There are two ways to win Turkish citizenship. The first one of them is the citizenship that is won by birth, and the second is the citizenship earned later.
Citizenship acquired at birth will be effected from the moment of birth. A child born in a marriage union with a Turkish citizen mother or father, a child born outside the marriage union of a Turkish citizen mother and father, a child born out of a marriage union with a Turkish citizen father and a foreign mother, as all been arranged in Article 7 of the Turkish Citizenship Law.
It is also possible for foreigners to acquire Turkish citizenship later. Foreigners can acquire Turkish citizenship through marriage or by the decision of the competent authority. According to Article 11 of the Turkish Citizenship Law, the conditions required by the decision of the competent authority are as follows:
- To be mature and to have capacity to act according to national law, (if foreigner is a stateless, condition herein mentioned still been asked for)
- To reside in Turkey without interruption for five years prior to the application date
- To confirm with his/her behavior that he/she decides to settle in Turkey
- Not having a dangerous disease
- To have good morals
- To be able to speak Turkish well
- To have a job or income enough for keeping herself or himself and her/his dependants
- Not having an obstacle to national security and public order,
Even the above conditions have been completed by the one who demands to get Turkish Citizenship, the authorities have still discretion. Applications are made to governorship of foreigner’s registered residence. If the foreigner is in abroad, he/she can apply Turkish Consulate. Turkish Consulate accepts the application and checks the conditions demanded are being completed or not, then on behalf of the applicant, Consulate sends the citizenship file to the Ministry of Interior. By the decision of the Council of Ministers, the foreigner will (-or-not) be able to acquire Turkish citizenship.
Marriage with a Turkish citizen does not directly benefit Turkish citizenship. However, foreigners who have been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years and whose marriage is still in progress can apply for a Turkish citizenship. According to Article 1 of the Turkish Citizenship Law, the conditions required by acquiring citizenship through marriage are as follows:
- Living in a family union
- Not doing a behaviour to contrary to marriage unity
- Not having an obstacle to national security and public order
Hukuk Desteği (Legal Support)