Last updated: 2 November 2026 · Legal review: Av. Gökhan Vural, İzmir Bar Association (Reg. No. 15813)
Dual citizenship Turkey rules are simple on the Turkish side: Turkey allows dual and multiple citizenship, and you do not need permission to hold a second nationality. You must, however, report the foreign citizenship to the Turkish civil registry. Whether you can keep both passports also depends on the law of your other country.
Key takeaways
- Turkish law permits multiple citizenship under Article 44 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901.
- A Turkish citizen who acquires another nationality reports it to a Turkish consulate or a civil registry office (nüfus müdürlüğü); no permission is required.
- If your names or dates differ between the two sets of documents, the registry will not record the second nationality until a Turkish court corrects the record.
- If your other country requires you to give up Turkish citizenship, you can renounce with permission and keep most rights through the Blue Card (Mavi Kart).
- Foreigners who become Turkish citizens through investment, marriage or descent are not asked to give up their original passport by Turkey.
Does Turkey Allow Dual Citizenship?
Yes. Turkey allows dual citizenship, and also citizenship of more than two countries. Article 44 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 deals with çok vatandaşlık (multiple citizenship): a person who acquires a foreign nationality submits the supporting documents, and the civil registry adds a note to their family register showing that they hold multiple citizenship.
The process is a notification, not an application for approval. The General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİ) states in its circular on multiple citizenship that the registry examines the documents and, if the identity details match, records the second nationality.
Does Your Other Country Allow Dual Citizenship?
Turkey’s rules are only half of the answer. Some countries require new citizens to give up their previous nationality, and some take away their own citizenship from nationals who acquire another one. Check the nationality law of your other country before you apply.
- United Kingdom and United States: both allow dual nationality, so British or American citizens can also hold Turkish citizenship.
- Germany: since the reform of its nationality law in June 2024, Germany generally allows dual citizenship, which changed the position for many Turkish citizens living there.
- India: Indian law does not allow dual citizenship. An Indian citizen who becomes a Turkish citizen loses Indian citizenship under Indian law, although they may apply for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI).
How to Register Dual Citizenship in Turkey
You register a second nationality by notifying the Turkish authorities and submitting proof of the foreign citizenship. According to the NVİ circular, you can do this in two places:
- At a Turkish embassy or consulate abroad. The consulate receives the notification and forwards it to the relevant civil registry office in Turkey. You submit the form petition, a copy of your Turkish identity card or civil registry record, and a certified Turkish translation of your foreign birth certificate (in countries where it serves as proof of citizenship) or foreign identity document.
- At a civil registry office (nüfus müdürlüğü) in Turkey. No documents are required beyond the birth certificate or identity document you present; the officer compares it with the details on the form.
Once processed, your Turkish civil record shows that you hold multiple citizenship.
When the registry refuses to record your second nationality
The most common problem is a mismatch between the two sets of documents. If your first name, surname, mother’s name, father’s name, place of birth or date of birth differ between your Turkish record and your foreign documents, the NVİ circular says the registry will not process the notification. It can be processed only if you obtain a record correction decision from a competent Turkish court.
Small spelling differences caused by a foreign alphabet, or letter changes that do not alter the name as a whole, are accepted and do not block registration.
No Dual Citizenship Allowed? Renouncing and the Blue Card
If your new country requires you to give up Turkish citizenship, you can apply for permission to renounce it (çıkma izni). Under Article 25 of Law No. 5901, permission may be given to a person who:
- is an adult with the capacity to make decisions,
- has acquired a foreign citizenship, or shows convincing signs that they will acquire one,
- is not wanted for any crime or for military service, and
- has no financial or criminal restriction against them.
People who were Turkish citizens by birth and renounce with permission can apply for the Blue Card (Mavi Kart). It lets them keep most of the rights of a Turkish citizen, including living and working in Turkey and owning and inheriting property. See our guide to the blue card Turkey for the rights you keep and lose, and how to apply.
Becoming a Turkish Citizen Without Giving Up Your Passport
Foreigners who acquire Turkish citizenship are not asked by Turkey to give up their original nationality. The main routes are:
- Investment. Buying qualifying real estate or making another qualifying investment; see Turkish citizenship by investment, or speak to a Turkish citizenship by investment lawyer.
- Marriage. A foreigner married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years, with the marriage continuing, can apply under Article 16 of Law No. 5901; see Turkish citizenship by marriage.
- Descent. A child born to a Turkish mother or father is a Turkish citizen from birth under Article 7, even if born abroad; see Turkish citizenship by descent.
Military Service and Dual Citizens
Holding a second nationality does not by itself exempt a male Turkish citizen from military service in Turkey. Dual citizens are subject to the same military service rules as other Turkish citizens.
Dual citizens who live abroad can use foreign-currency military service (dövizle askerlik) under Article 39 of the Military Service Law No. 7179. According to the Ministry of National Defence, you can use it if:
- you have reached military service age and have not yet started active service, and
- as a dual citizen, you have actually lived abroad for at least three years, not counting time spent in Turkey.
Turkish citizens who are not dual citizens qualify after at least three years of actual work abroad with a residence or work permit, as an employee, employer, self-employed person or seafarer on a foreign-flagged ship. The required training is given remotely through the Ministry’s portal, dovizle.msb.gov.tr.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you have three citizenships in Turkey?
Yes. Turkish law refers to multiple citizenship, not only dual citizenship, so Turkey does not limit the number of nationalities you hold. Each of the other countries must also allow it.
Do I lose Turkish citizenship if I become British?
No. Acquiring British citizenship does not end your Turkish citizenship under Turkish law, and the UK allows dual nationality. You should report your British citizenship to a Turkish consulate or civil registry office.
Do I need permission from Turkey to acquire a second citizenship?
No. Turkish law requires a notification after you acquire the foreign citizenship, not prior permission.
Can I register my dual citizenship from abroad?
Yes. Turkish embassies and consulates accept multiple citizenship notifications and forward them to the civil registry in Turkey.
If your documents do not match, your registration was refused or you need to renounce Turkish citizenship, speak to a Turkish citizenship lawyer. This page gives general information and is not legal advice for your specific case.
Sources
- NVİ circular on multiple citizenship (Çok Vatandaşlık), 21 April 2011
- Ministry of National Defence: foreign-currency military service portal
- Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Articles 7, 16, 25 and 44; Military Service Law No. 7179, Article 39