Divorce Lawyer in Turkey for Foreigners

• Foreign spouses living in Turkey or abroad.
• Couples in a mixed-nationality marriage (one Turkish, one foreign).
• Expats (including the foreign community around İncirlik / Adana) and foreign clients elsewhere in Turkey or abroad.
• People who already have a foreign divorce and need it reflected in Turkey.
• Those who wish to be represented remotely, where possible.

Divorce is a sensitive and personal matter. You can share your situation in confidence, and the office can explain, without pressure, whether and how Turkish proceedings may apply to you.

• Reviewing whether Turkish courts can hear your divorce and which law may apply.
• Explaining contested and uncontested options and what each can involve.
• Advising on custody, alimony (maintenance), and division of property, as assessed by the court.
• Helping reflect a foreign divorce in Turkey (administrative registration or court recognition/enforcement, as applicable).
• Representation under a power of attorney, where the process allows it.
• Communication in English at every step.

This is often the first and most important question in an international divorce, and there is no single answer that fits every case. Whether you can or should file in Turkey can depend on the spouses’ residence, nationality, last common residence, and Turkish private-international-law rules. Rather than apply a general rule to your situation yourself, it is usually safer to have your specific circumstances reviewed. We can then explain whether filing in Turkey is possible and what the alternatives may be.

An uncontested divorce may be possible if the statutory conditions are met, including the parties’ agreement on the divorce terms and the judge’s personal hearing of the spouses. If the spouses do not agree, the case proceeds as contested and the court assesses the evidence. Each path has different requirements, documents, and timelines, and which is realistic depends on the facts.

These issues are decided according to the circumstances of each family. There is no fixed formula we can promise in advance.

• Custody and personal relationship (velayet): assessed by the court according to the child’s best interests and the evidence in the file. Cross-border situations involving children should be reviewed individually before any step is taken.
• Alimony / maintenance (nafaka): maintenance may be considered during or after the divorce depending on the parties’ financial circumstances, the child’s needs, and the evidence; Turkish courts do not apply a single public formula that can be promised in advance.
• Division of property (matrimonial property regime): property issues may involve the applicable matrimonial property regime, assessed separately from the divorce itself. Under Turkish law the default regime is participation in acquired property unless another regime applies, but international cases may require a separate applicable-law review.

(We do not provide ratios or guaranteed figures on this page; outcomes depend on the facts and the court’s assessment.)

If you divorced abroad, the decision may need to be reflected in Turkey before it produces the intended legal effects here. Depending on the documents and conditions, this may involve administrative registration with the civil registry or court recognition/enforcement proceedings. The right route depends on the intended legal effect in Turkey. We can review your foreign judgment and the documents and explain what reflecting it in Turkey may require.

Many procedural steps can be handled through a lawyer under a power of attorney (vekaletname), especially in contested proceedings and recognition/enforcement matters, but remote handling is not guaranteed for every divorce. In particular, an uncontested divorce generally requires the spouses to be heard personally by the judge. We can tell you what your case is likely to need before you make travel plans.

The exact list depends on your situation, but documents commonly include identity documents, the marriage certificate, and, where relevant, the foreign court judgment and finality certificate. Foreign documents may need apostille or legalization and sworn Turkish translation, depending on the issuing country and procedure.

A divorce can interact with a foreign spouse’s residence status in Turkey, but that is a separate area handled on our immigration page. We can flag it and coordinate where relevant. (Cross-reference only; details belong to the immigration service.)

Speak with an English-speaking divorce lawyer in confidence

Tell us about your situation in confidence: the office can explain your options in clear English, with no obligation. Your information is treated confidentially in line with professional obligations.

The office will review your message and respond as soon as practicable.

This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Family-law outcomes depend on the facts of each case and the court’s assessment. Please contact a Turkish lawyer for advice tailored to your situation.

Last updated: 5 September 2026 · Author: Attorney Saim İncekaş, Adana Bar Association (Reg. No. 4293).