Turkish-Speaking Immigration Attorney in California

1. Book on day one. The 10-day clock starts the day you establish residence in California. The DMV office locator filters offices by distance, city and service. Waits vary by region: one appointment site's 2026 data put the Los Angeles-area average at about 9 days, ranging from 1 to 19 days by office. That is not official DMV data, but with only 10 days to work with, book early.
2. Choose your card. The differences are below. If you want to use your license as ID for domestic flights, choose REAL ID.
3. Gather your documents. For REAL ID you need proof of identity (such as a passport or birth certificate), your SSN and two documents showing your California address. Check the current list on the DMV REAL ID page.
4. Take the tests. A knowledge test, a vision test and, if required, a drive test. The knowledge test is not offered in Turkish (see the available languages).
5. Pay the fee. Card payments carry a service fee of roughly 1.95% to 2.1% depending on the channel. Cash is accepted in person only.

Which card is right for you?

• Standard license: enough to drive. Since May 7, 2025, it is not accepted as ID for domestic flights or to enter federal facilities.
• REAL ID: same fee as the standard license, and accepted at airports and federal facilities.
• AB 60 license: for people who cannot prove lawful presence but can prove identity and California residency. It is not REAL ID compliant and cannot be used for federal purposes. If your status changes, you may be able to upgrade to REAL ID.

Most transactions, including renewals and address changes, can be done online without an office visit.

• No exchange agreements: California has no reciprocity agreement with any foreign country. A foreign license, Turkish or otherwise, is not converted without tests; the first-license steps above apply.
• No Turkish test: on September 25, 2026, the DMV's official sample test page listed ten options: English, Spanish, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese and American Sign Language. Test-prep sites claiming a Turkish test or "36 languages" are wrong.
• Language choice: if you read Russian or Armenian more comfortably than English, you can take the test in that language. Sample tests are on the same page.
• International Driving Permit: it does not replace a California license; it works only as an English translation of your own license. It also helps when renting a car.
• After you move: from the day you establish residence, you can drive on your foreign license for no more than 10 days (Vehicle Code §12505). After that you need a California license.

1. Buy California insurance. For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, minimum liability is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage (Vehicle Code §16056). The old limits were $15,000/$30,000/$5,000; existing policies move to the new minimums at renewal. On January 1, 2035, the minimums rise to $50,000/$100,000/$25,000.
2. Get a smog certificate. For out-of-state vehicles it is required for gasoline vehicles from 1976 on (motorcycles exempt), diesel vehicles from 1998 on under 14,001 lb, and natural gas or propane vehicles under 14,001 lb. Electric vehicles and gasoline vehicles from 1975 or earlier are exempt. Some newer gasoline vehicles pay a $20 smog abatement fee instead of testing. The certificate is valid for 90 days from the inspection. After registration, periodic smog checks apply in 33 counties, according to the DMV.
3. Gather the paperwork. Form REG 343 signed by all owners, your last out-of-state title, your last out-of-state registration, a REG 31 vehicle verification (done by a DMV employee, a police officer or a licensed vehicle verifier) and your out-of-state plates.
4. Pay within 20 days. The DMV's out-of-state guide asks you to pay on time even if the title or smog certificate is still missing.

Late penalties start at about $10 for 1 to 10 days late and pass $100 after two years, plus a percentage penalty on the Vehicle License Fee.

A special rule for newer cars

California does not let residents bring in and register a vehicle that is less than 2 years old with fewer than 7,500 miles unless it was built to California emissions standards; exemptions are on Form REG 256F. If you are moving with a new car from another state, check this before you move.

License and car at the same agency

California has no separate county tax office for vehicles. Your driver's license and your car registration are both handled by the DMV, as separate transactions.

