New regulation from the Ministry of Interior: "Residence permit" requirement for the marriage of foreign nationals.

The General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs of the Ministry of Interior stated that in order to prevent obtaining Turkish citizenship through official marriage, foreigners who want to marry Turks should have the right to legal residence in the country. Accordingly, individuals who enter Turkey illegally and do not have a document that replaces a passport, cannot marry either Turks or themselves.

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FOREIGNERS WHO WANT TO SETTLE IN TURKEY

The General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs of the Ministry of Interior sent a written decision to the marriage offices regarding irregular migration and ensuring public order. The letter stated that there has been a significant increase in the number of foreigners who have come to Turkey and want to settle since the early 2000s, and that marrying Turkish citizens to obtain a residence permit is also a subject open to abuse and opens the doors to becoming a Turkish citizen. Therefore, it was stated that marriage applications of foreign nationals who want to marry should not be accepted if they do not have the right to legal residence.

"OBTAINING TURKISH CITIZENSHIP IS CONSIDERED EASY"

The letter stated, "In the letters received by our Ministry, it is stated that there has been a significant increase in the number of foreigners who have come to our country legally or illegally since the early 2000s due to the conflicts in the countries bordering our borders and the geographical location of our country. It is also stated that marrying a Turkish citizen is one of the most preferred methods as it seems easy to apply for residence permits and obtain Turkish citizenship, but it is a subject open to abuse. It is also stated that the marriage procedures of foreigners who have not entered our country legally can easily provide an opportunity for malicious individuals that may threaten our national security and sovereignty, and also open the doors to becoming a Turkish citizen."

MARRIAGE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO LEGAL RESIDENCE

In the continuation of the letter, it is stated that "In order to ensure public order and effectively combat irregular migration, in the marriage procedures of a Turkish citizen and a foreigner or two foreigners, the marriage application will be accepted if the foreign national has a valid passport or a document that replaces a passport and has the right to legal residence in our country, and this situation will be announced to all marriage offices in your province."