Paternity action
Establishing parentage by court decision; the parties and the requirements of representation.
Review the scope
PARENTAGE AND PERSONAL STATUS MATTERS
Parentage, Paternity and Adoption Cases
Legal advice and litigation support in paternity, denial of parentage, recognition and annulment of recognition, adoption and related civil registry procedures.
Establishing parentage, removing it and correcting the record are different procedures
Parentage between a child and the mother is established by birth. Parentage with the father can be established under the conditions in the law through marriage, recognition or a court judgment; adoption is a parentage relationship subject to separate conditions. A mistake in a civil registry record and the alteration of a legally existing parentage are not treated as the same lawsuit.
We provide legal support in paternity and denial-of-parentage actions, in recognition and annulment of recognition, and in the adoption of a minor or an adult. In the first review, the existing record and parentage, the applicant’s standing, time limits, the need for representation and the interests of the child are addressed together.
TIME LIMIT AND DOCUMENT CHECK
State the dates of birth, of becoming aware and of the decisions
The right to sue and the time limits vary according to the applicant and the type of request. In particular, note the dates of birth, of becoming aware, of reaching majority and of notification of the curator’s decision. A DNA result obtained privately does not by itself change the civil registry record; do not share personal and genetic data in your first message.
Phone and contact informationWhat kind of legal support are you looking for?
By choosing the heading that suits your need, you can review the scope of the service and the topics covered in the initial assessment.
Denial of parentage
Rebutting the existing presumption of paternity and examining the right to sue.
Review the scopeRecognition and annulment
The form of recognition, an existing obstacle of parentage and annulment requests.
Review the scopeAdoption of a minor
The child’s welfare, care, age, consent and court examination.
Review the scopeAdoption of an adult
Special conditions for an adult or restricted person, family relationship and consents.
Review the scopeEvidence and civil registry matters
DNA, official records, the representation curator and entry of the decision in the civil registry.
Review the scopeWhich legal relationship is your request aimed at?
If a parentage already exists, its relationship to the new request is clarified first.
| Action | Purpose | Matter to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Paternity action | Establishing parentage with the father by the court | Any other existing parentage, the right to sue and the parties |
| Denial of parentage | Rebutting the presumption of paternity | Standing of the claimant, the opposing party and the time limit |
| Recognition | Establishing parentage in the form required by law | The capacity of the person recognizing and any existing parentage |
| Annulment of recognition | Removing an invalid recognition | Ground, party and time limit, depending on the claimant |
| Adoption | A new legal relationship under the conditions of the law | Age, care, consent and the welfare of the child |
| Correction of the civil registry entry | Remedying a record error | Whether the request in fact changes the parentage |
The name of the action does not, on its own, determine the competent court. The real legal nature of the request, the existing records and the parentage relationship are examined together.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts · Law No. 6100, Code of Civil Procedure
Service areas and legal processes
Advice, application preparation and dispute follow-up are assessed together, according to the nature of the request, the position of the parties and the stage of the relevant transaction.
Paternity action and related claims
Right to sue, parties and existing parentage
The mother and the child may, under the statutory conditions, request that parentage with the father be determined by the court. If the father has died, directing the action against the heirs and the related notice obligations are assessed. If the child already has parentage with another man, the relationship between removing it and the new request is determined; no assumption of directly changing the civil registry record is made.
Financial claims of the child and the mother
The claim for establishing parentage and the claims for maintenance for the child and for the mother’s birth and pregnancy expenses are examined on their separate legal bases. Claims that may be asserted together or separately are prepared according to the parties and the need for evidence. Bringing the action does not mean that all the financial consequences sought will arise automatically.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts
Denial of parentage and the right to sue
Application by the husband, the mother and the child
Under the current Article 286 of the Turkish Civil Code (TMK), the husband, the mother or the child may bring an action to deny parentage. Against whom the action is to be directed and the child’s need for independent representation are assessed according to the claimant. The former statement that the mother cannot bring the action is not used; the right to apply is examined under the current provision.
Other persons concerned and the time limit
The right of the person claiming to be the father and of other persons concerned to bring an action is not unlimited; the conditions under Article 291 of the TMK are examined separately. The starting dates and the time limits for bringing an action are assessed separately for the husband, the mother, the child and the curator. If there is a reason justifying a delay, or transitional conditions apply, these are examined through concrete records.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts
Recognition, annulment of recognition and capacity
Form and effect of recognition
The conditions concerning making a recognition by written application to the registrar or the court, by an official deed or by will are assessed. The capacity of the person recognizing, the required consent and the child’s existing parentage with another man are checked. An ordinary private document made between the parties is not, in every case, regarded as a valid act of recognition.
