I got married in Germany. How do I report my marriage to the Turkish civil registry?

If you married at a Standesamt (registry office) in Germany and are a Turkish citizen, you need to register your marriage with the Turkish civil registry. You do this through the Turkish consulate.

Deadline: By law, the marriage must be reported within one month.

Required documents: international marriage certificate (Formula B, issued by the Standesamt) and both partners' ID cards. If your partner is a foreign national, you also need their ID card or passport and their international birth certificate (Formula A).

It's enough for one partner to go. But if a new ID card is to be applied for, the partner with Turkish citizenship must come in person.

Surname: Under Turkish law, a woman takes her husband's surname when she marries. With a written application she can also keep her previous surname in front of her husband's. If you want this, submit a petition with your application.

This information comes from the Turkish Consulate General in Cologne. If you live in Berlin, check appointments and details with the Consulate General in Berlin (konsolosluk.gov.tr).