The e-mail is as follows: "Berk Çektir bey, could you please clarify the point about residing in Turkey without interruptions? Does this mean that you should not have left Turkey in the five-year period? We tend to visit the UK for one month every Christmas but have had continuous residency here since 2004, currently due to be renewed in 2010. Best regards John and Lin."
What does the law say?
Article 6 of the Turkish Nationality Code states the following as requirements to acquire Turkish nationality (in the most common method):
Be of the age of consent according to his/her own national legal system (usually 18).
Have resided in Turkey for the last five years without any interruptions.
Have the intention of settling in Turkey and prove this intention with action.
Prove that s/he has sufficient financial resources to support herself/himself and his/her family in Turkey.
Speak an adequate level of Turkish.
Be of good moral character.
Not carry any disease that may affect the general health of society.
In order to reside in Turkey, police departments issue residency permits, the duration of which depends on your intention to be in Turkey and your nationality. The law classifies countries into "Group A" and "Group B" and residency permit requirements and regulations differ depending on what group your country is in. As a foreigner from a Group A country, you will be granted a five-year temporary residency permit that can be renewed for five years each time. Citizens of Group B countries are initially granted a one-year residency permit, which on the second and third renewal can be extended to two years.
During the extension period you have six months to renew the permit. If you fail to renew your residency permit within six months or if you spend more than six months outside of Turkey, you will be considered in breach of this requirement. You should also have a residency permit valid for at least six months before applying for Turkish citizenship.
In any case, if you are asked to comply with rules different than those listed above, please let me know the details.
The second e-mail concerns license plates -- but not the "blue plate" (long-time expats say foreigners used to have blue plates, though that has now changed. The plates these days are the same color, but plates given to foreigners start with MA). The reader's e-mail is as follows:
"My car has a standard Turkish license plate. In the UK, we have the option of changing the number to anything. For example, we can request a name, "DAVE," or a mix of letters and numbers, as in "DAVE 001." These vanity plates cost a lot of money. Is there such an option here in Turkey? Thanks for your help, Ian."
It is possible to have a vanity plate with your full name on it; however, this is not common and I have only seen such a plate once in my entire life. A vanity plate carries with it an annual tax of YTL 610.
Instead of getting a plate with your name on it, Turks opt for a license plate with their initials. For example, Berk Çektir would have "34 BC …" or "34 BRK …" Those who opt to do this pay a great deal of money to have such a plate, but the amount depends on how difficult it is to find the plate.
Turkish license plates begin with the code of the province the car is registered in -- 34 for İstanbul. This code is then usually followed by letters and numbers. Some car owners try to have the code of the province their hometown is located in on the plate, too. For example, Mr. Hasan from Diyarbakır (code 21) would love to have a plate that reads "34 HSN 21" or with his initials, "34 HFE 21."
Any questions?
NOTE: Berk Çektir is a licensed attorney at law and available to answer questions on the legal aspects of living in Turkey. Send enquiries to b.cektir@todayszaman.com. The names of the readers are disclosed only upon written approval of the sender.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is intended to give basic legal information. You should get legal assistance from a licensed attorney at law while conducting legal transactions and not just rely on the information in this corner.
