Here at Oceanwide Properties we realise it’s possible that as a UK citizen you may have a romantic reason for moving to Turkey – and we don’t just mean getting together again with that good-looking waiter you met last summer. No, some couples, when they move to their own Turkish property, are keen to tie the knot there too.
So, if that’s you and your partner, what do you need to bring with you to please the Turkish beaurocrats with all their statutory red tape? Well, read on and find out:
Documents Necessary for Brits to Marry in Turkey
The first thing you’ll need to include in your hand luggage is, of course, your birth certificate. Naturally your passport will prove to be a crucial document too, as will your tourist visa. In fact, you couldn’t enter the country if you didn’t have the latter two anyhow.
You’ll also need to contact your local registry office here in the UK to obtain what is known as a Certificate of No Impediment. Expect to have to wait 21 days for this to come through while the banns are posted up and made public. Once you have the certificate the next step is to send it to one of the three British Consulate General offices in Turkey where it will be translated into the Turkish language. It’s obviously best to send it to the office which is the nearest location to your property in Turkey.
During the actual wedding ceremony it is customary for UK citizens to publicly declare that they are free to marry. Because the actual ceremony is in Turkey, this declaration will also have to be in Turkish therefore it’s necessary (unless you have impeccable Turkish) to bring along an interpreter with you on the day.
It may not be the first time you’re getting married. If so, you’ll certainly need your divorce papers and, if you’ve been widowed in the past, then a death certificate is also important, as is your previous marriage certificate.
Other Things to Consider When Marrying in Turkey
In the weeks leading up to your wedding ceremony you will have to undergo a pretty thorough medical examination which could, depending on where in Turkey you plan to get hitched, consist of a blood test. This medical examination will have to paid for by yourself. The reason for it isn’t just to prove to your partner that you’re in fine health and won’t succumb to serious illness the day after the wedding. No, unlike in Britain the health test is in fact a statutory requirement under Turkey’s Civil Law.
Just like back home, you’ll need two witnesses in order for your ceremony to be declared legal and neither should be closely related to you.
Cost of Getting Married in Turkey
A wedding application in Turkey will cost you and your partner around £115 each. The rest is up to you – whether you’re planning a romantic candlelit dinner together or a huge party the costs will vary, of course. But it’ll certainly prove to be a lot less expensive than back in the UK since the cost of living in Turkey is far lower. Enjoy!
For more information on marrying in Turkey, buying a property in Turkey or anything related to moving there, please feel free to contact us here at Oceanwide Properties where we’ll be glad to help all we can.
image via TodaysZaman.com
