Eti Mah. Toros Sok. No: 15/5, Hikmet Ünal Business Centre, 06570 Çankaya / Ankara, Türkiye
Practice area
Divorce, custody, alimony and matrimonial property — including mixed-nationality marriages.
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Family matters are personal, but the decisions taken in a divorce — custody, alimony, division of property — have long-lasting financial consequences. A clear protocol at the start usually saves years of litigation.
We represent Turkish and foreign nationals in uncontested and contested divorces, custody and alimony, matrimonial property claims and the recognition in Türkiye of divorces obtained abroad.
At a glance
Spouses married for at least one year may divorce by agreement. They submit a protocol covering custody, contact, alimony and property, and both appear in person before the family court. If the judge approves the protocol, the divorce can be granted at a single hearing.
Contested divorces are based on irretrievable breakdown of the marriage or specific grounds such as adultery, abandonment or attempt on life. Fault affects compensation and alimony, so evidence — messages, witnesses, reports — is central.
Custody is decided in the best interests of the child; the court may obtain social worker and psychologist reports and hear the child. The other parent is granted personal contact. Joint custody after divorce is accepted by the Court of Cassation in suitable cases.
Interim alimony may be ordered during the proceedings. After divorce, the spouse who would fall into poverty may claim periodic alimony, and child support is payable to the custodial parent. Amounts can be increased or reduced when circumstances change.
For marriages after 1 January 2002, unless agreed otherwise, the regime of participation in acquired property applies: assets acquired during the marriage are in principle shared equally. Claims become time-barred ten years after the divorce.
Actions to establish or deny paternity and to contest recognition are subject to strict time limits, and DNA evidence is decisive.
A divorce obtained abroad must be recognised in Türkiye before it takes effect in the Turkish civil registry. Consensual foreign divorces may in some cases be recorded administratively; otherwise a recognition action is filed before the family court.
A change of first name or surname requires just cause and is granted by court decision. Women may keep their married surname after divorce if they show an interest and it causes no harm to the former spouse.
Related articles
Yes, if Turkish courts have jurisdiction — typically where one spouse is domiciled in Türkiye. The applicable law is determined under Turkish private international law.
In an uncontested divorce both spouses must appear in person. In contested cases a lawyer can represent you.
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Guides
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When Turkish courts can divorce foreign or mixed-nationality couples, which law applies, uncontested and contested divorce, documents, custody and recognition abroad.
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How foreign court decisions — divorces, money judgments, custody orders — take effect in Türkiye: conditions, reciprocity, required documents and the court procedure.
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