Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship in General for Bulgarian Citizens

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship in General for Bulgarian Citizens

Dear visitor, welcome to our General Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship page. Article 9 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 mentions acquired citizenship. This later acquisition is made possible by the decision of the competent authority, the status of adoption or the exercise of the right to choose. The state of acquiring citizenship by the decision of the competent authority is also divided into 4 in general, exceptionally, through marriage and re-acquisition. Pursuant to Article 15 of the relevant Citizenship Law, Bulgarian nationals residing in the Republic of Turkey for 5 (five) years uninterruptedly may be entitled to apply for Turkish citizenship and acquire Turkish citizenship by the general method, provided that the following conditions are met. Bulgarian nationals who want to acquire Turkish citizenship later, according to general provisions, must meet the following conditions:

• The Bulgarian national must be of legal age in accordance with his/her national law and must be of legal age and have the power of discretion.
• Must have resided in Turkey uninterruptedly for at least 5 years retrospectively from the date of application for citizenship.
• The Bulgarian citizen must clearly demonstrate his/her wish to settle in Turkey. For example, acquiring a real estate in Turkey, marrying a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, starting a business or investing. Working in our country with a work permit, having completed your education in Turkey. Situations such as having a mother, father or child who have previously acquired Turkish citizenship are among the valid reasons for making this application.
• Must not have any disease that poses a threat to public health.

Other conditions…

• Must behave in accordance with public morals. They should behave with the sense of responsibility required by social life, give confidence to the community, and not act contrary to them.
• They should be able to speak Turkish at a level that can take place in Turkish society.
• He must have a profession and a regular income that can provide for himself and his dependents, if any, in Turkey.
• It should not be in a situation that would pose a threat to national security and public order.
• Bulgarian nationals who want to acquire Turkish citizenship may also be required to renounce the citizenship of the state they currently hold, or, if there is more than one, to renounce their citizenship, along with the above-mentioned conditions. The determination of the principles regarding the use of this discretion is under the authority of the Council of Ministers.

Turkish Citizenship Application Process

The application for Turkish citizenship is made by the applicant to the governor’s office where the Bulgarian national is domiciled, or by his/her representative with a special power of attorney given in this regard. In cases where the Bulgarian national is under the age of 18 (underage) and/or lacks the power of discretion, the relevant application can be made by the person’s parent or guardian.

The Republic of Turkey Identity Number of the Bulgarian national is taken as a basis in the citizenship application and the transaction is made with it. Therefore, people who do not have a residence permit and have not obtained a foreign identity number cannot directly apply for Turkish citizenship.

Applications of persons who are not found to have not resided in Turkey for 5 (five) years without interruption, who do not have a legal residence permit, who do not show an intention to settle in Turkey despite having a legal residence permit, are not accepted. In addition, the applications of asylum seekers, people who are in Turkey for treatment, accompanying the person being treated, or who are in Turkey as a tourist or as a student also are not accepted. Persons who are still on trial, convicted or detained for any crime are also included in the group of persons whose applications will not be accepted.

A Bulgarian national who wishes to acquire Turkish citizenship can be abroad, provided that it does not exceed a total of 12 months during the residence period (5 years) sought pursuant to the new legal regulations. If the sum of the periods spent abroad does not exceed 12 months, these periods are considered within the stipulated residence period. Otherwise, the application will result in a negative result, as sufficient days cannot be reached.

In the application for general acquisition of Turkish citizenship, a file is created by filling out the application form petition and preparing the documents listed below, and the necessary application is made in this way. As the application date, the date of receipt of the person’s form and petition as a document record is taken as basis.

Documents Required for Turkish Citizenship 2021

• Turkish Citizenship Application Form
• Petition explaining the request to apply for Turkish citizenship and details on the subject
• 2 biometric photographs in 50×60 mm format with a white background, conforming to standards
• Passport or similar document valid in place of a passport. If the person is stateless, a proof of this must be submitted
• A birth certificate containing the identity information of the Bulgarian national or a similar document containing the necessary information such as birth registration. If the applicant is married, a copy of the birth certificate or similar document proving the family ties of his spouse and children must also be submitted
• Marital status document showing the person’s marital status. In addition, depending on the person’s personal situation, documents such as marriage certificate, divorce decree, death certificate should also be submitted
• Regarding that the person does not have a disease that is contagious or may pose a danger to public health, T.C. A health report with the qualifications determined by the Ministry of Health

Citizenship with Work Permit…

• A document showing that he/she has a profession and regular income that can provide for himself/herself and his/her dependents in Turkey (for example, work permit, payrolls, undertaking, tax plate, etc.)
• A document showing the dates of entry and exit of the Bulgarian national, stating that he/she has resided in Turkey for at least 5 (five) years, counted retrospectively from the date of citizenship application. This document is obtained from the Provincial Police Department.
• Residence permit document valid for a sufficient period of time for the future until the citizenship application of the foreign national is finalized. Important note: Since the deadline for the Turkish citizenship application is uncertain, of course, it is not expected to be presented with a valid residence for years. It is sufficient that your valid residence is at least 6 months old at the time of application. Of course, while the citizenship application continues, the residence has to continue to be renewed.
• If the Bulgarian applicant has a finalized court decision for any crime, a certified copy of this decision.
• A receipt showing that the required service fee has been paid to the finance cashier must also be attached to the file.
• In addition: If the applicant’s date of birth does not include a month and a day, a document from the competent authorities of his home country must be submitted in order to complete this date of birth. In the event that this document cannot be obtained, a signed statement is required stating that he/she accepts the action to be taken in accordance with Article 39 of the Population Services Law No. 5490.