Mavi Kart and Naturalization: What Has Changed Under the New Citizenship Act 2024

With the reform of German citizenship law on June 27, 2024, the legal situation for Turkish nationals planning to naturalize in Germany has fundamentally changed. The Mavi Kart — an authorization card from the Turkish Republic for former nationals — played a central role for many applicants before the reform. This article explains what the Mavi Kart is legally, why the reform shifts its importance for new naturalizations, and which three practical scenarios result from this.

This article describes the basics. It does not replace legal advice in individual cases. Statements on Turkish law are based on publicly available publications from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİ); for individual questions, particularly regarding military service and reacquisition procedures, the competent Turkish Consulate General is the authoritative source.

What is the Mavi Kart?

The Mavi Kart — literally "Blue Card," until 2009 "Pembe Kart" ("Pink Card") — is a legal status under Article 28 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu, TVK). It is granted to persons who have been released from Turkish citizenship with prior approval from Turkish authorities. The card is issued by the Ministry of Interior through the General Directorate of Population Affairs (Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü, NVİ).

According to Art. 28 TVK, the Mavi Kart grants its holders the following rights in Turkey:

Visa-free entry and residence without time restrictions
Work without separate work permit
Property acquisition under the same conditions as Turkish nationals
Inheritance rights without foreigner-specific restrictions
Access to certain social and health services

What the Mavi Kart does not grant: no Turkish passport, no voting rights in Turkish elections, no access to civil service careers in the Turkish Republic, and no military service with associated rights. Those who need a Turkish passport or voting rights must reacquire Turkish citizenship itself (see below under "Scenario B").

Distinction from EU Blue Card: The EU Blue Card is a German residence permit for qualified professionals from non-EU countries (§ 18b AufenthG) and has nothing to do with the Turkish Mavi Kart. The confusion of terms is common in everyday life; legally they are completely different instruments.

The Legal Situation Before June 27, 2024

Until the Act to Modernize Citizenship Law (StARModG) came into force, the rule in Germany was that previous citizenship had to be given up when acquiring German citizenship (§ 12 StAG old version). For Turkish nationals, this typically meant: applying for release from Turkish citizenship (Çıkma İzin Belgesi) at the competent Turkish Consulate General, then presenting the release certificate to the German citizenship authority, naturalization in Germany.

The İzin route was the standard path because it opened the option for a later Mavi Kart: those who had left Turkish citizenship with permission were entitled to the Mavi Kart under Art. 28 TVK. However, the process was time-consuming, and the temporary absence of any Turkish legal status (between release and Mavi Kart issuance) was a practical problem for many.

A minority of Turkish naturalized citizens chose the path via Art. 25 TVK: those who acquire German citizenship without prior Turkish permission automatically lose Turkish citizenship by law. This path saved the consular release application but did not lead to a Mavi Kart entitlement; the only later option was complete reacquisition under Art. 43 TVK.

What Changed on June 27, 2024

With the StARModG coming into force on June 27, 2024, § 12 StAG was fundamentally revised. Multiple citizenship has been generally permitted since then, previous citizenship typically no longer needs to be given up. For Turkish nationals, this means in practice: those naturalizing in Germany today keep their Turkish passport. The Çıkma-İzin-Belgesi route is eliminated. The Mavi Kart as a legal bridge becomes unnecessary for new naturalizations because full Turkish citizenship is retained.

The Turkish community in Germany clearly noticed the reform. According to Hürriyet reports from autumn 2024, the central naturalization authority in Berlin alone received tens of thousands of naturalization applications in the months after the reform; the number of applications also visibly increased nationwide. The Federal Statistical Office reported around 292,000 naturalizations overall for 2024, including a significantly grown cohort from the Turkish community.

On October 30, 2025, the Fourth StAG Amendment Act came into force. It abolished the 3-year deadline for special integration achievements and introduced a ten-year blocking period for proven deception in the naturalization process with § 35a StAG. The 5-year standard period and the multiple citizenship rule remained unchanged. For new Turkish applicants, the Fourth Amendment Act therefore changes nothing about the central reform of 2024.

Three Scenarios in Practice

The role the Mavi Kart plays today depends on when and how naturalization occurred. Three scenarios must be distinguished.

