Military Service Obligations After Acquiring Turkish Citzenship

Military Service Obligation After Acquiring Turkish Citizenship: Comprehensive Legal Guide

Military service is a mandatory requirement for male Turkish citizens. Individuals who acquire Turkish citizenship later in life often wonder whether they are subject to military service and under what circumstances they may be exempt. The rules have changed over the years, especially following the introduction of Law No. 7179 on Military Recruitment in 2019.

This guide provides a detailed explanation of the military service obligations for naturalized Turkish citizens, dual nationals, and individuals residing abroad.

1. Military Obligation Under Legal Regulations

a) Rules Under the Repealed Law No. 1111 on Military Service

According to Article 2 of the now-repealed Military Service Law No. 1111, individuals who acquired Turkish citizenship later in life were considered liable for military service based on:

• Their age at the time of naturalization, and

• Their educational status.

However, the law granted exemptions to those who:

• Completed or were deemed to have completed military service in their foreign country before becoming Turkish citizens,

• Were 22 years old or older on the date of acquiring Turkish citizenship.

Individuals who were not exempt could request a two-year postponement starting from the date of naturalization. After the postponement period, they would be registered for military service.

b) Regulations Introduced by Law No. 7179 on Military Recruitment

With the enactment of Law No. 7179 on 26/06/2019, Law No. 1111 was repealed. Article 43 of Law No. 7179 introduced updated rules:

• Individuals who acquire Turkish citizenship later are subject to military service based on their age and educational status at the time of naturalization.

• Individuals who completed or were considered to have completed military service in their home country, or who were 22 years or older, are exempt from military service.

Important Exception

Article 43 explicitly excludes individuals who acquire Turkish citizenship by descent (bloodline).
This means:

➡️ Those who become Turkish citizens by descent cannot benefit from military exemption under Article 43.

2. Exemption Criteria Under the Military Recruitment Regulation

A special transitional provision under the Military Recruitment Regulation applies to certain dual nationals.

According to the Provisional Clause:

“Individuals with multiple nationalities who applied to Turkish foreign representations before 26/06/2019 for exemption due to completed military service abroad—under the repealed Law No. 1111—shall have their exemption requests accepted.”

To qualify, the following criteria must be met:

• The individual must hold dual citizenship,

• Must present official proof of completed military service (or deemed completion) abroad,

• Must have acquired Turkish citizenship before 26/06/2019,

• Must have submitted an exemption application to a Turkish consulate or embassy before 26/06/2019.

Applications submitted after this date are not accepted, and all administrative requests are rejected.

3. Legal Remedies in Case of Rejection

If the Ministry of National Defense:

• Rejects an exemption request, or

• Fails to respond within the legal timeframe,

then individuals must file an administrative lawsuit.

Key Legal Deadlines

• A lawsuit to annul the rejection must be filed within 30 days from the official notification date.

Important Considerations for Lawsuits

• The legal basis for the exemption request must be clearly stated,

• All foreign military service documents must be provided,

• It must be demonstrated that the applicant is legally entitled to exemption under the relevant regulations.

If the court rules in favor of the applicant, they will be formally exempt from military service.

Because timing is critical, individuals who acquired citizenship before 26/06/2019 should act without delay to protect their rights.

4. Overseas Postponement and Paid Military Service

Türkiye provides additional options for individuals residing abroad.

1. Overseas Postponement of Military Service (Article 38)

Individuals living abroad may postpone military service until age 35 if they meet certain conditions.

Eligible Individuals

• Persons with a foreign residence permit,

• Persons with a foreign work permit,

• Seafarers working on foreign-flagged vessels,

• Dual nationals.

However, if the individual does not meet residency conditions (e.g., not spending enough time abroad), they may lose their postponement rights.

2. Paid Military Service for Individuals Abroad (Article 39)

Individuals living abroad may fulfill their obligation by paying a military service fee.

Conditions to Apply

• Must have worked abroad for at least three years,

• Must complete an online training program.

Exceptions for Dual Nationals

Dual nationals are only required to show that they resided abroad for three years — employment is not required.

Loss of Eligibility

The right to paid military service may be lost due to:

• Providing false or incomplete documents,

• Failure to pay the required fee,

• Being appointed to a government post abroad.

Refunds may be possible only in specific situations. Once the process is fully completed, refunds are not issued.

To avoid losing rights, applicants must follow procedures carefully and apply on time.

5. Conclusion

• Individuals who acquired Turkish citizenship before 26/06/2019 and completed military service abroad are generally exempt.

• Article 43 of Law No. 7179 excludes citizens by descent from exemption.

• There is no definitive court ruling confirming whether individuals who gain citizenship by descent remain liable.

• If exemption requests are rejected or unanswered, applicants must file an administrative lawsuit within 30 days.

• Individuals living abroad should utilize postponement and paid military service options to protect their legal rights.

Timely applications and strict compliance with legal regulations are essential to prevent loss of rights.

This article was prepared by senior lawyer Yaşar Aksanoğlu, an expert in Foreigner Legal Services in Türkiye. To learn more or connect professionally, visit:

🔗 Website: https://www.galleconsulting.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/