Turkish citizenship application
Turkish citizenship applications and related transactions are one of the most problematic issues for foreigners. Mr. and Mrs. Kania are also facing a similar problem.
Turkish citizenship applications and related transactions are one of the most problematic issues for foreigners. Mr. and Mrs. Kania are also facing a similar problem:
“Dear Sadettin,
My wife and I live in the Alanya area and would like to apply for Turkish citizenship. We have done our research and we have the relevant forms to conform to the legal requirements; lived five years in Turkey and not been out of the country for no more than three months in those five years. We have our original birth certificates and wedding certificates, which I recently went back to get in the U.K. as this is one of the requirements of the Population Directorate (Nüfus Müdürlüğü).
But we are lost in finding somewhere to get a Turkish language certificate from the Alanya area or Manavget to include with our birth and marriage certificates and return them to the directorate in Antalya where we first received our government forms from the manager for citizenship applications.
There are so many different versions of the correct procedure. For example, some say you have to sit in front of a panel to see how confident you are in conversation, according to a friend of mine who is married to a Russian. Is this the same procedure as we have in England? Or do we just need a Turkish language certificate proving our competence in speaking Turkish?
Eagerly awaiting your reply. Yours Sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. Kania.”
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kania,
The acquisition of Turkish citizenship is possible either by birth or after birth according to the Turkish Citizenship Law that says a person is automatically granted Turkish citizenship on the basis of descent. It means a person who is born to a Turkish mother and/or a Turkish father within the unity of marriage either in Turkey or abroad can acquire Turkish citizenship.
On the other hand, Turkish citizenship shall be acquired after birth either by a decision of the competent authority or by adoption or by using the right to choose. An alien who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship can acquire do so via a decision of the competent authority provided he/she fulfils the conditions laid down in this law. However, fulfilling the stipulated conditions does not grant that person an absolute right in the acquisition of citizenship.
[HH] Conditions for applications
An alien who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship shall:
- Be in the age of majority and have the capacity to act either according to his/her own national law or, if he/she is stateless, according to Turkish law.
- Have been resident in Turkey without interruption for five years preceding the date of his/her application.
- Verify his/her determination to settle down in Turkey with his/her manners.
- Have no disease constituting an obstacle in respect of public health.
- Be of good moral character.
- Be able to speak a sufficient level of Turkish.
- Have income or profession to provide for maintenance for himself/herself and his/her dependants in Turkey.
- Have no quality constituting an obstacle in respect to national security and public order.
If you meet these conditions, then you can apply to the City Population and Citizenship Directorate (İl Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık Müdürlüğü). Your “sufficient level of Turkish language” degree is evaluated by the commission. This commission does not want any document about a language degree. If the commission appropriates your application, send the file to the Ministry of the Interior. The decision of citizenship acquisition is given by the ministry.
Hurriyet Daily News/17.12.2010
Turkish citizenship applications and related transactions are one of the most problematic issues for foreigners. Mr. and Mrs. Kania are also facing a similar problem:
“Dear Sadettin,
My wife and I live in the Alanya area and would like to apply for Turkish citizenship. We have done our research and we have the relevant forms to conform to the legal requirements; lived five years in Turkey and not been out of the country for no more than three months in those five years. We have our original birth certificates and wedding certificates, which I recently went back to get in the U.K. as this is one of the requirements of the Population Directorate (Nüfus Müdürlüğü).
But we are lost in finding somewhere to get a Turkish language certificate from the Alanya area or Manavget to include with our birth and marriage certificates and return them to the directorate in Antalya where we first received our government forms from the manager for citizenship applications.
There are so many different versions of the correct procedure. For example, some say you have to sit in front of a panel to see how confident you are in conversation, according to a friend of mine who is married to a Russian. Is this the same procedure as we have in England? Or do we just need a Turkish language certificate proving our competence in speaking Turkish?
Eagerly awaiting your reply. Yours Sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. Kania.”
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kania,
The acquisition of Turkish citizenship is possible either by birth or after birth according to the Turkish Citizenship Law that says a person is automatically granted Turkish citizenship on the basis of descent. It means a person who is born to a Turkish mother and/or a Turkish father within the unity of marriage either in Turkey or abroad can acquire Turkish citizenship.
On the other hand, Turkish citizenship shall be acquired after birth either by a decision of the competent authority or by adoption or by using the right to choose. An alien who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship can acquire do so via a decision of the competent authority provided he/she fulfils the conditions laid down in this law. However, fulfilling the stipulated conditions does not grant that person an absolute right in the acquisition of citizenship.
[HH] Conditions for applications
An alien who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship shall:
- Be in the age of majority and have the capacity to act either according to his/her own national law or, if he/she is stateless, according to Turkish law.
- Have been resident in Turkey without interruption for five years preceding the date of his/her application.
- Verify his/her determination to settle down in Turkey with his/her manners.
- Have no disease constituting an obstacle in respect of public health.
- Be of good moral character.
- Be able to speak a sufficient level of Turkish.
- Have income or profession to provide for maintenance for himself/herself and his/her dependants in Turkey.
- Have no quality constituting an obstacle in respect to national security and public order.
If you meet these conditions, then you can apply to the City Population and Citizenship Directorate (İl Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık Müdürlüğü). Your “sufficient level of Turkish language” degree is evaluated by the commission. This commission does not want any document about a language degree. If the commission appropriates your application, send the file to the Ministry of the Interior. The decision of citizenship acquisition is given by the ministry.
Hurriyet Daily News/17.12.2010
