How to Renounce Turkish Citizenship: Conditions, Procedure and What You Keep

Turkish citizenship cannot be given up by a simple declaration. A citizen who wishes to renounce it must obtain permission from the Ministry of Interior, which may be granted to an adult with capacity who has acquired, or shows convincing signs of acquiring, another citizenship, is not wanted for any crime or for military service, and is not subject to any financial or criminal restriction (Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Art. 25). Citizenship is lost on the day the renunciation certificate is handed over against signature (Art. 27). Those who were citizens by birth and renounce with permission keep most of the rights of a citizen through the Blue Card (Art. 28) and can reacquire citizenship later without a residence requirement (Art. 13). Naturalised citizens have neither of those safety nets.

Turkey (Türkiye) allows dual nationality, so renunciation is rarely necessary for Turkish purposes. It is usually driven by the other country: a state that requires release from the previous nationality as a condition of naturalisation, or a profession or office there that excludes dual nationals. This guide explains the conditions, the two-stage procedure, what is lost and what is kept, the position of children and spouses, and why people who became Turkish by investment or marriage should think carefully before renouncing.

• Permission required: from the Ministry of Interior (Art. 25).
• Conditions: adult with capacity; another citizenship acquired or about to be; not wanted for a crime or military service; no financial or criminal restriction (Art. 25).
• Two documents: a permission certificate valid for two years, for those who have yet to acquire the other citizenship; a renunciation certificate, for those who have (Art. 26).
• Moment of loss: delivery of the renunciation certificate against signature (Art. 27).
• Spouse: unaffected. Children: lose citizenship with the parent only on request and with the other parent's consent, and never if they would become stateless (Art. 27).
• Blue Card: for citizens by birth who renounce with permission, and their descendants to the third degree (Art. 28).
• Reacquisition: without a residence requirement for those who lost citizenship by permission (Art. 13).
• Right to leave on majority: certain dual nationals may leave Turkish citizenship within three years of coming of age (Art. 34).

Legal status of this guide. It reflects the Turkish Citizenship Law (No. 5901) and its implementing regulation as in force. Whether another country requires renunciation, and at what stage, is a matter of that country's law. Last updated: October 2026.

In this guide

• Do you need to renounce at all?
• The four conditions
• The procedure
• Spouse and children
• What you lose
• What you keep: the Blue Card
• Naturalised citizens: a different position
• Leaving on reaching majority
• Getting citizenship back
• Other ways citizenship is lost
• Frequently asked questions

Do you need to renounce at all?

Turkish law does not require a citizen to choose. A person who acquires a foreign citizenship presents the documents, and a note is entered in the family register that he or she holds multiple citizenship (Art. 44). Nothing further follows in Turkey.

The need to renounce comes from elsewhere:

• the country of naturalisation makes the grant conditional on release from the former nationality, or requires proof of release within a period after naturalisation;
• a post in the other country's civil service, armed forces, police or security-cleared sector is closed to dual nationals;
• the person wishes to end obligations tied to Turkish citizenship — above all military service — though, as explained below, an unresolved military obligation itself blocks renunciation.

Before starting, obtain a written statement of what the other country actually requires. Several countries that used to insist on renunciation have changed their law in recent years; others accept an undertaking, or exempt applicants for whom release is unreasonably difficult. Renouncing where it was not necessary is an expensive mistake to correct.

The four conditions

The Ministry may grant a permission or renunciation certificate to persons who request permission to leave Turkish citizenship if they meet the following conditions (Art. 25):

Condition	In practice
Being an adult and having capacity of judgment	Minors cannot apply for themselves; they follow a parent under Article 27.
Having acquired the citizenship of a foreign state, or there being convincing indications that it will be acquired	A foreign passport or naturalisation certificate; or an official assurance of naturalisation from the other state conditional on release. The Law does not permit a citizen to become stateless by renunciation.
Not being a person wanted for any crime or for military service	An outstanding arrest warrant, or the status of draft evader, blocks the application.
Not being subject to any financial or criminal restriction	Unpaid public debts under enforcement, a ban on leaving the country, a pending restriction arising from a criminal case.

The word "may" matters: the decision is discretionary. In ordinary cases where the conditions are met, permission is granted.

Military service

The third condition is the one that most often causes difficulty. A man of military age who has neither served nor regularised his position cannot renounce as a way of escaping the obligation. He must first complete service, obtain a postponement that is in order, or discharge the obligation by one of the routes the Conscription Law provides — for citizens living abroad, typically the foreign-currency option. See our guide to military service for new citizens and dual nationals. Note also that the Conscription Law does not refund a foreign-currency payment to someone who is later permitted to renounce.

Debts and criminal matters

Tax debts, unpaid fines and pending criminal proceedings should be cleared, or shown to be in order, before applying. The underlying rules are described in our guides to debts in Turkey and criminal records.

