Registering a Foreign Adoption in Türkiye

An adoption completed abroad does not reach the Turkish civil registry on its own. Turkish law accepts it under conditions, and a foreign decision has to be recognised by a Turkish court before it can be acted on.

Validity and recognition

Under the Civil Registration Services Law, an adoption carried out abroad before the competent foreign authorities is valid in Türkiye as well, provided it complies with Turkish law on the essential conditions. Foreign judicial or administrative decisions on adoption that are final under the law of that country, or have the effect of a final judgment, can be executed in Türkiye only after a competent Turkish court has granted enforcement or recognition.

The implementing regulation repeats the point for the civil registry: final decisions of foreign courts can be processed only after recognition or enforcement by a competent Turkish court, with the provisions of international conventions to which Türkiye is a party reserved.

The court application

Under the Turkish private international law statute, recognition depends on the court establishing that the foreign judgment meets the conditions for enforcement; the same applies to non-contentious decisions. Anyone with a legal interest may apply by petition. The petition is accompanied by the original of the foreign judgment duly certified by the authorities of that country, or a copy certified by the court that issued it, together with a certified translation, and by a certified document showing that the judgment is final, also with a certified translation.

For intercountry adoptions in which Türkiye is the receiving state, the procedure is completed by the Central Authority in cooperation with the central authority of the state of origin, under the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption. A minor adopted by a Turkish citizen may acquire Turkish citizenship from the date of the decision, provided there is no obstacle on grounds of national security or public order.

We prepare the certified Turkish translations in Ankara through translators sworn before a Turkish notary. The court decides on recognition.