Alimony In Turkey For Foreign Spouses

Foreign nationality does not, by itself, prevent a spouse from requesting alimony in Turkey. The decisive questions are whether the Turkish courts have jurisdiction, which country’s law applies to the claim and whether the legal conditions for maintenance are satisfied.

Where Turkish law applies, a court may order temporary financial support during divorce proceedings and, under certain conditions, poverty alimony after the divorce. If the spouses have children, child maintenance may also be ordered separately. These forms of financial support have different purposes and should not be treated as a single type of alimony.

International marriages require an additional conflict-of-laws assessment. A Turkish court hearing the case does not necessarily apply Turkish substantive law to every financial claim. Nationality, habitual residence, applicable international conventions and the nature of the requested measure may all affect the outcome.