According to an official of the Consular section at the Embassy of Turkey in Ottawa, if one of the parents is a Turkish citizen, the children will automatically be entitled to Turkish citizenship whether or not the child was born in Turkey or abroad (17 Jan. 2000).

The mother must prove with a birth certificate of the country of birth that the child is legitimately her's. Without such a document the child would not registered in a Turkish embassy as a citizen. If the mother can provide the child's birth certificate, the child's registration as a Turkish citizen would be easy and simple as long as the following documents are also provided: the mother's birth certificate, her passport, the marriage certificate (if the mother is married to a non-Turkish citizen). Along with the CAN $15.00 consular fee, the mother would have to fill in the appropriate administrative forms. The application is sent by diplomatic mail to Turkey for registration, a procedure that takes approximately 1 to 2 months.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Consular section, Embassy of Turkey, Ottawa. 17 January 2000. Telephone interview with representative.