Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship
Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship, Turkish citizenship can be acquired later for other reasons, not by birth. The person becomes a citizen from the date on which they acquire citizenship for whatever reason. Before that date, that person was not a Turkish citizen, and the acquisition of Turkish citizenship does not retroactively apply.
Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Later: Turkish citizenship can be acquired later for various reasons and the person is considered a citizen from the date of acquisition. Prior to that date, the person is not considered a Turkish citizen and the acquisition of citizenship does not retroactively apply.
Authorized decision for the acquisition of Turkish citizenship (Naturalization): It refers to the acquisition of citizenship of a country to which a person was not previously legally related. Here, the person’s request and application are primarily required.
Ordinary naturalization: It is the normal way of acquiring citizenship. Various conditions are required in Article 11 of the Turkish Citizenship Law.
The requirements for application as stated in ARTICLE 11 – (1) Foreigners who wish to acquire Turkish citizenship must possess the legal capacity and discernment as defined by their own national laws or, if stateless, by Turkish laws.
Being of legal age and capable of distinguishing according to one’s own national law or, if stateless, Turkish laws.
The applicant must be of legal age according to their own laws. If the person does not have any nationality, they must be of legal age according to Turkish laws. According to Turkish laws, a person is considered legal age at 18 or if they are considered of legal age through marriage or a court decision.
If the applicant is a citizen of another country, the legal age status will be determined according to the laws of that country. For example, if the legal age according to the national laws of a country is 20, the applicant’s legal age status will be determined by checking whether they are 20 years old or not.
Another requirement is that the person must possess the ability to discern. Here, again, whether the applicant possesses the ability to discern according to their national laws is evaluated. If the person does not have any nationality, their ability to discern is determined according to Turkish laws.
According to Turkish laws, those with full legal capacity can apply for citizenship. Limited legal capacity individuals can only use their rights that are closely bound to them with the consent of their legal representatives. Citizenship application is a right closely bound to the individual, thus, limited legal capacity individuals can also apply. Those without limited or full legal capacity cannot make this application personally.
Another requirement is that the person must have continuously resided in Turkey for five years prior to the application date.
The five-year period must be continuous, but this does not mean that the person must not have left Turkey during this time. According to Article 71 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, a person can stay outside Turkey for a maximum of six months during this five-year period, as long as it does not exceed 6 months.
The person’s place of residence must also be in compliance with Turkish laws. If the person entered Turkey illegally or stayed in Turkey after their visa expired, this time will not be considered as part of the five-year period.
The residence permit must be a type of residence that also shows the person’s intention to settle. In cases where a person comes as a refugee or for treatment, education, or as a companion for a child in education, regardless of how long the person has stayed in Turkey, this 5-year period is not included. According to the Temporary Protection Regulation of 2014, people in Turkey with a temporary protection certificate are not taken into account for this 5-year period, regardless of how long they have been in Turkey. For example, Syrian refugees in Turkey are in Turkey with a temporary protection certificate, but these people cannot obtain Turkish citizenship through ordinary channels according to the regulation.
To confirm with their actions that they have decided to settle in Turkey
The visa issued must show that the person has the intention to settle in Turkey. In addition, the person’s actions, etc. must confirm this intention, this decision. For example, the person may have established a business in Turkey, moved their business from abroad to Turkey, the business center may be in Turkey, may be married to a Turkish citizen, some may have previously obtained Turkish citizenship from their own family, in this regard, it is considered that the person now really has the intention to settle in Turkey. However, these matters have been given as examples and do not constitute conclusive evidence. The Citizenship Application Review Commission examines and decides on this matter.
Not having a disease that poses a danger to general health.
The person making the application should not have any disease that poses a danger from a general health perspective. It is necessary that there is no disease that poses a threat to public health. This situation will be determined by doctor reports issued by health institutions.
Being of good moral character
To be eligible for Turkish citizenship, a person must be of good moral character. According to the Regulations on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, it is necessary to determine that the person is of good moral character by ensuring that they are trustworthy to their surroundings, not having habits such as drug addiction. In addition, if the person has been tried multiple times due to a crime, the application will be rejected. Whether a person is of good moral character is determined based on specific incidents. An investigation is conducted by the Provincial Security Directorates and based on the specific results, a determination is made as to whether the person is of good moral character.
Being able to speak Turkish proficiently
Being able to speak Turkish is another requirement that is sought in an initial investigation. The person must be able to speak Turkish at a level that would allow them to sustain their life in Turkey. While fluency in Turkish is not required during an initial investigation for obtaining Turkish citizenship, the person should be able to speak and express themselves in Turkish at a certain level.
The applicant must have a sufficient income or profession to support themselves and their dependents in Turkey.
This sentence says: It is intended to prevent people without income or profession from becoming a burden on Turkish society with this requirement. It is required that not only the person’s own income or profession is sufficient, but also that of the people for whom he or she is responsible.
This sentence says: It is required that there should not be a state that constitutes an obstacle in terms of national security and public order.
This passage says: It is necessary for the person not to have a state that constitutes an obstacle in terms of national security and public order. The person will be investigated and researched by the province security directorates, and if such an obstacle exists, the application will be rejected. For example, membership in a terrorist organization poses a problem from a national security perspective. If a foreign national wants to acquire Turkish citizenship, they must meet the conditions listed in Article 11 of the Citizenship Law without exception. Otherwise, the application will be rejected. A foreign national who wants to acquire Turkish citizenship can acquire it with a decision of the competent authority if they meet the conditions specified in this Law. However, meeting the required conditions does not necessarily give the person a right to acquire citizenship. Even if the applicant meets the citizenship conditions, the competent authorities have discretion in deciding whether to grant citizenship.
How and where is the application made?
This passage says: If the applicant is within the borders of Turkey, they can apply to the governorate (population and citizenship directorate) where they reside with the necessary documents. If the applicant is abroad, they can apply to the foreign representations with the necessary documents. A citizenship file is prepared on behalf of the applicant and sent to the Ministry of Interior for decision. Based on the results of the examination and research conducted by the Ministry, those whose situations are deemed appropriate can acquire Turkish citizenship by the decision of the Ministry of Interior, and requests of those who are not deemed appropriate are rejected by the Ministry.
What are the necessary documents for application?
To become a Turkish citizen, an application is required and the documents required for this application are in the link below.
Click here for the required documents in the application
For citizenship procedures :
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