Republic of Turkey — a popular resort country among foreign citizens who want to purchase liquid property by the sea. When deciding to move to Turkey, many foreigners wonder how to obtain documents for all family members and, in particular, for their minor children? Are social rights guaranteed to children of citizens from abroad in an eastern state?
In our article we will tell you what are the conditions for obtaining citizenship and residence permits for children in Turkey.
Citizenship and residence permit in Turkey for a child
The issuance of Turkish citizenship to a foreign child is regulated by Article 5 of Law No. 5901. Turkish citizenship is issued to children in the following cases:
- If one of the parents has a Turkish passport, their child automatically becomes a Turkish citizen, regardless of place of birth.
- If a Turk lives in a civil marriage with a foreigner and they have a child together, he also has the right to apply for Turkish citizenship. Important condition — official recognition of paternity
- If a child has foreign parents, but he was born on the territory of the Republic of Turkey and for some reason cannot obtain citizenship of his country, he has the right to become a Turkish citizen.
- Officially registered adoption of a minor child by Turkish nationals is a valid basis for applying for Turkish citizenship.
- Participation in the state program of citizenship by investment. For example, in the case of acquiring real estate in the amount of $400,000 or more, in addition to the investor, his immediate relatives can apply for a second passport — spouse and minor children.
After purchasing an apartment in Turkey, the foreign owner can also attach documents of his minor children when applying for a residence permit. Close family members, according to Turkish law, also receive a residence permit. Which type of ikamet will be available for registration depends on the value of the property. If the cadastral value of the property is at least $200,000 in lire equivalent at the time of its registration, the owner and his family are issued a residence permit on the basis of TAPU (these changes came into force on October 16, 2023). If the price of the apartment is lower, a tourist residence permit is issued.
The validity period of a child’s residence permit corresponds to the period of validity of the father’s or mother’s ikamet.
To obtain Turkish citizenship for a child, you will need the following documents:
- application;
- photos of the biometric sample (4 pcs.);
- original passport;
- copy of the residence permit of the father and/or mother;
- copies of parents’ passports;
- certificate of registration of parents’ marriage;
- child's birth certificate;
- certificate confirming the financial solvency of one of the parents;
- health insurance;
- health certificate;
- a document received from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which confirms the absence of a criminal record.
Apostille on a child’s birth certificate is mandatory for Turkey. Other documents received outside the eastern republic are also legalized and translated into Turkish. In addition, if a child leaves for permanent residence abroad with one of the parents, the second must obtain a notarized exit permit or he must have apostilled document confirming sole guardianship.
As a rule, a package of documents is submitted to the Migration Department for all family members applying for citizenship. The period for consideration of the application — about 18 months.
The basic documents for obtaining a residence permit for a child in Turkey are fundamentally no different from the package of papers required to apply for Turkish citizenship.
If the child was born in Turkey
Some foreigners wonder if a child was born in Turkey, what citizenship will he receive?
Let's start with the main thing: the birth of a child in Turkey whose parents are foreigners does not give him the right to citizenship.
However, parents will need to register the fact of the birth of the baby. The procedure is as follows:
1. Obtaining a birth certificate (doğum raporu) from the hospital where the birth took place.
2. Registration of a certificate Förmül A. Paper is issued in Nüfus Müdürlüğü (Ministry of Population Registration of the Republic of Turkey).
Important! Both certificates must be received within 30 days of the birth of your child.
3. The final stage — contacting the embassy of your state in Turkey to obtain a birth certificate and a child’s passport.
If both or one parent has a valid residence permit, the newborn also receives the right to obtain one. An application for ikamet is submitted after the issuance of a foreign passport and no later than 6 months after birth.
Consulates of individual countries issue a children's travel document, not a passport. You can use it to leave Turkey, but it is impossible to obtain a residence permit for a child. Therefore, if you intend to live on the territory of the resort republic, you will need to go to your homeland, get a passport for your child and upon return apply for a residence permit.
Children's rights in Turkey
One of the reasons why Russian-speaking foreigners choose Turkey as a place for permanent residence — cordiality and hospitality of Turkish citizens. Respect for elders and boundless love for children are instilled in Turks from an early age. At first, many foreigners are even surprised by how attentively they treat old people and children here. Regardless of nationality, they support and protect them in every possible way.
The legislation of the Republic of Turkey comprehensively protects the rights of foreign children, which is strictly controlled by the authorized authorities.
Basic rights of the child in Turkey — this is:
- obtaining citizenship;
- education in free public kindergartens and schools;
- receiving free medical care in public clinics of the Republic of Turkey.
Are you planning to buy an apartment and move your whole family to Turkey for permanent residence? Point Property specialists will select a suitable property for you on the Mediterranean coast, help you prepare any documents for legal residence and adapt to a new country.
These materials have been prepared for informational purposes; they are not of a commercial nature.
Point Property — is a certified real estate agency that specializes in providing a full range of real estate services for residential and commercial real estate transactions in Turkey. Our company takes care of all the organizational aspects of a real estate transaction: searching for an object, organizing a sightseeing tour, assistance in collecting documents and checking the legal purity of documentation, support in re-registration of ownership. In addition, we provide our customers with a wide range of after-sales services.