• Transponder and account: a FasTrak transponder is read on toll roads and bridges across the state, but the account systems are separate. Open your account where you will drive most.
• Los Angeles (Metro ExpressLanes): accounts are prepaid. Funded by credit card, you start with a $40 balance, the card reloads $40 when the balance drops to $10, and the $25 transponder deposit is waived. Funded by cash or check, it is a $50 balance plus a $25 deposit per transponder. There is a $1 monthly account fee, waived only for the Low-Income Assistance Plan. An unpaid violation adds a $16 penalty, then a $30 penalty, and can lead to a hold on your DMV registration. Customer service: (877) 812-0022. Clean Air Vehicle toll discounts ended on October 1, 2025. More in our Los Angeles guide.
• Orange County (The Toll Roads): three account types: Prepaid (free, discounted tolls), Charge (free, no discount) and Invoice ($2 a month, no discount). Cash is accepted only at customer service centers or through PayNearMe at retail stores, for a fee. Tolls can take up to 48 hours to post.
• Rental cars: on the Metro ExpressLanes, add the rental's plate with an end date to your own FasTrak account and mount your transponder. Otherwise the trip is processed as a violation, with possible penalties from both Metro and the rental company.

• Paying on LA Metro: tap a TAP card, a contactless bank card or Apple Pay on the reader; you do not need a TAP card. Cash works on buses at exact fare only, and the daily and weekly caps do not apply to cash. Seniors and riders with disabilities are capped at $2.50 a day and $5 a week. The LIFE program gives low-income riders 20 free rides a month. Children under 6 ride free with a paying adult.
• LAX to town: the FlyAway bus to Union Station (downtown) and Van Nuys costs $12.75, card only. The fare rose from $9.75 on April 2, 2025, and some sites still show the old price. The LAX/Metro Transit Center, open since June 6, 2025, connects Metro's C and K Lines to the airport, with a free shuttle to the terminals. The SkyLink people mover to the terminals had not opened to passengers as of the latest reports in August 2026.
• Nonstop to Türkiye: Turkish Airlines flies nonstop from Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) to Istanbul, about 13 hours (time difference and flights).
• Living in Los Angeles? Lines, transfers and airport options are in our Los Angeles guide.

• Los Angeles: the city's power and water come from the municipal LADWP, where the state's CARE and FERA discounts do not apply. Buildings built on or before October 1, 1978 fall under the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), which adds protections on top of state law. A Los Angeles Public Library card is free for any California resident. It is all in our Los Angeles guide.
• Bay Area: BART is the regional rail system and Clipper the shared fare card. Bay Area bridges take no cash (FasTrak). San Francisco has a U.S. Passport Agency and an immigration court, and Turkish Airlines' second nonstop route to Istanbul leaves from SFO. The state's next traveling apostille event in the Bay Area is in Richmond on December 9, 2026.
• San Diego: power and gas from SDG&E, buses and trolleys from MTS. There are two separate USCIS offices, in San Diego and in Chula Vista. A traveling apostille event is set for December 2, 2026.
• Sacramento: the state capital. The Secretary of State's walk-in apostille office is at 1500 11th Street. The USCIS office and the immigration court share a building at 650 Capitol Mall.
• Orange County and the Inland Empire: routes 73, 133, 241 and 261 are run by The Toll Roads. Traveling apostille events are set for Santa Ana on October 21, 2026 and San Bernardino on November 10, 2026.

1. Find your company. Roughly: PG&E serves most of Northern and Central California; SCE serves most of inland and coastal Southern California outside the City of Los Angeles; SDG&E serves San Diego and southern Orange County; LADWP serves the City of Los Angeles. In Southern California, natural gas usually comes from SoCalGas. Boundaries are not exact, so ask your landlord which company serves your address.
2. Open your account. Deposits and accepted IDs vary by company. If you do not have an SSN, ask which documents they accept before you apply.
3. Apply for a discount. CARE is offered by PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, SoCalGas and several smaller utilities. Households just above the CARE limit can get 18% off electricity through FERA, offered by PG&E, SCE and SDG&E. The limits below apply from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027 and are updated every June.

