14 March 2024

Turkish wedding services guide

Looking to get married in Turkey? Learn what you will need to do to get all of your documents prepared for your special day, and how we can help you.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

A Turkish wedding is perfect for those who want to get married in the sunny, warm climate of the Mediterranean. You can experience one of the happiest days of your life, whilst also feeling like you are on holiday.

However, before you get married in Turkey, there are several things you will have to prepare aside from planning the event itself, such as getting your documents in order.

Whilst we cannot help you with planning the catering for your Turkish wedding, we can help you with document preparation.

Read on to out of what you will need to do, and how we can help you with our notary services.

Do I need a Certificate of Impediment?

Usually, you will be asked to provide evidence that you can get married to the authorities of the country you want to get married in. For many countries, the evidence is in the form of a Certificate of Impediment.

However, for a Turkish wedding, you will need to swear an affirmation instead; Turkey will not accept a Certificate of Impediment.

Alternatively, there is also an affidavit, which is the religious version of an affirmation for use in Turkey.

Your affirmation or affidavit will be valid for six months, so make sure you prepare it to line-up with your wedding.

An affirmation or affidavit will need to be witnessed by a commissioner of oaths, or a notary. This is something we can help you with.

People already in Turkey

If you are already in Turkey and make your affirmation or affidavit there, then you will instead have to swear your affirmation at an embassy or consulate in Turkey. For example, the British Consulate General in Istanbul. We cannot help you if you are already in Turkey.

Documents required for a Turkish wedding

There are several documents that you will need to provide to the local authorities in the place you plan on getting married in Turkey.

First, there are some general personal documents that you will need to provide:

Valid passport
Proof of your address; for example, a utility bill
Full birth certificate with parents’ names on
Original Adoption Certificate (if applicable)
Proof of name change by deed poll (if applicable)
Witnesses may also need to provide their passports (you will need least least two who are not immediate family members)

Then, you will need to bring some very important documents that are directly related to getting married:

An affirmation or affidavit (as previously mentioned)
Annulment Certificate (if applicable)
If divorced, your original or certified copy of your Decree Absolute or Final Order
A civil partnership dissolution if you were in a civil partnership that has ended
If widowed, your late spouse’s Marriage and Death Certificate

Both people getting married must provide the above documents, not just one of them. Only original or certified will be accepted.

Additionally, all of the documents you plan on using in Turkey will also need to be attached with an apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Finally, please note that no documents from the General Registry Office can be notarised or certified. For example, Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, and Death Certificates. This is because they are issued by the Government, so they are automatically considered to be certified.

Turkish wedding FAQ

Will my documents need to be translated into Turkish?

Yes, you will need to arrange for your documents to be translated. We may be able to help you with this.

How long before my wedding should I go to Turkey?

Ensure that you are in Turkey around two days before your wedding day, so that you have time to give notice of the wedding to the local Turkish authorities of your intentions to get married, and provide all of your documents to them.

Then, they can give you permission to get married. Permission lasts for two days.

Who should I contact if I want to know more about local marriage laws?

You should get in touch with the local authority of where you plan on getting married in Turkey if you would like to learn more.

Can I have a same-sex wedding in Turkey?

Turkey does allow same-sex weddings, but they can only be between two British citizens and the wedding must take place at the British Consulate General in Istanbul. You can learn more about same-sex marriage in Turkey on the British Government website.

Information about weddings in other countries

To learn more information on the documents required to get married in other locations, keep an eye on our website. We already have another post about our Cyprus weddings services, and more may come for other countries.

In the meantime, you can use the Government’s tool for checking the requirements to get married in different countries around the world. However, you should be aware that the the information they provide is not always exhaustive.

How we can help

Over the years, our Notary Public of England and Wales, Nathan Woodcock, has helped thousands of clients with their notarial needs. This includes many people who have wanted to get married abroad. If you want a Turkish wedding, then he can help you.

You can arrange a notary appointment to take place at one of our offices in either London, Manchester, or Sheffield.

Alternatively, you can use our mobile notary service, which is convenient for those who cannot make it to one of our offices. Nathan can meet you at a reasonable time and place, whether that be your home, office, or somewhere else suitable.

Also, we can help you with legalising your documents for Turkey, then we can help you with getting an apostille from the FCDO. We offer a standard service and a fast-track service to get you an apostille in a time period that suits you. Please note that the length each service takes can vary over time.

Get in touch with us today to get our help with your Turkish wedding.