The procedure

Where to apply

Applications concerning loss of citizenship are made in Turkey to the governorate of the place of residence — in practice the provincial directorate of civil registration and citizenship — and abroad to the Turkish embassy or consulate, in person or through a representative holding a special power of attorney for this purpose (Art. 37).

Two documents, two routes

Article 26 distinguishes two certificates.

1. The permission certificate (çıkma izin belgesi) is given to those who ask for permission to leave Turkish citizenship in order to acquire a foreign citizenship and whose request is approved. It is valid for two years from the date of the decision. Within that time the holder must submit to the governorate or the mission abroad the information and documents showing that the foreign citizenship has been acquired. If the foreign citizenship is not acquired within the period, the permission certificate becomes invalid.
2. The renunciation certificate (çıkma belgesi) is given to those who prove that they have acquired a foreign citizenship — either as a result of the permission, or beforehand.

Which route applies depends on the other country. Where the foreign state naturalises first and asks for release afterwards, the applicant already holds the new citizenship and applies directly for the renunciation certificate. Where the foreign state gives only an assurance and will not naturalise until release is shown, the applicant obtains the permission certificate, presents it to the foreign authority, is naturalised, and then returns with proof to collect the renunciation certificate.

Typical file

• application form signed by the applicant;
• Turkish identity card and passport;
• the foreign naturalisation certificate or passport, or the official assurance of naturalisation, with certified Turkish translation;
• civil status documents; for children to be included, the other parent's notarised consent;
• photographs and the service fee;
• for men of military age, evidence of military status.

The authorities check the registry, the police and judicial systems, the military service office and the tax administration for the matters in Article 25. Processing typically takes several months.

The moment of loss

Turkish citizenship is lost when the renunciation certificate is delivered to the person against signature. The person's entries in the family register are closed, and from the date of loss he or she is treated as a foreigner (Art. 27(1)). Until that signature, the person remains a Turkish citizen in every respect — including, for men, for military purposes.

The Turkish identity card and passport are surrendered. A person present in Turkey at that moment needs a lawful basis to stay as a foreigner; for those entitled to it, the Blue Card is issued at the same time.

Spouse and children

• Spouse. The loss of Turkish citizenship by one spouse through a permission to renounce does not affect the citizenship of the other (Art. 27(2)).
• Children. Children lose Turkish citizenship together with the parent only if the parent who is losing citizenship requests it and the other parent consents. If consent is not given, the matter is decided by a judge (Art. 27(2)).
• No statelessness. These provisions do not apply if the loss would leave the children stateless (Art. 27(3)).

Parents often include children by default. Consider leaving them as Turkish citizens where the other country allows minors to hold two nationalities: it costs nothing, and it preserves their position. If they are included, they have a right to opt back in on reaching majority, described below.

What you lose

From the date of loss the person is a foreigner in Turkey. Without the Blue Card that means:

• Entry and stay subject to visa and residence permit rules;
• Work only with a work permit;
• Property: acquisition of real estate subject to the restrictions on foreigners — reciprocity and nationality-based limits, area and location limits, military zone clearance;
• Political rights: no vote, no candidacy;
• Public office: closed;
• Consular protection by Turkey ends;
• Family and inheritance matters with a Turkish element are henceforth governed by the conflict rules for foreigners — for example, succession to movables by the national law of the deceased.

Property already owned is not lost. A former citizen remains owner of real estate, bank accounts and company shares, and inheritance rights from Turkish relatives continue, though the general restrictions on foreigners may affect what can be registered in certain areas.

What you keep: the Blue Card

Those who were Turkish citizens by birth and lost citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce, and their descendants to the third degree, continue to benefit from the rights granted to Turkish citizens, with the exceptions stated in the Law; provisions on national security and public order are reserved (Art. 28(1)). The President may extend the degree of descendants covered.

Blue Card holders
May live, work, invest, study, own and inherit property in Turkey	As citizens, without residence or work permits
Voting and standing for election	Not available (Art. 28(2))
Importing vehicles or household goods free of duty	Not available
Military service	No obligation (Art. 28(2))
Social security	Acquired rights are preserved, exercised under the relevant laws
Public service	Not in permanent, tenured posts governed by public law; may be employed as workers or as temporary or contract staff in public bodies (Art. 28(3))

For most people who renounce in order to naturalise elsewhere, the Blue Card makes the loss almost invisible in everyday dealings with Turkey. It is issued on application and should be requested at the same time as the renunciation certificate. The status is explained in our guide to the Blue Card.

Naturalised citizens: a different position

Article 28 covers those who were Turkish citizens by birth. A person who acquired Turkish citizenship later — by investment, marriage, residence or exceptional decision — and then renounces it is not entitled to the Blue Card. On renunciation such a person becomes an ordinary foreigner, with the visa, residence, work and property rules that implies.