LADWP in the City of Los Angeles

Because LADWP is a municipal utility, it is not part of CARE or FERA. It runs its own programs instead: EZ-SAVE (income-qualified bill savings), the Lifeline Rate for seniors and people with disabilities, LIHEAP referrals, Cool LA for extreme heat, and Level Pay for equal monthly bills. Start service online or at 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397): weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 24/7 for outages and emergencies. More in our Los Angeles guide.

• Deposit cap: one month's rent. Certain small landlords that meet the statute's criteria may charge up to two months.
• Rent cap (AB 1482): yearly increases are limited to 5% plus inflation (CPI) or 10%, whichever is lower, measured from the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months, in no more than two increases per 12 months (Civil Code §1947.12).
• Exempt from the cap: buildings with a certificate of occupancy issued in the last 15 years, owner-occupied duplexes, single-owner homes not held by a corporation, REIT or certain LLCs, deed-restricted affordable housing, college dormitories, and units under a local rent control ordinance, which follow the local rule.
• Just cause: after 12 months, a landlord can end your tenancy only for reasons listed in the law. At-fault reasons include nonpayment, a material lease breach, nuisance, criminal activity and unauthorized subletting. No-fault reasons include an owner move-in, taking the unit off the rental market, a government order to vacate, and demolition or substantial remodeling. A notice that does not follow the rules is void (Civil Code §1946.2).
• In Los Angeles: about 624,000 units in buildings built on or before October 1, 1978 are covered by the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). Since February 2, 2026, landlords can no longer add a utility surcharge on top of the allowed increase. More in our Los Angeles guide.

• Tax rate: Proposition 13 caps the base rate at 1% of assessed value. Voter-approved local add-ons, such as bonds, come on top and vary by area.
• Same street, different tax: because value is set at purchase, two similar homes can pay very different taxes depending on when they were bought.
• The exemption: $7,000 comes off the assessed value (Revenue and Taxation Code §218). The home must be your principal residence.
• Temporary absence and disasters: owners temporarily displaced by damage, living in a care facility, or whose home was destroyed in a declared emergency may keep the exemption if they intend to return or rebuild.
• Where to apply: assessments and the exemption are handled by your county assessor (in Los Angeles, the LA County Assessor). Get the form and the deadline from your own county assessor's office.

1. Find your district. Your address decides it, and each district runs its own enrollment. In Los Angeles, LAUSD enrollment goes through LAUSD One Enrollment: complete and sign the student enrollment form and take it to the school, or enroll online. LAUSD Parent Hotline: (213) 443-1300.
2. Gather documents. Proof of the child's age (a Turkish passport is enough), a lease or utility bill showing your address, and vaccination records. Schools may not demand documents an undocumented parent could not provide, such as a driver's license or voter registration, as proof of residency.
3. Language assessment. Every district uses a Home Language Survey at first enrollment. If a language other than English is spoken at home, the child takes the state's ELPAC test, which decides English-learner status and placement.

• TK and kindergarten ages: TK is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program. The age cutoff is set by state law and is the same in every district. For 2026-27, children born between September 2, 2021 and September 1, 2022 can start TK, and no exceptions are made. Kindergarten requires age 5 by September 1.
• Vaccines: California ended the personal-belief exemption for school vaccines in 2016 (SB 277). Only a medical exemption from a licensed physician is accepted anywhere in the state.
• Newcomer students: the California Department of Education (CDE) has a newcomer students framework, and districts run the programs. In LAUSD, the "We Are One L.A. Unified" campaign publishes a resource guide for immigrant families, and the International Newcomer Enrichment Summer Program serves students in grades 9 to 12 who started school in the U.S. within the last 36 months. More in our Los Angeles guide.
• Your rights in one document: the California Attorney General's "Know Your Educational Rights" guide explains in plain language what schools can and cannot ask.