Annulment request and evidence
The ground for annulment, the right to sue, the opposing party and the time limit may differ depending on the person recognizing and the other persons concerned. An allegation of a defect of intent and an objection directed at the biological tie are not treated in the same way. The appropriate request is prepared on the basis of the existing recognition document, the civil registry record, the date of becoming aware and the relevant evidence.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code
Adoption of a minor
Care, age, and joint or individual adoption
That the minor has been cared for and educated by the adopter for at least one year, and that the act is in the child’s welfare, are among the basic conditions. For joint adoption, the spouses’ having been married for at least five years or having reached the age of thirty is assessed; for adoption by an unmarried person alone, the thirty-year age condition is assessed. The special provisions on adopting a spouse’s child and on adoption by a married person alone are examined separately.
Consents and the court’s investigation
The age difference of at least eighteen years between the adopter and the child, the consent of a minor with the capacity to discern and the consent of the mother or father are assessed. The rules on the timing and withdrawal of the parents’ consent and the exceptions in which consent is not required are examined separately. For a child under guardianship, the necessary permissions, a social investigation (sosyal inceleme) and the court’s comprehensive investigation are taken into account; the parties’ agreement alone is not sufficient.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts
Adoption of an adult or restricted person
Special statutory conditions
In the adoption of an adult or restricted person, the conditions of care, education or living together as a family under Article 313 of the TMK are examined. The different possibilities listed in the law are assessed separately with their elements of duration and justified reason. The process for adopting minors is not applied to an adult in the same way and unconditionally.
Consent and family relations
If the adopter has descendants, the requirement of express consent is assessed; if the adoptee is married, the consent of the spouse is assessed. If there is guardianship, the relevant permission and representation conditions are examined separately. The purpose of the act, the history of the family relationship and the inheritance consequences are documented; a wish for inheritance planning does not remove the statutory conditions.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code
DNA, other evidence and independent representation
Scientific examination and the evidentiary regime
Birth, marriage and civil registry records, dates of events, lawfully obtained documents and scientific examination are assessed together. The examinations required to determine parentage are carried out within court procedure. The source of the DNA report, identity verification and judicial assessment are important; a private test does not directly change the civil registry record.
Representation of the child and privacy
If the interests of the child and the legal representative conflict, the need for a representation curator is examined. The authority and permission scope of the guardian or curator is checked according to the file. Genetic data, health information and family records are processed only to the extent necessary; the child’s privacy and the conditions of being heard are respected throughout the process.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 6100, Code of Civil Procedure · Law No. 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data
Civil registry procedures and the foreign element
Reflection of the decision in the records
Depending on finality and the nature of the decision, the relevant civil registry procedures are followed. In adoption, the name, surname, the names of the mother and father and the links with the family register (aile kütüğü) are assessed under the current statutory provisions. The special confidentiality of adoption records is protected; it is not assumed that all family ties or inheritance consequences end in the same way.
Foreign records and decisions
If there is a birth abroad, foreign citizenship, a foreign adoption or a decision on parentage, the applicable law, the jurisdiction of the Turkish courts and the effect of the decision in Türkiye are examined separately. Translation, certification and, where necessary, the conditions of recognition and enforcement are determined. It cannot be said that a foreign decision, merely by being translated, can in every case be applied directly.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts · Law No. 5718 on Private International Law and Procedure
The adoption process and termination of the relationship
Separating the institutional route from the court process
The preparatory routes may differ for adoption through an institution, adoption of a spouse’s child or other statutory situations. The intermediation process of the competent institution and the court’s adoption decision are separate stages. The legal service covers the application and the follow-up of the case; child matching or any unlawful private intermediation service is not offered.
Termination of the adoption relationship
A request for termination based on the absence of the required consent or other fundamental deficiencies is assessed under its statutory conditions. A mere change of mind is not a general ground for termination. The claimant’s standing, the date of becoming aware, the time limit for bringing an action and the interests of the adoptee are examined together; the type of deficiency and whether it was later cured matter.
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts · Law No. 6100, Code of Civil Procedure
A practical guide for the initial assessment
The checks below help you prepare for the consultation and set the priorities in your file.
How do we classify the request at the first consultation?
The existing civil registry record and the legal tie are examined before the name of the action.
| Need | First check |
|---|---|
| Establishing a tie with the father | Existing parentage with another man and the paternity / recognition route |
| Denial of an existing paternity tie | Source of the presumption, standing of the claimant and the time limit |
| Removal of a recognition | The recognition document, the ground for annulment and the date of becoming aware |
| Adoption | Minor / adult distinction, care, consent and permission |
| Correction of an erroneous record | Is it a record correction or a change of parentage? |
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code · Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts · Law No. 6100, Code of Civil Procedure
Why do time limits vary with the applicant?
