship: close blood relatives and certain in-law relationships cannot marry, in line with the Turkish Civil Code.
You do not need to be a resident of Turkey to marry here, and you do not need a specific visa type. Many couples marry while on a tourist entry. That said, if you plan to build a life in Turkey afterwards, the marriage can support a later residence application, so it is worth thinking ahead.
The Certificate of No Impediment Explained
The certificate of no impediment is the single most important document for getting married in Turkey as a foreigner, and it is where most delays begin. This document, issued by your own country, states that you are single and eligible to marry. Different countries call it different things.
Where you get it
You obtain the certificate from the authority in your home country that handles civil status, or in many cases from your country’s embassy or consulate in Turkey. Some embassies in Ankara and Istanbul issue it directly to their nationals, sometimes on the same day. Others require you to request it from home first. Because practice differs so widely by nationality, checking with your own consulate early is the smartest first move.
How long it stays valid
A certificate of no impediment is usually treated as valid for around six months from its issue date, though the marriage office has some discretion. Do not request it too early. In our experience advising foreign couples in Istanbul, the most common reason a marriage file stalls is a certificate that has expired, or one that was never apostilled, so the office cannot accept it.
Apostille, Translation and Notarisation
Foreign documents required for marriage in Turkey must almost always be legalised before a Turkish marriage office will accept them. There are two possible routes, and which one applies depends on your country.
- Apostille route: if your country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, your certificate of no impediment and other civil documents need an apostille stamp from the competent authority in your country. This single stamp replaces older, longer legalisation chains.
- Consular legalisation route: if your country is not part of the Hague Convention, the document must instead be legalised by your foreign ministry and then by a Turkish consulate.
Once a document carries the apostille or consular legalisation, it must be translated into Turkish by a sworn translator (yeminli tercuman) in Turkey, and that translation notarised at a Turkish notary (noter). Skipping the notarised translation is a frequent, avoidable error. The order matters: legalise first, then translate, because the translator should render the apostille text too.
The Marriage of Foreigners in Turkey: Step by Step
The marriage of foreigners in Turkey follows a clear civil procedure once your documents are ready. The foreigner marriage procedure in Turkey runs through the municipal marriage office rather than the judicial system, and the steps below reflect the usual order.
- Gather and legalise your documents at home. Obtain your certificate of no impediment, birth certificate and, if relevant, divorce or death records, and have them apostilled or consular-legalised.
- Get your health report in Turkey. Visit a state hospital or an authorised health centre for the required checks. Some offices accept a simple report; others ask for specific tests, so confirm locally.
- Translate and notarise. Take your legalised foreign documents to a sworn translator and then a notary in Turkey.
- Apply at the marriage office. Both partners attend the Evlendirme Dairesi at the municipality where you wish to marry, submit the file and complete the marriage declaration form.
- Wait for the file review. The office checks your documents and, once satisfied, sets a marriage date.
- Attend the ceremony. A civil officer conducts the marriage, with two witnesses present. If either partner does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter must attend.
- Collect your international marriage certificate. Ask for the multilingual (formula B) certificate, which is recognised in many countries and saves you a later translation.
Whether this exact sequence fits your situation depends on your nationality, your marital history and the municipality you choose; our advisors can assess it in a short consultation and help you prepare a clean file.
How Long Does It Take?
From a complete document file to the ceremony, the marriage of foreigners in Turkey usually takes around one to four weeks, though the real timeline depends far more on document preparation than on the office itself. The stages break down roughly as follows.
- Obtaining the certificate of no impediment: anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on your home country or consulate.
- Apostille or legalisation: usually a few days once the underlying document exists.
- Translation and notarisation in Turkey: often same day or one to two days.
- Marriage office review and date: commonly within one to two weeks, sometimes faster.
These are typical ranges as of the time this article is written, not guarantees. Because civil status rules and municipal practice change, confirm the current expected timing with the local office or an advisor before you book flights or a venue.
Common Mistakes That Delay a Foreign Marriage
Most delays in getting married in Turkey as a foreigner come from a handful of document errors, and every one of them is preventable. How can foreigners get married in Turkey without hold-ups? By avoiding these common problems.
- Skipping the apostille. An untranslated or unlegalised certificate of no impediment is the number one cause of a rejected file.
