Thousands of Germans of Turkish Descent Blocked from Regaining Turkish Citizenship
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While Germany granted dual citizenship rights to over 500,000 Turks, many who now wish to reacquire Turkish citizenship are encountering unexpected resistance—not from Berlin, but from Ankara and Turkish consulates.
Applicants are being asked to prove how they obtained their German citizenship, a requirement not stipulated in Turkish law. In addition, men reclaiming citizenship are billed a €6,900 military service fee, which has discouraged entire families from applying.
Reacquisition Process Obstructed Despite Legal Eligibility
According to official records, although over 500,000 German citizens of Turkish origin are now eligible to regain Turkish nationality, only 25,387 have applied.
CHP MP and Foreign Affairs Committee member Utku Çakırözer criticized the outcome:
“This figure alone signals failure. It’s a fiasco. Parliament must investigate the reasons behind people’s hesitation.”
“Prove How You Became German”: An Unwritten Requirement
Consulates are reportedly asking applicants for documents that are not mandated by law, such as letters from German authorities proving that citizenship was obtained through “legal means.”
This bureaucratic “invention,” as critics describe it, is not found in the Turkish Military Law, which typically only requires proof of foreign citizenship (e.g., a German passport) to defer or fulfill military obligations.
The added scrutiny and suspicion have created confusion, leading many to abandon efforts to re-enter Turkish citizenship, especially when facing the €6,900 conscription fee.
Dual Citizenship Law Triggers Reverse Trend
Following Germany’s recent reform allowing dual citizenship, a growing number of Turks have expressed interest in returning to Turkish nationality. However, the complex procedures and financial burden have led not only to hesitation—but also, paradoxically, to some dual citizens choosing to renounce Turkish citizenship entirely instead.
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