Subtype · Family · Spouse
Accompanying-Spouse Residence Permit
The accompanying-spouse permit is the family-residence-permit sub-case for foreign spouses of Turkish citizens or qualifying foreign sponsors under Article 34 of Law 6458.
Legal anchor
Law 6458 — Article 34 (family permit, spouse sub-case)
- Türkçe
- Eş için aile ikamet izni
- English
- Accompanying-Spouse Residence Permit
Overview
The accompanying-spouse permit is not a separate ikamet category — it is the spouse sub-case of the family residence permit under Article 34. We template it here because the document set, evidence standards, and citizenship-by-marriage interaction differ enough from the broader family permit to warrant a focused page.
Foreign spouses of Turkish citizens have two parallel tracks: continue renewing the family permit under Article 34, or apply for citizenship by marriage under Article 16 of Law 5901 once the marriage has been continuous for 3 years and the couple lives together. Most spouses prefer the citizenship route after the 3-year mark.
Foreign spouses of foreigners (e.g. spouse of a work-permit holder) do not have the citizenship-by-marriage option open to them — they remain on the family permit until the principal sponsor's status changes (long-term permit, naturalisation, etc.). Polygamous marriages are explicitly excluded under Article 35.
Eligibility
- Married to a Turkish citizen, OR married to a foreigner holding a residence permit valid for at least 1 year (Article 35).
- Marriage is registered (civil marriage) and documentary — religious-only or unregistered partnerships do not qualify.
- Sponsor meets the Article 35 income, accommodation, insurance and clean-record tests.
- First-spouse rule: in polygamous marriages only the first spouse can hold an accompanying permit.
- Sponsor has been resident in Türkiye for at least 1 year (some exemptions for Turkish-citizen sponsors).
Documents required
- Marriage certificate (apostilled and sworn-translated if foreign).
- Sponsor's residence permit / Turkish ID and address registration.
- Sponsor's income evidence at the per-family-member threshold.
- Adli sicil for the sponsor.
- Joint accommodation evidence — tapu or notarised lease.
- Joint photograph if the marriage is recent (PMM has used this evidence in marriage-of-convenience reviews).
- Health-insurance policy for the spouse.
Application process
- 1
Register the marriage in Türkiye if foreign
Marriages contracted abroad must be registered with the Turkish consulate or directly with the Türkiye nüfus müdürlüğü so the marriage appears in NVI records. Without this the family permit cannot be processed.
- 2
Apply via e-ikamet selecting 'family — spouse'
Select Article 34 (family permit) and the spouse sub-case. Upload marriage certificate, sponsor evidence and standard documents.
- 3
Both partners attend the appointment together
The officer may interview both partners about how they met, daily life and the integrity of the marriage. Marriage-of-convenience scrutiny is a recognised practice.
- 4
Pay the harç and card fee
Standard short-term fees, paid by the spouse applicant.
- 5
Receive the card and renew
Card delivered by PTT. Renewals are filed in the 60-day window before expiry. After 3 years of continuous marriage, evaluate the citizenship-by-marriage route under Article 16 of Law 5901.
Validity and renewal
Up to 3 years per grant under Article 34, capped at the sponsor's permit. After 3 continuous years of marriage with a Turkish citizen, citizenship by marriage under Article 16 of Law 5901 typically becomes the more attractive path — naturalisation issues a Turkish passport rather than a renewable permit.
Fees
Standard short-term harç and card fee, paid by the spouse applicant. The fees reset yearly — verify on goc.gov.tr.
Common rejection reasons
- Marriage flagged as marriage-of-convenience (very short relationship, no shared evidence).
- Sponsor's permit due to expire within 6 months without a renewal already filed.
- Sponsor's income below the per-family-member threshold.
- Polygamous marriage (only first spouse qualifies).
- Address mismatch in NVI between spouse and sponsor.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Should I apply for a family permit or citizenship by marriage?
- If your spouse is a Turkish citizen and you have been married 3+ continuous years living together, citizenship by marriage under Article 16 of Law 5901 is usually the better path. The family permit is the right interim step for the first 3 years.
- What if my spouse is a foreigner with a work permit?
- You apply for an accompanying-spouse family permit under Article 34. The work-permit holder is your sponsor. The citizenship-by-marriage route under Article 16 does NOT apply because that is reserved for spouses of Turkish citizens.
- What happens if we divorce?
- Article 37 lets a foreign spouse who has held the family permit for at least 3 years convert to a short-term permit if they meet the standard tests, even after divorce. Domestic-violence victims have additional protections.
- Are same-sex marriages recognised?
- Türkiye recognises only opposite-sex civil marriages for residence-permit purposes. Same-sex marriages contracted abroad are not registered in NVI, so they cannot underpin a family permit. Foreign same-sex partners stay on short-term subtypes.
- Does my spouse need to be in Türkiye when I apply?
- The sponsor must be resident in Türkiye and able to attend the appointment with you. PMM frequently interviews both partners.
Source: Law 5901, Article 16
Source: Law 6458 Article 34; Law 5901 Article 16
Source: Law 6458, Article 37
Source: Turkish Civil Code (Law 4721), Article 124
Source: Law 6458, Article 35
Related subtypes
Related residence-permit subtypes
Aile ikamet izni
Family Residence Permit
Articles 34–37
The family residence permit is granted to spouses and minor children of Turkish citizens or foreigners holding qualifying residence permits, under Articles 34–37 of Law 6458.
View permit detailsTürk vatandaşı çocuğun yabancı ebeveyni için aile ikamet izni
Accompanying-Parent Residence Permit
Article 34 (family permit, parent-of-minor sub-case)
The accompanying-parent permit is the family-residence-permit sub-case for foreign parents of Turkish-citizen minor children, granted under Article 34 of Law 6458.
View permit detailsUzun dönem ikamet izni
Long-Term Residence Permit
Articles 42–43
The long-term residence permit is open-ended and issued to foreigners who have lived legally and continuously in Türkiye for at least eight years and meet the integration and self-sufficiency criteria of Article 42.
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