Blue Card (Mavi Kart) in Turkey: Rights of Former Turkish Citizens and Their Descendants

The Blue Card (Mavi Kart) is the document issued to people who were Turkish citizens by birth and gave up their citizenship with official permission — and to their descendants up to the third degree — showing that they continue to enjoy the rights of Turkish citizens, with a short list of exceptions. Holders can live, work, own property, inherit and do business in Turkey without a visa, residence permit or work permit. They cannot vote or stand for election, hold permanent civil-servant posts, or import a vehicle or household goods duty-free, and they have no military service obligation. The rules are in Article 28 of the Turkish Citizenship Law (No. 5901).

The card exists mainly for Turks who became citizens of countries that restrict dual nationality. This guide explains who is entitled, what the card allows and excludes, how to obtain it, and how a Blue Card holder can become a Turkish citizen again.

• Who: persons who were Turkish citizens by birth and lost citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce, and their descendants to the third degree (Art. 28(1)).
• Rights: the same as Turkish citizens, apart from the exceptions in Article 28; national security and public order provisions are reserved.
• Excluded: voting and standing for election; duty-free import of vehicles and household goods; military service obligation (Art. 28(2)); permanent public-law civil service posts (Art. 28(3)).
• No visa, residence permit or work permit needed (Law No. 6458, Art. 12(1)(ç) and 20(1)(f); Law No. 6735, Art. 6(4)).
• Identity number: holders receive a number usable wherever a Turkish ID number is required (Art. 28(8)).
• Descendants must document the line of descent (Art. 28(5)).
• Return to citizenship: possible without any residence requirement (Art. 13).

Legal status of this guide. It reflects Law No. 5901 as currently in force. Procedures for issuing the card and for the Blue Card Holders Register are set by the Ministry of Interior. Last updated: October 2026.

In this guide

• What the Blue Card is — and is not
• Who is entitled
• How citizenship is given up with permission
• Rights of Blue Card holders
• What holders cannot do
• Using the card in practice
• Children and grandchildren
• How to obtain the card
• Becoming a Turkish citizen again
• Blue Card or dual citizenship?
• Frequently asked questions

What the Blue Card is — and is not

Article 28 provides that persons who were Turkish citizens by birth and lost citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce, and their descendants up to the third degree, continue to benefit, in the same way, from the rights granted to Turkish citizens, apart from the exceptions stated in the article. On request they are issued a Blue Card showing that they may benefit from those rights (Art. 28(6)).

Three clarifications prevent the most common confusions:

• It is not citizenship. A Blue Card holder is a foreigner in the eyes of Turkish nationality law, holds no Turkish passport and travels on the passport of their other country.
• It is not a residence permit for foreigners generally. It cannot be obtained by investment, marriage or long residence. It is available only to former citizens by birth and their descendants.
• It is not the EU Blue Card for skilled workers, nor Turkey's Turquoise Card. The names are similar; the schemes are unrelated.

The card was formerly known as the Pink Card; the rules now in force were rewritten in 2012.

Who is entitled

Two groups:

1. Former citizens. A person who (a) was a Turkish citizen by birth and (b) lost citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce.
2. Their descendants up to the third degree — children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The President may determine up to which further degree descendants may benefit (Art. 28(4)).

Both conditions for the former citizen matter:

• "By birth". A person who acquired Turkish citizenship later — by naturalisation, marriage or investment — and then renounced it is not covered.
• "By obtaining permission to renounce". The entitlement follows the orderly route of renunciation with the state's consent. A person whose citizenship was withdrawn by the state under Article 29, or cancelled under Article 31 because it was obtained by false statements, is not within Article 28.

How citizenship is given up with permission

Renunciation requires permission from the Ministry of Interior. Under Article 25, permission or a renunciation document may be given to persons who:

• are adults with capacity;
• have acquired the citizenship of a foreign state, or show convincing signs that they will acquire it;
• are not wanted for any offence or for military service;
• are not subject to any financial or criminal restriction.

Applicants who intend to acquire a foreign citizenship receive a permission document; those who prove that they have acquired it receive the renunciation document (Art. 26). Citizenship is lost when the renunciation document is delivered against signature; the person's entries in the family register are closed and they are treated as a foreigner from that date (Art. 27(1)).

