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Marriage
Marriage Procedures
Certifying a U.S. marriage record in Turkiye
Where to Get an Affidavit
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14 MINUTE READ

Marriage Procedures in Turkiye for U.S. Citizens

If you are a U.S. citizen marrying in Türkiye, you will first need an affidavit of eligibility to marry notarized in the United States or at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please note affidavits notarized in the U.S. must also be apostilled in the state where the notary took place. All marriages in Türkiye must be performed under the authority of the Turkish Civil Code to be legally recognized. Religious ceremonies are not legally recognized.  The U.S. Embassy or Consulates in Türkiye do not perform marriages.

  • The documents notarized at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara for Turkish residency and marriage need to be taken to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for signature authentication by scheduling an appointment at https://tasdik.mfa.gov.tr.
  • The documents notarized at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul need to be taken to the Istanbul Governor’s office for apostille certification. Apostille certification is obtainable in Istanbul at: Istanbul Valiliği, Hukuk İşleri Şube Müdürlüğü. Web-site: http://istanbul.gov.tr/hukuk-isleri-sube-mudurlugu

The U.S. Embassy Ankara  affidavits are accepted by authorities in the following Turkish provinces: Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Bartin, Bayburt, Burdur, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Giresun, Gumushane, Igdir, Isparta, Izmir, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kirikkale, Kirsehir, Konya, Kutahya, Manisa, Mugla, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Sivas, Tokat, Trabzon, Usak, Yozgat and Zonguldak.

The U.S. Consulate General Istanbul  affidavits are accepted by authorities in the following Turkish provinces: Balikesir, Bilecik, Bolu, Bursa, Canakkale, Düzce, Edirne, Istanbul, Kirklareli, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Tekirdag, and Yalova.

The U.S. Consulate Adana  affidavits that are accepted by authorities in the following Turkish provinces: Adana, Adiyaman, Batman, Bingol, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Gaziantep, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Mardin, Mus, Osmaniye, Siirt, Sanliurfa, Sirnak, Tunceli, and Van. 

Step 1: You must bring the information on the affidavit of eligibility to marry with you (DO NOT SIGN the affidavit). Write each field exactly as it is in your passport, e.g. United States Department of State.

Step 2: If you would like to schedule an appointment, you must agree to the entry requirements and terms service below: 

  • If your intended service does not match the appointment you schedule online, we will not be able to assist you and you will need to re-schedule.   
  • You must be on-time and cannot arrive more than 10 minutes early.
  • You must arrive with identification and all required documents.
  • You must arrive with cash (USD or TRY) or a credit card (Turkish debit cards are not accepted) to pay for your service.

In order to confirm your understanding of these terms of service and schedule an appointment, please click the following link:  I acknowledge and agree to these terms and will adhere to the health and safety guidelines above. 

Step 3: Come to your appointment to sign the affidavit in person.  Bring your valid U.S. passport. Pay the US $50 fee for notarizing the affidavit of eligibility in U.S. cash or a major credit card. You may pay by cash or credit card in dollars or the Turkish lira equivalent at the Embassy or Consulate.

Step 4: Take your notarized affidavit from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate and follow the instructions on where you should be taking the affidavit:

Important:

  • Don’t sign the affidavit until you come to your appointment.
  • You can take the affidavit from the Embassy/Consulate on the same day of your appointment.

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Certifying a U.S. marriage record in Turkiye

Individuals who wish to record their U.S. marriage in the vital statistics office (nüfüs dairesi) of Turkiye should contact their local vital statistics office in Turkiye to do so.  Normally the vital statistics office will request an apostille of the U.S. marriage.

For more information on the apostille process, visit the Department of State’s Apostille Requirements web page.   The U.S. Embassy or Consulates do not provide apostille services

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Where can I get the Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry?

If you are willing to get married in Turkey, you first need to fill out the Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry form (PDF 195 KB) and have it notarized by the U.S. Embassy or its Consulates which has power in your marriage province. Please check the below list to see where you need to have your document notarized.

The U.S. Embassy in ANKARA: If you are going to get marry in one of the below provinces of Turkey, you need to have your Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry document notarized at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Please schedule an online notarial appointment to get the affidavit.

Afyon, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Bartin, Bayburt, Burdur, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Giresun, Gumushane, Igdir, Isparta, Izmir, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kirikkale, Kirsehir, Konya, Kutahya, Manisa, Mugla, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Sivas, Tokat, Trabzon, Usak, Yozgat and Zonguldak.

The U.S. Consulate General in ISTANBUL: If you are going to get marry in one of the below provinces of Turkey, you need to have your Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry document notarized at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey. Please schedule an online notarial appointment to get the affidavit.

Balikesir, Bilecik, Bolu, Bursa, Canakkale, Düzce, Edirne, Istanbul, Kirklareli, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Tekirdag, and Yalova.

The U.S. Consulate in ADANA: If you are going to get marry in one of the below provinces of Turkey, you need to have your Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry document notarized at the U.S. Consulate in Adana, Turkey. Please schedule an online notarial appointment to get the affidavit.

Adana, Adiyaman, Batman, Bingol, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Gaziantep, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Mardin, Mus, Osmaniye, Siirt, Sanliurfa, Sirnak, Tunceli, and Van. 

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