German Citizenship for Turkish Citizens: Dual Citizenship and Mavi Kart
Whether you keep your Turkish citizenship when you become German, how to get it back if you gave it up, and what the Mavi Kart is for.
Can Turkish citizens keep their citizenship when they become German?
Yes. Turkish law recognises multiple citizenship (Law No. 5901), and since 27 June 2024 Germany no longer requires you to give up your previous citizenship. If you gave up Turkish citizenship earlier to become German, you can apply to get it back under Article 13, without having to live in Türkiye. The Mavi Kart (Blue Card) is only for people who left Turkish citizenship with an exit permit. In 2025, 34,185 Turkish citizens were naturalised in Germany, the second-largest group.
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Legal Basis
Law
Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Art. 13, 28, 44
Requirement
Multiple citizenship is recognised and recorded in the population register
Official Source
View law textWhich Situation Are You In?
| Your situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Turkish citizen, becoming German now | You keep your Turkish citizenship. Germany no longer asks you to give it up. |
| Gave up Turkish citizenship earlier to become German | You can apply to re-acquire it under Article 13, with no residence requirement in Türkiye. You can apply at any time after 27 June 2024. |
| Hold a Mavi Kart | You keep most rights of Turkish citizens, but you cannot vote or stand for election. Re-acquiring citizenship is possible. |
Source: Turkish consular booklet: German dual citizenship law and re-acquiring Turkish citizenship (May 2024) · Checked 13 October 2026
What the Mavi Kart Covers
The Mavi Kart is for people who were Turkish by birth and left with an exit permit, and for their descendants to the third degree.
| Topic | Rule in Article 28 |
|---|---|
| General rule | Holders continue to enjoy the rights of Turkish citizens, with the exceptions below. |
| Elections | No right to vote or to stand for election. |
| Military service | No obligation to do military service. |
| Public service | No permanent civil-service posts. Work as an employee or on contract is possible. |
| Fee at the Stuttgart consulate | €13. The fee changes every year on 2 January. |
Source: Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (mevzuat.gov.tr) · Checked 13 October 2026
What to Do After You Become German
Be naturalised in Germany
You meet the German requirements, including B1 German and the citizenship test. You do not need an exit permit from Türkiye.
Tell the Turkish consulate
Reporting your German citizenship is not mandatory, but the consulates advise it. Your record in the Turkish population register then shows that you hold both.
Tip: The consulate in Stuttgart requires the German citizenship to be registered for military service procedures.
If you gave up Turkish citizenship: apply to get it back
Make the online pre-application on konsolosluk.gov.tr, then hand in your documents at the consulate general. The consulate forwards the file to the authority in Türkiye.
Check your military service status
Dual citizens remain subject to Turkish military service rules. Citizens living abroad can use paid exemption after three years abroad and a distance training course.
What Does It Cost?
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mavi Kart | €13 | Stuttgart consulate. Changes every 2 January. |
| Re-acquiring Turkish citizenship | €22 | Plus a service fee. Stuttgart consulate. |
| Paid military exemption | 472,653.60 TL | Paid in euros at the day's rate, plus a €30 fee. Stuttgart consulate, 28 July 2026. The amount changes. |
| German naturalisation fee | €255 | §38 StAG |
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Since 27 June 2024 German law no longer requires it, and Turkish law recognises multiple citizenship.
The Turkish consular booklet says reporting is not mandatory but advised. Article 44 of the citizenship law provides for the entry in the population register and sets no deadline.
Yes. The consular booklet confirms that Mavi Kart holders can re-acquire Turkish citizenship without losing German citizenship, and that there is no application deadline. German law no longer takes away citizenship for acquiring another one.
Only if you are no longer a Turkish citizen. It exists for people who left with an exit permit. If you become German today, you keep your Turkish citizenship and do not need it.
Dual citizens remain subject to the rules. Paid exemption is open to those who have spent at least three years (1,095 days) abroad and completed the Defence Ministry's distance training, with no age limit. People who re-acquire citizenship without having served must serve.
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Start FreeSources
- Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (mevzuat.gov.tr, PDF)
- Turkish consular booklet on the German dual citizenship law (May 2024, PDF)
- Turkish population authority (NVI): Mavi Kart
- Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Mavi Kart
- Turkish Consulate General Stuttgart: citizenship fees
- Turkish Consulate General Stuttgart: military service procedures
- §25 StAG: repealed (no loss of German citizenship on acquiring another)
- §10 StAG: naturalisation requirements (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- Federal Office of Administration: citizenship law reform in force since 27 June 2024