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Updated: June 2026

Case study · Turkey · Citizenship

How We Legalized Guardianship of Children from DifferentMarriages for Turkish Residence Permit

Elena was purchasing an apartment in Istanbul for $260,000 under the residence permit program, but the Turkish authority Nufus refused to accept her children's documents—their birth certificates contained different paternal surnames, and the notarized parental consents were executed according to outdated Russian templates not recognized in Turkey. Below is how we reissued the consents with bilingual apostille certification and conducted kinship verification through family court.

Sergey EvdokimovSergey EvdokimovManaging Partner, BRIDGESReading time8 min readVerificationReviewed by an expert

This case is based on a real matter. The name and certain identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

BRIDGES client story - How We Legalized Guardianship of Children from Different Marriages for Turkish Residence Permit
Contents

Case at a glance

Situation, solution and outcome in seven lines

Client
Elena, 38 years old, beauty salon chain owner (new husband + 2 children).
Objective
Residence Permit through apartment purchase in Istanbul.
Complexity
Different paternal surnames, existing consents not recognized.
Solution
Reissued consents with apostille certification, kinship verification through family court.
Result
Residence Permit for entire family.
Result
Residence Permit for entire family.
Result
Residence Permit for entire family.

Client story

Client's Background

Where they started

Elena is thirty-eight years old and owns a beauty salon chain. She was purchasing an apartment in Istanbul for $260,000 under the residence permit program. The Turkish authority (Nufus) refused to accept her children's documents because the birth certificates contained different paternal surnames, and the notarized parental travel consents were executed according to outdated Russian templates not recognized in Turkey.

Why the standard route did not work

There was a risk of obtaining the residence permit for parents only, leaving the children without legal status and school enrollment.

What BRIDGES had to solve

There was a risk of obtaining the residence permit for parents only, leaving the children without legal status and school enrollment.

Why a standard answer would not do

There was a risk of obtaining the residence permit for parents only, leaving the children without legal status and school enrollment.

Why This Was Challenging

Why This Was Challenging

Different paternal surnames. Of the children.

  1. 01Outdated consent documents. Not recognized in Turkey.
  2. 02Verification of kinship. Required through court proceedings.
  3. 03Hidden risk. Children without status and school enrollment.

The logic of the solution

How the matter progressed: from checks to result

The chart is built from the facts of this matter and shows the logic of the work without decorative or unverified data.

BasisStage 1

Reissued paternal consent documents. In special format with bilingual apostille.

  • 01
    Stage 2

    Detailed the right to Ikamet (residence permit). In the consent documents.

  • 02
    Stage 3

    Conducted kinship verification. Through family court in Istanbul.

  • 03
    Stage 4

    Obtained Turkish residence permit. For entire family; children enrolled in school.

  • 04
    Stage 5

    Obtained Turkish residence permit. For entire family; children enrolled in school.

Takeaway. Takeaway: when a family includes children from different marriages, the risk to the residence permit lies not in the property but in how kinship and parental consents are documented. A notarised paper from the country of departure does not replace the international standard of legalisation that the receiving authority requires.

How we legalized parental rights for children.

How we legalized parental rights for children.

The work was split into verifiable stages so that every conclusion rested on documents.

  1. 01

    Stage 1

    Reissued paternal consent documents. In special format with bilingual apostille.

  2. 02

    Stage 2

    Detailed the right to Ikamet (residence permit). In the consent documents.

  3. 03

    Stage 3

    Conducted kinship verification. Through family court in Istanbul.

  4. 04

    Stage 4

    Obtained Turkish residence permit. For entire family; children enrolled in school.

  5. 05

    Stage 5

    Obtained Turkish residence permit. For entire family; children enrolled in school.

  6. 06

    Stage 6

    Obtained Turkish residence permit. For entire family; children enrolled in school.

Expert comment

Turkish migration authority conducts strict verification of parental rights if parents have different marriage statuses. Any inaccuracy in the translation of paternal consent - complete case rejection. Strict international legalization standards are required.

Sergey Evdokimov, Managing Partner, BRIDGESSergey EvdokimovManaging Partner, BRIDGES

Outcome

What the client received

Client
Elena, 38 years old, beauty salon chain owner (new husband + 2 children).
Objective
Residence Permit through apartment purchase in Istanbul.
Complexity
Different paternal surnames, existing consents not recognized.
Solution
Reissued consents with apostille certification, kinship verification through family court.
Result
Residence Permit for entire family.
Result
Residence Permit for entire family.

Practical takeaway

What matters in a similar situation

  • Takeaway: when a family includes children from different marriages, the risk to the residence permit lies not in the property but in how kinship and parental consents are documented. A notarised paper from the country of departure does not replace the international standard of legalisation that the receiving authority requires.

FAQ

Questions people ask in a similar situation

01Who is eligible for repatriation to Hungary?

Descendants of Hungarian citizens who can document Hungarian descent - typically through ancestors from territories of historic Hungary (Transcarpathia, Transylvania, southern Slovakia, Vojvodina) or those who lost Hungarian citizenship in the 20th century.

02What is the cost of repatriation to Hungary?

State fee - EUR 120. Additional costs include translations, apostille certification, archival documents, and legal representation if necessary.

03Is it necessary to live in Hungary to obtain citizenship through ancestry?

No. Repatriation does not require prior residence in the country, nor proof of income or housing.

04Is Hungarian citizenship transferred to children?

Yes. After you are recognized as a citizen through repatriation, minor children can obtain citizenship through a simplified procedure.

05What is the Hungarian national card?

Nemzeti Kartya - a residence permit for employment or business purposes. Available to Russian citizens as of July 2024. Grants permanent residency status after 3 years of residence.

06Can citizenship be obtained through marriage?

Yes, through a simplified procedure, but requires several years of marriage and residence in the country, absence of criminal record, and basic language knowledge. Fraudulent marriages are verified.

07Why is Hungarian citizenship denied?

Most often - due to incomplete or improperly documented evidence of Hungarian ancestry, errors in translations and apostille certification, or insufficient language knowledge.

08Can a repatriation application be submitted while in Russia?

Yes, a simplified naturalization application can be submitted through the Hungarian consulate. Personal presence is required at the interview and for taking the oath.

09Is biometric data collected during the process?

Yes, as with any EU passport, fingerprints are taken and a biometric photograph is taken upon document issuance.

About the author

Sergey Evdokimov

Author: Sergey Evdokimov

Managing Partner, BRIDGES

As Founder and Managing Partner of BRIDGES, I am responsible for the firm's strategy and personally lead its most complex client matters, including cases in which citizenship or residence decisions require a strategic view and consideration of capital.

I begin by defining the objective: the outcome the client needs, the facts that affect the choice, and the matters that require further review. I then establish the available directions, the sequence of work, and the key decision points.

Once the strategy has been agreed, I oversee the BRIDGES team's key decisions and remain involved at the stages that shape the course of the matter. The purpose is to give the client a clear rationale for the chosen direction and a precise understanding of the next steps.

Prepared on the basis of BRIDGES practice and reviewed by a subject-matter expert.

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Anna KovalevskayaHead of Legal, BRIDGES
Anna Kovalevskaya, Head of Legal, BRIDGES

Names and certain details have been changed to protect client confidentiality. The result described reflects one specific situation and is neither a public offer nor a guarantee of a similar outcome. Programme terms are stated as of 2026 and may change - please confirm current parameters with a BRIDGES consultant.