Marriage in Turkey for Americans

The best source of information for Americans wanting to be married in Turkey is the US Consulate-General in Istanbul's website Getting Married page.

Here are some tips on getting married in Turkey if you are a citizen of the USA.

— An American and an Iranian planning to marry should allow several days to obtain a "Certificate of Eligibility to Marry" from the Iranian Consulate, which will request extensive documentation about the American fiancé(e).

— An American and a Russian should allow several days for the Russian Consulate to process a request for marriage.

— Once you have your "Certificate of Eligibility to Marry" issued by the US Consulate or Embassy, you must take it to be stamped by the Istanbul Governor's office.

— If you plan to marry outside of Istanbul—in İzmir, Kuşadası, Bodrum, Antalya, etc.—, you must also have it stamped by the governor of the province in which you will marry (İzmir for İzmir, Muğla for Bodrum, Aydın for Kuşadası, Antalya for Antalya, etc.)

— A luxury hotel may help you with the paperwork if you plan to use the hotel as your wedding venue.

—Travel Atelier, a recommended travel agency, can help with all the paperwork as part of a wedding plan using their travel services.

You should always confirm any details with the proper consular authorities or Turkish officials, as regulations may change at any time.

—by Tom Brosnahan