The distinction below is not a full calculation of time limits; the concrete dates and exceptions are assessed together.
| Request / person | Starting point to check |
|---|---|
| Denial of parentage — husband | Birth and learning that he is not the father; statutory time limit and justified reason |
| Denial of parentage — mother | Birth; the current Article 289 of the TMK and a justified reason for delay |
| Denial of parentage — child / curator | Reaching majority or notification of the appointment decision; relevant special conditions |
| Paternity — mother | Birth, the removal of any other existing parentage and statutory exceptions |
| Paternity — child | The mother’s time limit does not apply automatically to the child; annulment decisions are taken into account |
| Annulment of recognition / termination of the adoption relationship | Becoming aware, the act and special time-limit provisions, depending on the claimant |
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code
Preparation check for adoption
The conditions are assessed together; a single piece of age or income information is not enough.
| Heading | Matter to examine |
|---|---|
| Person and family situation | Minor / adult, marriage and other children |
| Care and relationship | Duration, education and family life records |
| Age conditions | The age and age-difference provisions of the relevant route |
| Consent and permission | Child, mother / father, spouse, descendants and guardianship permissions |
| Welfare and examination | Social investigation, court assessment and confidentiality |
Legal basis: Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code
Areas connected with family and personal status
The scope of this service is built not on sectors but on the legal situation of the child and the persons concerned.
Family law
Family relationships connected with parentage, and protection needs.
Review the related areaPersons and civil registry matters
Record correction, personal status and the reflection of the decision in the registry.
Review the related areaInheritance and the estate
The effect of parentage or adoption on inheritance relationships.
Review the related area
How do we handle your file?
At the first consultation, we determine the legal nature of the request, the existing documents, the missing information and the need for priority action. The scope of the consultation and of the work that follows it are agreed separately.
Establishing the existing tie and the request
The civil registry record, existing parentage, the claimant’s standing and the aim are determined together.
Review of time limits, representation and evidence
The dates of birth and of becoming aware, the need for a curator, official records and the need for scientific examination are assessed.
Application and case preparation
The request, the parties, notices, permissions and related financial or civil registry procedures are prepared.
Decision and registry procedures
Proceedings, finality and the necessary civil registry procedures are followed with confidentiality in mind.
Antalya-based work and follow-up across Türkiye
Güneş & Güneş Law Firm, founded in Kemer on March 18, 1999 and based in Antalya since 2007, provides advisory and representation services for legal needs in all 81 provinces of Türkiye. Depending on the location and nature of the file, a work plan is set up through an in-person or online meeting.
In matters involving a foreign element, transactions under Turkish law are assessed. Where a transaction is needed in another country, the engagement of a local legal adviser, that adviser’s authority and the scope of fees are agreed separately.
What should you prepare before the consultation?
A short summary showing the subject and the time limit is enough to begin with. Documents you do not have can be identified after the initial assessment.
In the first application
- Your request and your position as the applicant: mother, child, husband, the person recognizing, or the person wishing to adopt.
- The dates of birth, of becoming aware, of reaching majority and, if any, of decisions and notifications.
- Whether there is an existing parentage or adoption decision and, if any, a connection with a foreign country.
Documents reviewed when necessary
- Civil registry, birth and marriage records to the necessary extent; recognition documents.
- Earlier court decisions, finality, notification and curator / guardianship documents.
- Scientific examination and other lawfully obtained evidence requested by the court.
- In adoption, care, education, family relationship, consent and institutional / social investigation documents.
- The original of a foreign record or decision, its translation and the required certification documents.
You do not need to send an identity number, a medical report, records relating to children or the whole file with your first application. Shared information is handled only for the purpose of legal assessment and to the extent necessary. Detailed documents are requested once the need and a secure sharing method have been determined. The need for special confidentiality and secure sharing for genetic data, health reports and adoption records is assessed separately. Review our approach to confidentiality and information security. Get information on secure document sharing.
Fees, scope and contact
The attorney’s fee is determined by taking into account the scope of advice, application, contract work or litigation, and the effort the work requires. The fee, costs and, where applicable, expert, translation, notary or outside adviser expenses are disclosed before the engagement; the work undertaken is defined in writing.
A first response to your consultation request is given within 48 hours. This response does not mean that the file has been reviewed in full or that a representation relationship has been established. If there is an approaching time limit for an objection or a lawsuit, state it at the beginning of your application; do not wait for a response for time-limited steps.