The effect on the family is limited. Loss of citizenship by one spouse does not affect the other. Children lose citizenship together with the renouncing parent only if that parent requests it and the other parent consents; without consent, the matter follows a court decision (Art. 27(2)). These provisions do not apply if the loss would leave the children stateless (Art. 27(3)).

Rights of Blue Card holders

The starting point is equality with citizens. Specific confirmations appear across the legislation:

Area	Position	Basis
Entry	No visa required	Law No. 6458, Art. 12(1)(ç)
Residence	Exempt from the residence permit requirement; may live in Turkey without time limit	Law No. 6458, Art. 20(1)(f)
Work	Right to work reserved; no work permit required	Law No. 6735, Art. 6(4)
Public employment	May be employed in public bodies as workers, temporary staff or contracted staff	Law No. 5901, Art. 28(3)
Property	Acquire and dispose of real estate as citizens do; the restrictions on foreign-controlled companies do not treat them as foreigners	Art. 28(1); Land Registry Law, Art. 36
Inheritance	Inherit as citizens	Art. 28(1)
Social security	Acquired rights preserved; exercised under the relevant laws	Art. 28(2)
Family	May sponsor a foreign spouse and children for family residence permits; those family members remain ordinary foreigners unless they qualify for the card themselves	Law No. 6458, Art. 34(1)
Identity number	A number issued under the Ministry's rules, used wherever a Turkish ID number is required	Art. 28(8)

Public bodies are instructed to take every measure and make the arrangements necessary to apply these provisions (Art. 28(10)).

What holders cannot do

• Vote or stand for election (Art. 28(2)).
• Import a vehicle or household goods free of duty (Art. 28(2)).
• Perform military service. There is no obligation — and for former citizens this is one of the practical effects of renunciation (Art. 28(2)).
• Hold principal and permanent public service posts that are based on a cadre and subject to public-law status — in other words, become civil servants (Art. 28(3)).
• Rely on rights against national security and public order rules, which are expressly reserved (Art. 28(1)).

Beyond the statute, some professions are reserved by their own laws to "Turkish citizens". Whether a Blue Card holder may practise such a profession depends on how the particular law is worded and applied; Article 28's general rule points towards equality, but the question should be checked for the specific profession.

Using the card in practice

Presentation of the Blue Card is sufficient for exercising the rights under Article 28. If the card cannot be presented, the transaction is carried out on the basis of an extract from the Blue Card Holders Register obtained through the identity-sharing system, together with a document showing the person's identity issued by the authorities of the state whose nationality they hold (Art. 28(7)).

Practical points:

• Carry your foreign passport as well. The Blue Card is not a travel document; you enter Turkey with your foreign passport and show the card.
• Use the identity number. Banks, the land registry, tax offices, utilities and e-government services work on identity numbers. The number given to Blue Card holders is used wherever a Turkish Republic identity number is requested (Art. 28(8)).
• Name changes. If your identity details change — commonly through marriage or naturalisation abroad — you must present a document from your state's authorities showing the old and new details, with a duly certified Turkish translation (Art. 28(7)). Mismatched names between the foreign passport and the Turkish register are the most frequent source of practical difficulty.
• Old records. Property, bank accounts and pension records created while you were a citizen remain linked to your former identity number; have them matched to the Blue Card record.

Children and grandchildren

Descendants up to the third degree benefit from the same rights, on one condition: the descendant must document the line of descent to the former citizen (Art. 28(5)). In practice this means civil status documents — birth and marriage certificates from the country of residence, with apostille and Turkish translation — linking each generation.

A child born before the parent renounced was, in most cases, a Turkish citizen by descent and may still be one if they were not included in the renunciation. A child born after the renunciation, to a parent who was no longer Turkish, is not a citizen by descent and is the typical Blue Card descendant. Which of these applies should be established from the family register before choosing between a Blue Card application and a citizenship registration.

How to obtain the card

1. At the time of renunciation. Most former citizens request the card when they complete the renunciation procedure at the Turkish consulate or the provincial population directorate.
2. Later, or for descendants. Applications concerning the acquisition and loss of citizenship, and related documents, are made to the governorate of the place of residence in Turkey or to Turkish missions abroad, in person or by a special power of attorney (Art. 37).
3. Documents. The renunciation document or the register entry showing loss by permission; foreign identity document or passport; photographs; for descendants, civil status documents proving descent with apostille and translation; documents evidencing any name change.
4. Register. Holders are entered in the Blue Card Holders Register, kept electronically (Art. 28(9)).