This has practical consequences that investors in particular overlook:

• The property bought to qualify remains theirs, but any further purchase is as a foreigner.
• Living in Turkey afterwards requires a residence permit on an ordinary ground.
• Family members who acquired citizenship with them are unaffected unless they renounce too; children follow only on request and consent.
• Renunciation does not unwind tax or other obligations that arose while a citizen.
• Reacquisition without a residence requirement under Article 13 is available to those who lost citizenship by permission, whether or not they were citizens by birth — but it remains a discretionary decision subject to a national security assessment.

A naturalised citizen who is being asked by another country to give up Turkish citizenship should verify the requirement carefully and consider the alternatives before applying. See our guides to citizenship by investment and to how citizenship can be cancelled or revoked, which is a different matter from voluntary renunciation.

Being asked to give up Turkish citizenship in order to naturalise elsewhere? Tell us how you became a Turkish citizen, your military and tax position and what the other country requires. Message Yayla Law on WhatsApp or use the contact form. We prepare the file and act before the directorate or the consulate under a special power of attorney.

Leaving on reaching majority

Separately from renunciation by permission, the Law gives certain people a right to leave Turkish citizenship within three years of reaching majority (Art. 34). It applies to those who:

• are Turkish by descent from their mother or father and acquired the citizenship of the foreign parent by birth or later;
• are Turkish by descent and acquired a foreign citizenship on the basis of place of birth;
• acquired Turkish citizenship by adoption;
• are Turkish on the basis of place of birth but later acquired the citizenship of their foreign mother or father;
• acquired Turkish citizenship through a mother or father who acquired it in any manner.

The right cannot be used if it would leave the person stateless. This is a right exercised by declaration within the period, not a discretionary permission — relevant, for example, to children who became Turkish when a parent was naturalised and who, as young adults, decide they do not want the citizenship.

The mirror image also exists: children who lost Turkish citizenship because of a parent's loss may acquire it by option within three years of reaching majority (Art. 21).

Getting citizenship back

Provided there is no obstacle in terms of national security, the following may reacquire Turkish citizenship by decision of the Ministry regardless of the period of residence in Turkey (Art. 13):

• those who lost Turkish citizenship by obtaining permission to renounce;
• those who lost it as children because of a parent and did not exercise the right of option within the period in Article 21.

Reacquisition takes effect from the date of the decision; it does not restore citizenship retroactively. Men who reacquire are dealt with for military purposes by reference to their previous military history. Reacquiring Turkish citizenship may in turn affect the citizenship of the other country, if that country does not tolerate the voluntary acquisition of another nationality — check before applying.

Those who lost citizenship by a decision of the authorities, as opposed to permission, face stricter conditions, including three years' residence in Turkey, and some are excluded (Art. 14).

Other ways citizenship is lost

Renunciation by permission is the only voluntary route. The Law also provides for loss by decision of the authorities in defined cases — service to a foreign state incompatible with Turkey's interests, certain serious offences where the person is abroad and does not return when called — and for cancellation of a naturalisation obtained by false statements or concealment of material facts. Acquiring another nationality without permission is not, under the current Law, a ground for losing Turkish citizenship. These involuntary routes are covered in our guide to revocation and cancellation of Turkish citizenship.

The children and grandchildren of someone who renounced may themselves have claims; see our guide to Turkish citizenship by descent.

Frequently asked questions

Can I give up Turkish citizenship?

Yes, with the Ministry of Interior's permission, if you are an adult, have or are about to have another citizenship, are not wanted for a crime or military service, and have no financial or criminal restriction.

Do I have to renounce Turkish citizenship to take another nationality?

Not under Turkish law, which allows dual citizenship. Only if the other country requires it.

How long does it take?

Usually several months. A permission certificate, where used, is valid for two years, within which the foreign citizenship must be acquired.

When exactly do I stop being a Turkish citizen?

On the day the renunciation certificate is handed to you against your signature.

Can I renounce if I have not done military service?

Not if you are wanted for military service. You must first serve, obtain a valid postponement or discharge the obligation, for example through the foreign-currency option for citizens abroad.

Will my children lose citizenship too?

Only if you request it and the other parent consents, or a judge so decides, and never if they would become stateless. Your spouse is unaffected.

What is the Blue Card and will I get one?

A document giving former citizens most of a citizen's rights in Turkey except political rights. It is available to those who were citizens by birth and renounced with permission, and to their descendants to the third degree — not to naturalised citizens.

Can I keep my property in Turkey?

Yes. Existing property remains yours. With a Blue Card you can also buy and inherit as a citizen would; without it, the rules for foreigners apply to new acquisitions.

Can I get Turkish citizenship back later?

Yes. Those who lost it by permission can reacquire it by Ministry decision without a residence requirement, subject to a national security assessment.

Legal basis and sources

• Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Articles 13, 14, 21, 25–28, 34, 37 and 44 — official consolidated text at mevzuat.gov.tr.
• Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law.
• Conscription Law No. 7179, Article 39 — mevzuat.gov.tr.
• General Directorate of Civil Registration 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 requirements of the other country must be confirmed under that country's law.