Family Law

Family law covers the dissolution of marriage, custody and care of children, maintenance (alimony and child support) and property relations between spouses. These disputes are heard by the family courts and are governed primarily by the Turkish Civil Code No. 4721 (Türk Medeni Kanunu).

A divorce in Türkiye may be uncontested or contested. An uncontested (consensual) divorce requires that the marriage has lasted at least one year, that the spouses apply jointly or one spouse accepts the other's claim, and that the judge hears both spouses in person (Civil Code Art. 166/3). In contested cases the court examines the grounds for divorce together with custody, maintenance and compensation claims.

For foreign nationals who married in Türkiye, or Turkish citizens divorced abroad, a foreign divorce judgment takes effect in Türkiye through recognition or enforcement under the Code on Private International Law and International Civil Procedure No. 5718 or, where the conditions are met, through administrative registration at a civil registry office or consulate.