Official steps after birth: registration, population office, family doctor

Rules can change; we describe the situation as of the date this article was prepared (October 2026). The first days after birth are for meeting your baby and resting, yet a few official tasks wait. If you know them beforehand, you can pack this list together with your hospital bag.

Birth notification: 30 days

Under the Population Services Law (No. 5490), the birth of every live-born child in Türkiye must be notified to the population office within 30 days. For births abroad the deadline is 60 days and notification is made to the diplomatic mission.

Notification can also be made to the health facility where the birth took place. Health facilities must report the birth to the population office within 5 working days. Ask the hospital before discharge how this is handled; for whether e-Devlet notification is available, check the population office’s current notice.

The question of the name

We do not give naming rules in detail or as firm figures here, because rules may be updated. We suggest agreeing on the name with your partner before leaving the hospital and checking the document carefully so there is no spelling error. For the rules, ask the population office.

Family doctor registration

Newborns and babies not yet entered in the population register are registered with the family doctor with whom the mother is registered. Because the baby’s first check-up, vaccinations and follow-up run through the family doctor or family health centre, it is a good step to inform your centre and book an appointment after birth. For changes, see the Ministry of Health’s family doctor registration page.

Health insurance

Turkish citizen children under 18 are considered within general health insurance. Because the deadline or requirement of a separate “SGK baby registration” could not be confirmed from an official source, we give no date here. After birth, check your baby’s coverage through SGK’s e-Devlet services or an SGK office.

Benefits and workplace documents

• Birth support: apply on e-Devlet for the Family Ministry’s birth support. For a first child you can apply until the child is 12 months old, for later children until 60 months; since nothing is paid retroactively, early application helps. See the current page for amounts.
• Nursing allowance: according to SGK, no separate application is needed; it is paid automatically to those who qualify.
• Workplace: send the birth document to your employer or personnel unit; it may be needed for paternity leave and post-birth leave.

A suggested timeline

You do not have to do everything in one day. In the weeks before birth, find out where your documents are and how the hospital handles notification. In the first days after birth, confirm that notification has been made and get the birth document. In the first weeks, ask the family health centre for an appointment and send the document to your workplace. Make sure the 30-day notification period is covered before the first month ends. The application period for birth support is longer, but apply at the first opportunity. Moving in small steps eases the load in this tiring period.

What you can do

1. Before birth, learn about the population office and hospital notification.
2. Before discharge, ask the hospital for the birth document and the notification status.
3. Save the 30-day deadline as a reminder on your phone.
4. Ask your family health centre for a baby appointment.
5. Check beforehand that your e-Devlet password works.
6. Keep photos of documents in a secure folder.

Where to check current rules

• nvi.gov.tr and your local population office: birth notification and naming
• mevzuat.gov.tr: Law No. 5490
• hsgm.saglik.gov.tr: family doctor registration
• aile.gov.tr and turkiye.gov.tr: birth support

This article is for general information; the current statements of the population office and the institutions concerned are what count for your case.