The Turkish government is considering implementing a ‘marriage licence’ system that would be introduced as a new requirement for couples who want to get married, which would include psychological tests and counselling sessions before marriage.
To get married in Turkey, currently only an identity card, 6 photographs, a marriage authorisation from the municipality and a health report from the family doctor are required. Under the new proposal, however, it would be mandatory to undergo psychological testing and counselling prior to approval of the wedding, according to media outlets such as CNN Türk. The aim? To reduce the growing number of divorces and strengthen the institution of the family.
If the measure is approved, it would also mean the creation of counselling centres where problems could be detected in the early stages of cohabitation and newlyweds would be offered counselling. Couples experiencing difficulties would then be referred to reconciliation services before divorce proceedings are initiated.
Speaking to the media, renowned psychiatrist Arif Verimli favoured this measure, noting that marriage should not only be evaluated in physical terms, but also in psychological terms: “Every child grows up according to what they see at home. If we want a healthy society, we need healthy marriages“, said the expert, for whom problems such as psychiatric disorders, personality problems or violent tendencies often go unnoticed during the dating phase. “Even to apply for a job, you are asked for a criminal record. But when you get married, you only know what the other person decides to tell you. Wouldn’t it be nice if this could be checked?” he asked.
The proposal has come to light after Turkey’s divorce rate reached record levels last year, with 187,343 registered break-ups, up 15% from the previous year, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). Almost a third of divorces (34%) occurred during the first five years of marriage. At the same time the country faces demographic challenges: the birth rate has been steadily declining since 2016, and the fertility rate stood at 1.48 children per woman in 2024, well below the replacement level of 2.1. Concerned about this trend, the government declared 2025 as the ‘Year of the Family’ and announced an incentive programme for families to have children.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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