The card is a security document within the scope of the Valuable Papers Law (Art. 28(6)); replacement after loss follows the procedure for such documents.

Becoming a Turkish citizen again

Renunciation with permission is reversible. Persons who lost Turkish citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce may reacquire it by decision of the Ministry of Interior regardless of the period of residence in Turkey, provided there is no obstacle in terms of national security (Art. 13(1)(a)). No five-year residence, language test or income condition applies.

The same no-residence route is available to those who lost citizenship as children through a parent and did not use their right of choice within the period allowed (Art. 13(1)(b)); such persons may alternatively exercise a right of choice within three years of reaching majority (Art. 21).

Before reapplying, check the law of your other country: for the countries whose nationality rules led people to renounce in the first place, voluntary reacquisition of Turkish citizenship may again cause loss of that country's nationality unless prior permission is obtained.

Blue Card or dual citizenship?

	Turkish citizen (dual national)	Blue Card holder
Turkish passport	Yes	No
Live and work in Turkey	Yes	Yes
Own and inherit property	Yes	Yes
Vote and stand for election	Yes	No
Civil servant posts	Yes	No; may work as worker or contracted staff
Military service	Obligation applies to male citizens, subject to the rules for those living abroad	No obligation
Consular protection by Turkey	Yes	No
Compatible with countries restricting dual nationality	May not be	Yes — the reason the card exists
Passing status to children	Citizenship by descent	Blue Card rights to the third degree, on proof of descent

Turkish law itself accepts multiple citizenship (Art. 44). Where your other country now also permits it, the Blue Card is usually the second-best option, and reacquiring citizenship under Article 13 is straightforward.

Renounced Turkish citizenship, or descended from someone who did? Tell us when and how citizenship was lost and which country's nationality you hold. Message Yayla Law on WhatsApp or use the contact form. Register mismatches and proof of descent are best resolved before a property or inheritance transaction, not during one.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Blue Card (Mavi Kart) in Turkey?

It is a document issued under Article 28 of the Turkish Citizenship Law to persons who were Turkish citizens by birth and gave up citizenship with official permission, and to their descendants up to the third degree. It shows that they continue to enjoy the rights of Turkish citizens, with listed exceptions.

Who can get a Blue Card?

Former Turkish citizens by birth who lost citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who document their descent. It is not available to other foreigners.

Can Blue Card holders live and work in Turkey?

Yes. They are exempt from visas and residence permits, and their right to work is reserved without a work permit. They may also be employed by public bodies as workers or contracted staff.

What can Blue Card holders not do?

They cannot vote or stand for election, cannot import a vehicle or household goods duty-free, cannot hold permanent civil-servant posts, and have no military service obligation. National security and public order provisions are reserved.

Can Blue Card holders buy property in Turkey?

Yes, in the same way as Turkish citizens. The restrictions that apply to foreign nationals' acquisition of real estate do not apply to them as foreigners.

Is a Blue Card the same as Turkish citizenship?

No. The holder is not a citizen, has no Turkish passport and cannot vote. The card gives most of the rights of citizens while allowing the holder to keep a nationality that does not permit dual citizenship.

Do Blue Card holders have to do military service?

No. Article 28(2) states that persons within its scope have no obligation to perform military service.

Can a Blue Card holder become a Turkish citizen again?

Yes. A person who lost citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce may reacquire it by decision of the Ministry of Interior without any residence requirement, provided there is no national security obstacle.

Can my children get a Blue Card?

Descendants up to the third degree of a qualifying former citizen benefit from the same rights, provided they document the line of descent. A child who was already a Turkish citizen and was not included in the parent's renunciation remains a citizen.

Legal basis and sources

• Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Articles 13, 21, 25–28, 37 and 44 — official consolidated text at mevzuat.gov.tr.
• Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, Articles 12, 20 and 34; International Labour Force Law No. 6735, Article 6.
• Land Registry Law No. 2644, Articles 35–36.
• Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs — nvi.gov.tr.

This article provides general legal information on Turkish law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. The consequences of renouncing or reacquiring Turkish citizenship under the law of your other country must be checked separately.