In some cases, the person acquiring Turkish citizenship by marriage already has children. In this article, I will try to shed some light on the application and required documents for the children of the applicant on behalf of his/her children.Communiqués regulating this matter cover various possibilities with respect to when the children are born. This is not always related to the age of the children but is usually focused on the legal status of the father and the mother when the children were born.
If the child is born while the parents are married, government authorities will require the following:
a) A birth certificate issued by the authorities of the country where the child was born. If this document is obtained from foreign authorities, it must be officially translated into Turkish and the translation of the document should be approved by a notary public. In some cases, you may need to obtain an apostille for the birth certificate in accordance with The Hague Convention. Please inquire about this with the relevant Turkish authorities when applying.
b) A report by the authorities that is to be prepared in accordance with the birth certificate (VGF–01).
c) A letter of consent from either the father or the mother who is not applying for citizenship. This document should be notarized. If this document is obtained from a foreign country’s notary office, it must be officially translated into Turkish, and the translation of the document should be approved by a notary public in Turkey.
d) The marriage certificate of the parents.
If the child was born during a marriage which ended in divorce, the government authorities shall require:
a) A birth certificate issued by the authorities of the country where the child was born. If this document is obtained from foreign authorities, it must be officially translated into Turkish and the translation of the document should be approved by a notary public. In some cases you may need to obtain an apostille for the birth certificate in accordance with The Hague Convention. Please inquire about this with the relevant Turkish authorities when applying. (This is indeed a repeat of the paragraph above, which is necessary in order to avoid any misunderstandings.)
b) A report by the authorities that is to be prepared in accordance with the birth certificate (VGF–01).
c) An official copy of the verdict concerning custody. If the verdict is made by a foreign country’s court, a notarized copy of the final verdict of the court regarding custody should be submitted. I would say that an official copy of the verdict should be taken to an official translator. The verdict must then be officially translated into Turkish and the translation of the document approved by a notary public. I recommend you get the translation of the document approved by a Turkish notary or a Turkish consulate to avoid further costs.
There are a couple of more documents required under this topic, and I will provide you with a list of these documents in the next article.
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.
