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U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS

Intercountry Adoption

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Country Information

Turkey

Turkey
(Türkiye)
Exercise increased caution when traveling to Türkiye due to terrorism and arbitrary detentions. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Reissued after periodic reviews with minor edits.

Exercise increased caution when traveling to Türkiye due to terrorism and arbitrary detentions. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Do Not Travel To:

  • Sirnak province, Hakkari province, and any area within six miles (10 kilometers) of the Syrian border due to terrorism.

Country Summary: Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Türkiye. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations. Be cautious in transportation hubs, markets, malls, and government buildings, as well as hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, and parks. Be careful in airports and at major events.

Security forces have detained tens of thousands of people, including U.S. citizens, for alleged ties to terrorist groups based on scant or secret evidence and grounds that appear to be politically motivated.  U.S. citizens have also been subject to exit bans that prevent them from departing Türkiye. Protests not approved by the Turkish government can lead to arrest, as can criticizing the government, including on social media.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Türkiye.

If you decide to travel to Türkiye:

  • Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists.
  • Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
  • Stay at hotels with identifiable security measures.
  • Monitor local media and be prepared to adjust your plans quickly.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive travel alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X/Twitter.
  • Review the Country Security Report for Türkiye.
  • Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. 
  • Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

Sirnak Province, Hakkari Province, and Any Area within six miles (ten kilometers) of the Syrian Border – Level 4:  Do Not Travel

Do not travel to Sirnak province, Hakkari province, or any area within six miles (10 kilometers) of the Turkey/Syria border due to the continued threat of attacks by terrorist groups, armed conflict, and civil unrest.  Terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, ambushes, car bombs, and  explosive devices, as well as shootings and illegal roadblocks leading to violence have occurred in these areas. U.S. government employees are subject to travel restrictions in the entire provinces of Sirnak and Hakkari, and any areas within 10 km of the Syrian border.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

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Hague Convention Participation

Hague Adoption Convention Country?
Yes
Are Intercountry Adoptions between this country and the United States possible?
Intercountry adoptions to the United States from Turkey and from the United States to Turkey are possible.

Hague Convention Information

Turkey is a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention or Convention).  Intercountry adoption processing in Convention countries must be done in accordance with the requirements of the Hague Adoption Convention; the U.S. implementing legislation, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA); the IAA’s implementing regulations and U.S. adoption-related immigration policies; as well as the implementing legislation and regulations of Turkey.

U.S. citizens interested in adopting children from Turkey should contact the Central Authority of Turkey to inquire about applicable laws and procedures.  U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parents living in Turkey who would like to adopt a child from the United States or from a third country should also contact Turkey’s Central Authority.  See contact information below.

General Adoption Steps
If you receive permission from the Central Authority of Turkey to pursue a Hague intercountry adoption, below is the limited adoption information the Department has obtained from the adoption authority of Turkey.

Before adopting or obtaining legal custody of a child in country Turkey, you must first receive approval of your Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Countryand provisional approval of your Form I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, filed on behalf of the child you intend to adopt. Please see the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for additional information about the Hague Process.

The consular officer will then send a letter (referred to as an “Article 5/17 Letter”) to Turkey’s Central Authority in any intercountry adoption involving U.S. citizen adoptive parents and a child from Turkey if all Convention requirements are met and the child appears eligible to immigrate to the United States.  This letter will inform the Turkey’s Central Authority that the parents are suitable and eligible to adopt, that the child appears eligible to enter and reside permanently in the United States, and that the U.S. Central Authority agrees that the adoption may proceed.

Warning:  Do not attempt to adopt or obtain custody of a child in Turkey before USCIS has provisionally approved your Form I-800 petition AND a U.S. consular officer issues the “Article 5/17 Letter” for your adoption case.  The consular officer will make a final decision about a child’s eligibility for an immigrant visa later in the adoption process.

Caution: Although U.S. citizens generally must follow the Hague Convention process to adopt a child from a Hague Convention country, the Family-Based Petition Process (Form I-130) may be an option for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to petition for their adopted child.  However, U.S. citizens may file a Form I-130 for a child from a Hague Convention country only if they can establish the Convention does not apply to the adoption. There are significant differences between the Hague and the Family-Based Petition Process.  For more information about specific Form I-130 requirements for adopted children, see the USCIS website and the USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 5.

Turkey is not considered a country of origin for intercountry adoption at this time.  While adoption is legally possible, children from Turkey are not generally placed for intercountry adoption. No child from Turkey has received a U.S. immigrant visa based on an intercountry adoption in the past five fiscal years.  The information provided is intended primarily to assist in extremely rare adoption cases from Turkey, including adoptions of children from Turkey by relatives in the United States, as well as adoptions from third countries by U.S. citizens living in Turkey.

Prospective adoptive parents who are stationed overseas on U.S. military orders, posted overseas on U.S. government orders, or are private citizens living abroad are cautioned that the Convention may apply to an adoption completed in the United States, in the host country, and/or involving a child from a third country.  We also strongly encourage such prospective adoptive parents to consult with the Central Authority of the country where they are physically residing, and/or where the child is residing, to determine whether the Convention applies to a proposed adoption.

Please visit the Department of State’s country page for more information on traveling to Turkey and U.S. Embassy Ankara’s website for information on consular services.

Please see our section on Adoptions from the United States for more information on the process for adopting a child from the United States. We urge prospective adoptive parents residing abroad who are considering adoption of a child from the United States to consult with the Turkey’s Central Authority, General Directorate of Children Services, for its determination as to whether it considers your adoption to be subject to the Convention.

Contact Information

Turkey’s Adoption Authority:
Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services
General Directorate of Child Services
Department of Support Within Family
Eskişehir Yolu Sögütözü Mahallesi 2177
Sokak No:10/A Kat:10
06510 Çankaya/ANKARA, TURKEY
Tel: +90 (312) 705-5059 / 5109 / 5358
Fax: +90(312) 705-5060
Email: evlatedinme.chgm@ailevecalisma.gov.tr / aydeshd@ailevecalisma.gov.tr / cocukhizmetleri@ailevecalisma.gov.tr
Internet: https://www.aile.gov.tr/

 

U.S. Embassy in Ankara Turkey
Çukurambar Mahallesi 1480 Sokak No: 1
06530 Çankaya/ANKARA, TURKEY
Tel: +90 (312) 294-0000 (emergencies only)
Fax: +90 (312) 232-7472
Email: AnkaraIV@state.gov
Internet: https://tr.usembassy.gov/

Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
SA-17
Washington, DC 20520
Tel:  1-888-407-4747
E-mail: Adoption@state.gov
https://adoption.state.gov

 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
For questions about a pending Form I-800A application, Form I-800 petition or related supplement:
USCIS
Tel:  1-877-424-8374 (toll free); 1-913-275-5480 (local); Fax:1-913-214-5808
Email: NBC.Adoptions@uscis.dhs.gov

For other USCIS-related questions:
USCIS Contact Center
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833)
Internet: uscis.gov

Last Updated: February 4, 2025

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy Ankara
1480 Sok No:1 Cukurambar Mah Cankaya 06530, Ankara
Telephone
90-312-294-0000 (emergencies only)
Emergency
Fax
90-312-232-7472
Email

Turkey Map