Foreigners wishing to marry in Türkiye must have a legal residence permit in the country, the Interior Ministry's General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs stated in a letter sent to marriage bureaus countrywide, a move aimed at slowing the trend of gaining Turkish citizenship through marriage.
The letter notes a significant increase since the early 2000s in the number of foreigners seeking to settle in Türkiye, highlighting that marrying a Turkish citizen to obtain a residence permit has become a subject vulnerable to abuse, as it opens the door to potentially becoming a Turkish citizen.
The letter states: "In letters received by our ministry, it has been noted that due to disturbances in neighboring countries and our country's geographical location, there has been a significant increase since the early 2000s in the numbers of foreigners attempting to settle in our country through legal or illegal means. Marrying a Turkish citizen appears to be an easily exploitable method for obtaining a residence permit and acquiring Turkish citizenship, making it one of the most preferred methods, which poses a threat to national security and sovereignty by potentially allowing malicious individuals to easily remain in our country."
"To ensure public order and effectively combat irregular migration, in the marriage procedures of a Turkish citizen with a foreigner or between two foreigners, the marriage application should only be accepted if the foreign national possesses a valid passport or equivalent document and has a legal residence permit in our country. This directive should be communicated to all marriage bureaus in your province," the letter emphasized.