- Letting the certificate expire. Requesting it months in advance means it lapses before your ceremony date.
- Translating before legalising. If you translate first, the apostille added later will not appear in the Turkish version, and the office may ask you to redo it.
- Forgetting proof of a former marriage ending. A previously married partner must show a divorce decree or a former spouse’s death certificate, also legalised and translated.
- No interpreter arranged. If a partner does not speak Turkish, the ceremony cannot proceed without a sworn interpreter present.
A short pre-check of the whole file against the local office’s current list prevents almost all of these.
Costs to Budget For
The marriage of foreigners in Turkey carries modest official costs, plus a few service costs you arrange privately. The municipality charges a marriage fee that is usually small, and it often rises if you marry outside the office or on a weekend. Beyond that, budget for the following, all approximate and as of the time this article is written.
- Certificate of no impediment and apostille: fees set by your home authority or consulate.
- Sworn translation and notarisation: a per-document charge in Turkey.
- Health report: a small fee at a state hospital or authorised centre.
- Sworn interpreter for the ceremony: if required.
Exact figures shift over time and by province, so treat these as a planning guide and confirm the current amounts locally. The foreigner marriage procedure in Turkey is not an expensive process; the value of good advice is in avoiding the repeat trips that cost you time.
In short, the marriage of foreigners in Turkey rests on one well-prepared document file: a valid certificate of no impediment, properly apostilled and translated, alongside your passport, health report and application. Get that file right and the ceremony itself is quick. Because civil status and immigration rules change often, confirm the current requirements with the local marriage office or an advisor before you begin.
Considering Turkish Citizenship or Moving to Turkey?
Gordion Partners is an Istanbul-based advisory firm that has helped foreigners with Turkish citizenship by investment, residence and work permits, and property purchases since 2020. To discuss your own situation, reach us by phone or WhatsApp at +90 533 140 04 96, by email at [email protected], or visit us at Merkez Mahallesi Hasat Sokak No:12A, 34384 Sisli, Istanbul. Contact us for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can two foreigners get married in Turkey?
Yes, two foreigners can get married in Turkey without either partner being a Turkish citizen or resident. Both must be free to marry and submit the standard documents, including a certificate of no impediment from each home country, apostilled and translated into Turkish.
What documents are required for marriage in Turkey?
The documents required for marriage in Turkey are a valid passport, a certificate of no impediment to marriage, a birth certificate, a recent health report, passport photos and a completed application form. Anyone previously married also needs proof that the earlier marriage ended.
Do I need to be a resident to marry in Turkey?
No, you do not need a residence permit to marry in Turkey. Many couples marry while on a tourist entry. A completed marriage can, however, support a later residence permit application if you plan to live in Turkey.
How long does the marriage of foreigners in Turkey take?
From a complete document file, the process usually takes around one to four weeks. Most of that time goes into obtaining and legalising the certificate of no impediment, not the marriage office review itself.
Does my certificate of no impediment need an apostille?
In most cases yes. If your country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, the certificate needs an apostille stamp before it is translated into Turkish. Countries outside the convention use consular legalisation instead.
How can foreigners get married in Turkey if they do not speak Turkish?
A sworn interpreter must attend the ceremony if either partner does not speak Turkish. The interpreter translates the officer’s questions and the vows so that consent is clearly given and recorded.
Is a marriage in Turkey recognised in my home country?
A civil marriage performed in Turkey is generally recognised abroad, especially if you obtain the multilingual (formula B) international marriage certificate. You may still need to register the marriage with your own authorities, so check your country’s rules.
About Gordion Partners
Gordion Partners is an Istanbul-based advisory firm specialising in immigration and real estate services for foreigners in Turkey. Since 2020, our advisors have guided international clients through Turkish citizenship by investment, residence and work permits, and property purchases, working in English, French, Turkish, Russian and Chinese. The firm is led by Burak Unal, an investment advisor and registered real estate broker in Turkey (Tasinmaz Ticareti Bilgi Sistemi, registration no. 3408704), who holds an MSc in Finance from the London School of Economics and a BBA from Bogazici University. We focus on clear, responsive and professional guidance at every step.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and you are strongly advised to consult a professional to evaluate your personal situation. No liability is accepted that may arise from the use of the information in this article.
