All marriages in Turkiye must be performed according to the civil marriage code of Turkiye. Religious ceremonies have no legal effect. US military personnel are reminded to obtain permission to marry from their commanding officers.
- Execute an affidavit of eligibility to marry (bekarlik belgesi) at the Consulate General, Istanbul. We will notarize the affidavit of eligibility for a fee of $50. You will need to present your passport and divorce decree (if you have a previous marriage). Then have this affidavit certified at the legal office of the sub-governor at each province.
- The affidavit should be taken to the marriage bureau (Evlendirme Dairesi) having jurisdiction over the place of residence of the Turkish party (see list) and marriage application forms should be picked up from the marriage bureau. The American party must submit a passport and six photos. If one of the parties is Turkish, an ikametgah ilmuhaberi from the village elder (muhtar) may be required. If both persons are U.S. citizens they would have to provide a letter from the hotel they are staying at.
- Complete the following forms from the marriage bureau: Statement of Marriage (Evlenme Beyannamesi), Census Card Sample (Nufus Cuzdani Ornegi), Marriageability Document (Evlenme Ehliyet Belgesi) and Marriage Statistical Form (Evlenme Istatistik Formu). The Turkish party may be required to provide a certified birth registration document from the census office where the father is registered.
A medical examination is mandatory; each party is required to undergo a medical examination. Health units or state hospitals provide a report after the medical examination. Even though it is not recommended private hospitals also provide it but it also needs to be certified by the health units. Certified copy by a notary of the U.S. passport is also required. - After completion, all the appropriate forms are to be turned in to the marriage bureau and a marriage date is to be scheduled at the marriage bureau.
If you wish the marriage ceremony to take place outside the marriage bureau and outside office hours, you should tell the marriage officer. Transportation expenses of the marriage officer and his assistant to the place of the ceremony and their return home should be paid at the time of their departure from the ceremony. - Spouses of United States citizens are entitled to immigrate to the United States if not otherwise ineligible. If your future husband or wife is not an American citizen or permanent resident and if you plan to reside in the U.S., the foreign spouse will need an immigrant visa to enter the U.S. The American must file a petition (Form I-130) on behalf of the foreign spouse. This cannot be done until after the marriage. Please contact the immigrant visa unit during information hours for instructions regarding the filing of an immigrant visa petition for your spouse.
List of Some Marriage Bureaus
Beyoglu: Taksim 243 2295
Besiktas: Ciragan Cad. Besiktas 260 6497
Sisli: Abidei Hurriyet Cad. Yeni Adliye Binasi 248 1069
Eminonu: Sarachane Mevkii, Eminonu 512 5500
Fatih: Sarachane Mevkii 526 2142
Uskudar: Dogancilar Cad., Bostan Sok. No:2 333 0438
Bakirkoy: Sahilyolu, Bakirkoy 572 4686
Beykoz: Gumussuyu IETT Duragi, Beykoz 331 0113
Kadikoy: Sogutlucesme Tren Istasyonu Karsisi 418 4893
