Merhaba! Bu Ne Ya here. I have question about Turkish marriage. I read that blood tests are required from both parties. I am American marrying a Turkish woman this June and I will only have two weeks in Turkey to get everything (including the wedding!) done. Does anyone know if I can get my blood test accomplished in the United States? Thanks so much for your help!

Bu Ne Ya

Not sure if you can get it done in the US or not but when I got married in Turkey I got it done in a clinic that the marriage office referred me to.  It only took 24 hours.  I went one day and came back the next to pick up my certificate.  You need to bring that certificate back to the marriage office.  I don´t remember how much it cost but it wasn´t very expensive.  My guess is that they would want the bloodwork done at their lab of preference.  Good luck!

Found this information via one of my other forums, that has lots of relavent information. When its saying UK, it means its required procedure for a UK national, however I dont know if its the same for an American citizen.

"When you´re ready to have the legal wedding, you will need to either 1) live in Turkey for 3 weeks before the wedding or 2) go to your local registrar´s office in the UK to get a Certificate of No Impedimence - basically a piece of paper that says you´re not already married and you´re old enough to marry.

You take this to Turkey with you, and go to the Beledisiye (town council offices) and apply to marry. Sometimes they want it translated into Turkish which you´ll need to pay someone to do. They´ll tell you when to come back and get your date to marry, and they´ll also send you off to have blood tests at the hospital.

The blood tests are to test whether you carry a particular genetic disorder which can be passed on to children in mediterranean families, and usually they are to make sure that the man isn´t marrying a pregnant woman without being aware of it. Sometimes they let you off with the blood tests if the doctor provides a certificate.

Then when you have all your paperwork in order, you go back and book your wedding. It usually takes 2 or 3 weeks in total. "

I hope this helps, and congratulations on your upcomming wedding. pls note this information was posted in 2009 but I presume is stll relavent.

Thanks everyone for the reply. This helps a bunch!

B N Y

You are most welcome BNY...just something other issues to keep in mind:

Each municipality has slightly different ways of doing things (and interpreting the law).  While one will allow something others will not.  For example, I was married in Akbuk and they required an English speaking interpretor for me. The judge explained that the US government requires this, although when I called the US Embassy they didn´t know what I was talking about.  Don´t rely on the US Embassy to know the local customs.  ALWAYS check with the municipal court that is marrying you. I promise you that if you went to another municipality you will get yet another set of somewhat different requirements.  (We were going to get married in Izmir but decided on a small intimate beach wedding, so I actually went to three different marriage offices to ask about what I needed and got different answers at all three).  

If you have been married before, make sure you bring your divorce papers.  You will have get a certificate from either the Consulate in Istanbul OR the Embassy in Ankara (not the consular offices in Izmir or Adana) saying that you have no impediment and that you are able to marry.  

If you have any other questions, please just PM me.  

Best of luck!

Thank you so much, this is all great information! I have millions of questions, so thanks for the offer of PM. I will take you up on that...for sure!

BNY