Nikah documents
Nikah documents in Turkey
Turkey legally recognises only civil marriage. A religious nikah has no legal effect on its own, so most couples complete the civil ceremony and hold the religious nikah alongside it.
Who registers the marriage
The municipal marriage office (Evlendirme Dairesi) performs and registers civil marriages. Since 2017, provincial and district mufti offices can also perform them.
Typical steps
- 1
Get a health report (sağlık raporu) from a family doctor or state hospital.
- 2
Apply at the marriage office with IDs, photos, and the health report, and choose a date.
- 3
Arrange two adult witnesses for the civil ceremony.
- 4
Complete the civil ceremony to receive your family booklet (aile cüzdanı), then hold the religious nikah.
Common items to prepare
- Turkish ID cards, or passports for foreigners
- Health report confirming there is no impediment to marriage
- Passport-size photos
- For a foreign spouse: certificate of no impediment and birth certificate, translated and apostilled
- Two witnesses aged 18 or over with ID
- Divorce decree if previously married
Important notes
The legal minimum age is 18, or 17 with parental consent. Because mufti offices can perform civil marriages, the legal and religious steps can now take place in one appointment.
Family & wali considerations
Involve your wali or family representative early. Agree who attends, who speaks for the family, and how mahr and living plans will be discussed with dignity.
After documents
Once paperwork is clearer, focus on character, deen, and readiness. GoodSpouse helps serious Muslims meet with privacy, verification, and family-aware tools.
GoodSpouse provides general education only. Laws and mosque policies change. Verify every requirement with qualified local authorities before you travel or book a nikah date.
More free tools
Nikah readiness checklist
Track intention, faith, family, practical readiness, and documents before you move toward nikah.
Open tool →Premarital questions
Respectful questions for couples and families — deen, character, lifestyle, money, and the future.
Open tool →Compatibility quiz
A short free quiz on how you communicate and decide — then deepen with full MPTI in the app.
Open tool →Mahr calculator
Convert Mahr Fatimi and the minimum mahr into your currency with today's gold and silver prices.
Open tool →Istikhara guide
How to pray istikhara before a marriage decision, with the full dua and its meaning.
Open tool →Walima budget planner
Estimate your walima costs by category and per guest — and keep the celebration within your means.
Open tool →Biodata maker
Create a respectful marriage biodata to share with families and print or save as a PDF.
Open tool →Ready to meet serious Muslims?
Download GoodSpouse to continue with verified profiles, MPTI matching, Wali support, and Personal Khattabah guidance.