Scenario A — Turkish nationals naturalizing in Germany today

For persons who are only now or in coming years meeting the 5-year requirement under § 10 StAG and wish to naturalize, the new legal situation applies: Turkish citizenship is retained, the Turkish passport does not have to be given up. A Mavi Kart is not needed in this scenario — it would essentially be the full Turkish passport that is maintained anyway. The Çıkma-İzin-Belgesi route through the Turkish consulate is eliminated.

Those who wish to include their spouse and minor children in the same procedure will find the relevant rules in the article Naturalize Family: Spouse and Children in a Joint Application.

Scenario B — Naturalized before 2024 with Çıkma-İzin-Belgesi

Persons who were naturalized via the İzin route before June 27, 2024, and gave up Turkish citizenship with a release certificate either already have a Mavi Kart or are entitled to one under Art. 28 TVK. The legal situation here has two sub-levels:

Mavi Kart is sufficient as long as the priority is organizing entry, property transactions, inheritances, and residence in Turkey. The Mavi Kart remains valid and can be applied for or renewed at the competent Turkish Consulate General.
Full reacquisition of Turkish citizenship under Article 43 TVK is also possible. This path leads to complete Turkish citizenship including passport and voting rights and requires an application at the Turkish Consulate General. According to information from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the procedure can take several months to over a year; the outcome is not tied to any formal legal entitlement and can be rejected for reasons of national security.

For male reacquirers, the situation regarding Turkish military service is complex and is assessed on a case-by-case basis under Turkish law. Reliable information on this comes from the competent Turkish Consulate General; general statements are not appropriate here.

Scenario C — Naturalized before 2024 without permission

Those who acquired German citizenship before June 27, 2024, without first obtaining Turkish release permission have automatically lost Turkish citizenship under Art. 25 TVK. There is no entitlement to a Mavi Kart in this scenario — the card requires that the release occurred with permission. The only path to Turkish citizenship in this case leads through full reacquisition under Art. 43 TVK with the conditions described above.

Which of the two categories (Art. 24/28 with İzin or Art. 25 without İzin) applies in a specific case can usually be clarified through one's own documents from the naturalization procedure at that time: if a Çıkma İzin Belgesi is present, Scenario B applies; if it is missing, Scenario C usually applies.

Documents for German Naturalization as Turkish Nationals

Regardless of the Mavi Kart question, the following documents are typically expected for naturalization under § 10 StAG:

Turkish passport (biometric, valid)
Residence permit (permanent settlement permit, residence permit, or proof of freedom of movement) with proof of at least five years of legal residence
Language certificate at B1 level (telc, Goethe Institute, ÖSD, DTZ or DSD)
Naturalization test certificate (passed with at least 17 of 33 questions)
Income statements for the last twelve months
Certificate of good conduct from the German Federal Central Register
Birth certificate from Turkey with apostille and certified translation
Marriage certificate with apostille and certified translation (if married)
Loyalty declaration (to be submitted personally at the authority appointment, mandatory component since June 27, 2024)

The apostille on Turkish documents is issued by the competent administrative authority in Turkey (usually Kaymakamlık or Valilik); Turkish consulates in Germany provide information on procurement. Certified translations are produced exclusively by translators sworn before a German regional court; the state justice administrations maintain a nationwide database at justiz-dolmetscher.de.

Costs 2026

The authority fees for German naturalization are set out in § 38 StAG and the Citizenship Fee Regulation:

€255 per adult
€51 per minor child naturalized together with a parent
€25 naturalization test fee per person aged 16 and over

Additional costs: certified translations Turkish-German range between €25 and €60 per document depending on document type. Apostilles in Turkey are usually inexpensive but may involve travel costs if they must be obtained on site. Fees for reacquisition of Turkish citizenship (Art. 43 TVK) are set by the Turkish consulate and are independent of the German naturalization fee.

The package prices for application assistance from civitas. start with the Basic Package (€149) and extend to the Express Package (€699) for time-critical cases. The Family Package (€449) covers main and co-naturalization applications in a joint procedure. The complete overview can be found under Prices and Packages.

