Eligibility quiz
Was your mother a Turkish citizen when you were born?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Turkish passport and ID
Turkish citizens can hold an identity card and apply for an ordinary Turkish passport.
Live in Turkey for life
Turkish citizenship lets you enter, live in and return to Turkey without a visa or residence permit.
Citizenship does not expire or need renewing.
Study in Turkey
Turkish citizens can study in Turkish schools and universities, subject to each institution’s admission rules.
Work in Turkey
Turkish citizens can work in Turkey without a foreigner’s work permit.
The usual rules for a particular job or profession still apply.
Get help abroad
Turkish embassies and consulates can help in emergencies, contact relatives and speak with local authorities.
If your passport is lost or stolen, they can provide a temporary passport for your return to Turkey.
Vote and run for office
Turkish citizens aged 18 or over can vote, stand for office and take part in politics, with some restrictions.
Some cannot vote, including military students, conscripted privates and corporals, people in prison for intentional offences and people legally unable to make decisions.
If registered to vote abroad, citizens can vote in presidential and parliamentary elections and referendums, but not local elections.
Use public healthcare
Turkish citizens living in Turkey are generally covered by public health insurance.
People not otherwise insured may have to pay a contribution, though the state may pay it for those with low incomes.
Children under 18 are covered without that condition.
Get social support
Turkish citizens may qualify for financial assistance, pensions or other support if they meet the conditions.
Citizenship alone does not guarantee a payment.
How to apply
Applying at a consulateApplying at a consulate
Find your consulate
Find the Turkish embassy or consulate responsible for the place where you live.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Turkish consulate handles Turkish citizenship by descent applications for your city?”
Get the application form
If you are reporting a birth abroad after turning 18, download form VAT-1. Otherwise, obtain the applicable request form from your consulate.
Download form VAT-1Fill in the form
Fill in and sign the application form. If you are applying for your child, ask the consulate who should sign it.
Find form guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in Turkey's citizenship by descent application form, soy bağı, for a consulate?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the consulate.
See required documentsBook an appointment
Use the consular procedures portal to select your mission, enter your details and book an appointment. If you are reporting a birth abroad after turning 18, select the procedure for acquiring citizenship through a mother or father.
Book an appointmentSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book a Turkish consulate appointment for citizenship by descent, soy bağı?”
Go to your appointment
Bring your signed form and the originals and copies of your documents to the consulate, and give your identity details and fingerprints if requested. Apply in person or, where permitted, through someone with special power of attorney; you must attend personally if fingerprints are required.
Find appointment guidanceSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit a Turkish citizenship by descent, soy bağı, application at a consulate?”
Wait for your result
Use your application number and date of birth to track your application, and respond to requests for more documents. The consulate will tell you the result; once your citizenship is recorded, you can apply for a Turkish passport.
Track your applicationSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I track my Turkish citizenship by descent, soy bağı, application with my application number?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificate
Get your birth certificate from the office that issued it. The Turkish population office obtains your Turkish parent's civil registration record. The application office also takes a signed statement about your relationship from your parents; if either has died, it asks your siblings, or other close relatives if you have no siblings.
Civil status records
Get a certificate showing your civil status from the office that issued it. If you are married, provide your marriage certificate; if divorced, provide proof of divorce; if widowed, provide your spouse's death certificate. Any Turkish translation must be certified by a notary.
Family record *
Get an official family record showing your mother, father and siblings from the office that holds it. The Turkish translation must be certified by a notary.
* Only if the office needs it to establish your family relationship.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationParent's identity document *
Provide proof of your Turkish parent's identity. Use an identity document issued by the relevant authority.
* Only if your Turkish parent also has another citizenship.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Military service for men
Turkish men may have to complete military service, depending on their age and circumstances.
Some citizens living abroad can use a foreign-currency service option if they meet its conditions, including the relevant residence, work or multiple-citizenship requirements.
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship may be renounced with permission, or by choice within three years of adulthood for some citizens by birth, adoption or a parent who would not be left without citizenship.
It can be cancelled if acquired unlawfully or on an invalid basis.
It can be taken for unpermitted foreign military or wartime service, foreign service against Turkey’s interests after notice, or some unreachable terrorism suspects abroad not returning after a public call.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Turkish Residence permit for foreigners 🚋🚋🇹🇷
English Facebook group for people interested in Turkish citizenship and visas
Join on FacebookPlaces to visit in Türkiye
English Facebook group for people living in Türkiye interested in Turkish local life
Join on FacebookForeigners in Istanbul
English Facebook group for people living in Türkiye interested in Turkish local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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