Frequently asked questions
Are a paternity action and an action to deny parentage the same action?
No. A paternity action aims at establishing parentage, while an action to deny parentage aims at rebutting the existing presumption of paternity. If there is another existing parentage, the order and relationship of the requests are examined separately.
Can a mother bring an action to deny parentage?
Yes. Under the current Article 286 of the TMK, the mother can also bring an action. Matters such as the defendants, the date of birth, the time limit and any justified reason for delay must be assessed separately.
Can anyone who says he is the biological father bring an action directly?
The type of action and the statutory conditions must be looked at. In particular in denial of parentage, the right of other persons concerned to bring an action is limited by Article 291 of the TMK; a general and unconditional right is not presumed.
Is the time limit the same for the mother and the child in a paternity action?
It is not regarded as the same. The mother’s time limit for the action and the child’s situation are assessed separately; Constitutional Court annulment decisions and the effect of any other existing parentage are taken into account.
Does a DNA test directly change the civil registry record?
No. The legal assessment of the test and the conditions of the relevant action or valid act and record are required. Scientific examination is handled within court procedure, identity verification and the rules of evidence.
Can a recognition be made if the child is registered under another man?
An existing parentage with another man may constitute a statutory obstacle to recognition. First, the legal nature of the record and of the existing relationship, and the route needed to remove it, must be assessed.
Why might a curator need to be appointed for the child?
If the interests of the child and the legal representative conflict, independent representation may be required. The appointment is assessed through the parties to the action and the act to be performed.
Can an unmarried person adopt alone?
It is possible under the conditions in the law. The relevant conditions, including the age of thirty, the age difference with the minor, care, consent and the welfare of the child, must be examined together.
For adoption, must spouses be both married for five years and thirty years old?
Article 306 of the TMK provides for these two conditions as alternatives: at least five years of marriage or the age of thirty. The other conditions of adoption must also be met; there is a special provision for adopting a spouse’s child.
Is the consent of the mother and father required in every case?
The general rule is consent; however, the law provides special cases in which consent is not required. The form, timing and withdrawal of consent, and the exceptions, are assessed in the court process.
Can an adult be adopted?
Yes; the special conditions in Article 313 of the TMK must be present. Elements such as care or living together as a family, the consent of descendants and the consent of the spouse of a married person are examined separately.
Does every adoption necessarily begin with matching by an institution?
No. Adoption through an institution, adopting a spouse’s child and other statutory situations may have different preparatory routes. The adoption relationship is established by court decision.
If the adoption is abandoned, is the relationship terminated immediately?
A mere change of mind is not sufficient. The statutory deficiency, the right to sue, the time limit and the interests of the adoptee are assessed together.
Is a foreign adoption decision applied automatically in Türkiye?
Automatic application cannot be accepted in every case. The applicable law, the nature of the decision, the required conditions of recognition and enforcement or of registration, and the documents are examined separately.
Related legal services
Family Law
The general framework of family disputes connected with parentage.
Personal Status and Civil Registry
Separating personal status and record correction requests.
Alimony and Maintenance
The child’s maintenance expenses and related maintenance claims.
Inheritance and Estate Law
The inheritance connections of parentage and adoption decisions.
Guardianship Law, Guardians and Curators
Representation curator and guardianship permissions
Legislation and information
This page has been prepared for general information purposes. The official sources below were checked on October 4, 2026 as part of content preparation. The rule to be applied, the transitional provision, the competent authority and the time limit are assessed separately according to the date of the transaction and the circumstances of the specific case. The text is not a legal opinion or a commitment as to results for any particular file.
- Law No. 4721, Turkish Civil Code (opens in a new tab)
In particular Articles 282–320 and 426; the amendments to Articles 286, 289, 291 and 314 made by Law No. 7531, and the Constitutional Court annulments in the time-limit provisions, have been taken into account.
- Law No. 4787 on the Establishment, Duties and Trial Procedures of Family Courts (opens in a new tab)
Jurisdiction of the family court; the distinction between a civil registry correction and a parentage claim is examined in the concrete dispute.
- Law No. 6100, Code of Civil Procedure (opens in a new tab)
Representation, evidence and, in particular under Article 292, parentage examinations.
- Law No. 5718 on Private International Law and Procedure (opens in a new tab)
Parentage, adoption, foreign decisions and applicable law.
- Law No. 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data (opens in a new tab)
Genetic and health data and the framework of necessary data security.
Let us assess your parentage or adoption request
Briefly share your request, the existing legal relationship and the important dates. Let us determine the suitable route for the application and the necessary documents.