Competent Naturalization Authorities in Cities with Large Turkish Communities

Mavi Kart and naturalization applications are submitted to the naturalization authority at the place of residence. For cities with significant Turkish communities, we maintain city-specific overviews with authority address, processing time, and typical application method:

Naturalization in Berlin — LEA Berlin, central registration Friedrich-Krause-Ufer
Naturalization in Cologne — Citizenship Office, NRW online portal
Naturalization in Duisburg — City of Duisburg, EfA-NRW portal
Naturalization in Düsseldorf — Citizenship Service Office
Naturalization in Hamburg — Central Residents Office
Naturalization in Munich — KVR Naturalization Office
Naturalization in Stuttgart — Citizenship Service Office
Naturalization in Frankfurt — City of Frankfurt, Public Order Office

Each city overview shows processing time ranges, whether FIT-Connect / EfA portal is available, and which consular certification is practically accepted in the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I automatically get a Mavi Kart with German passport?

No. The Mavi Kart must be applied for separately at the competent Turkish Consulate General. The legal basis is Art. 28 TVK; the requirement is that the release from Turkish citizenship occurred with permission at the time.

Am I a Turkish national with a Mavi Kart?

No. The Mavi Kart confirms that the person is a former Turkish national and retains certain rights. It does not replace citizenship.

Is the Mavi Kart still useful after the German reform 2024?

For new applicants in Germany, the Mavi Kart is generally no longer required because Turkish citizenship is retained with naturalization under § 10 StAG. For persons who were naturalized before 2024 with Çıkma-İzin-Belgesi, the Mavi Kart remains relevant — as a practical legal bridge or as an intermediate step before complete reacquisition under Art. 43 TVK.

Can I get my Turkish passport back if I already have a Mavi Kart?

Yes. Reacquisition of Turkish citizenship under Art. 43 TVK is also possible for Mavi Kart holders. After successful reacquisition, the Mavi Kart becomes obsolete because full Turkish citizenship including passport entitlement exists again. The competent Turkish Consulate General regulates procedures and requirements.

What is the EU Blue Card and what does it have to do with Mavi Kart?

The EU Blue Card is a German residence permit under § 18b AufenthG for qualified professionals from non-EU countries. It has nothing legally to do with the Turkish Mavi Kart. The name similarity often leads to confusion in everyday life; the legal bases and competencies are different.

What civitas. Provides

civitas. is an application assistance service and neither an authority nor a law firm. The wizard supports Turkish nationals with naturalization under § 10 StAG, creates a document checklist, arranges sworn translators for Turkish-German, and fills out the official application form. Communication takes place in Turkish or German as chosen.

For questions of Turkish law — particularly regarding reacquisition under Art. 43 TVK, Mavi Kart applications, military service situations for male reacquirers, and property or inheritance matters in Turkey — the competent Turkish Consulate General (in Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Hannover, Karlsruhe, Mainz, Münster, Nuremberg, and Essen) is the authoritative source. For complex cross-border questions, consultation with a specialist lawyer for migration law or a lawyer specialized in Turkish law may be advisable.

Further Articles:

Legal Notice (⚠️ sworn-translator review pending): This article presents German law under the Citizenship Act (StAG) as amended by the Fourth Amendment Act of October 30, 2025, as well as publicly available fundamentals of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901. It does not replace legal advice in individual cases and is not information on Turkish law. civitas. is a private German application assistance service and not a law firm. For individual questions on Turkish law — particularly regarding reacquisition under Art. 43 TVK, the Mavi Kart, military service questions, or property and inheritance situations — the competent Turkish Consulate General is the authoritative source. For complex cross-border issues, consultation with a specialist lawyer for migration law or a lawyer specialized in Turkish law may be considered.

Sources: Citizenship Act (StAG) as of 10/30/2025, available at gesetze-im-internet.de/stag; Citizenship Fee Regulation to § 38 StAG; Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu), official version available at mevzuat.gov.tr; Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Mavi Kart (mfa.gov.tr); General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (nvi.gov.tr); Federal Office of Administration (bva.bund.de); Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (bamf.de); Federal Statistical Office, Press Release Naturalizations 2024 (destatis.de). Status of all sources: April 2026.

Mavi Kart and Naturalization 2026 What Changes for Turkish Applicants Under the StAG Reform