• The 2026 Medi-Cal change: in 2024 California opened full-scope Medi-Cal to all income-eligible adults regardless of immigration status. Since January 1, 2026, new applicants 19 and older without satisfactory immigration status get restricted-scope Medi-Cal only. They can apply for it and keep it year-round, even without a current emergency.
• Already enrolled? Renew on time and you keep full-scope coverage. If a renewal lapses, you have 90 days to re-enroll before dropping to restricted scope.
• Not affected: income-eligible children 0 to 18, and pregnant people, whose coverage lasts one year after birth.
• The asset test is back: since 2026, applications and renewals have an asset limit of $130,000 for one person plus $65,000 for each additional household member, up to 10. Bank accounts and cash count; your home, one vehicle and household items do not. It mainly affects people 65 and older, people with disabilities and long-term care applicants.
• Covered California: the state marketplace is open to citizens and lawfully present immigrants, including green card holders, refugees, asylees and many visa holders. Undocumented people are not eligible. DACA recipients lost Marketplace eligibility under a 2025 federal rule and can look at Medi-Cal instead. Premium help for 2026 is unchanged from 2025; some lawfully present immigrants lose it starting in 2027 under H.R. 1.
• How to apply: use the state's BenefitsCal portal for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and other programs. Phone support comes from your county's social services office; in Los Angeles County it is (866) 613-3777.
• County programs: help for the uninsured varies by county. Under Los Angeles County's Ability to Pay program, patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty level pay nothing for medically necessary care at county health facilities. The "My Health LA" program that older guides mention closed in January 2024 (Los Angeles guide).
• Clinics and crisis line: find community health centers with income-based fees in the HRSA locator. For a mental health crisis, call 988; phone interpreters are available.

• Where: any county clerk or recorder office. In Los Angeles County, all 7 branches of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk issue licenses; you can start the application online at marriage.lavote.net before your visit. Information line: (800) 201-8999.
• Public or confidential: a public license requires a ceremony with a witness, and certified copies can later be requested by the couple, immediate family or someone with a legal interest. A confidential license needs no witness, the record is not publicly searchable, and only the couple (or someone with a court order) can get a certified copy. The couple must already be living together.
• Fees: set by each county. In Los Angeles County, a public license is $91, a confidential license $85 and an express civil ceremony by appointment $35.
• ID: both of you, together, with unexpired government photo ID. No citizenship or status question is asked for the license.
• For use in Türkiye: the apostille comes from the California Secretary of State, not the county (see apostille).

• County office: fastest for most families. At the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, an in-person copy is $32 (plus $1.75 for card payments). Appointments can be booked up to 3 weeks ahead, and you need photo ID. Records from 1962 on (except 1972 to 1977) are handed over at the appointment. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health office charges $34 per copy. More in our Los Angeles guide.
• CDPH (state): issues certified copies of any California birth by mail, whatever the county. The fee has been $31 since January 1, 2026 (AB 64) and is expected to drop by $2 in 2027. Mail is slower than a county office, but it helps for older records, births in another county, or if you have moved away.
• Certified or informational: an authorized certified copy, the kind that works as ID, is generally limited to the person named, parents, legal guardians and people with a court order or legal interest. An informational copy is not valid for identity purposes. Mail requests for a certified copy generally need a notarized statement.
• Your baby's SSN: if you request it during birth registration at the hospital, the card arrives by mail and no SSA visit is needed.
• Your baby's passport: children under 16 apply in person with Form DS-11; the fee is $100 plus a $35 acceptance fee.

• What to bring: current immigration documents (green card, I-94 or EAD) with a valid passport, and a birth certificate if you have it. No photocopies or notarized copies. SSA suggests waiting 10 days after arrival so DHS records can be verified.
• F-1 and J-1: an SSN is available only once you are authorized to work (on-campus job, CPT, OPT), not just for enrolling in school.
• Appointments: since 2025, SSA generally expects you to book before an in-person visit. Call the office or the national line, 1-800-772-1213.
• Which office: California has many SSA offices, and your ZIP code decides which one serves you. Check the SSA office locator before you go.
• Example, Los Angeles: the city has seven offices (Wilshire Center, Crenshaw, Watts, University Village/Pico-Union, Boyle Heights, Downtown and Westwood), all open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Addresses are in our Los Angeles guide.
• Replacement card: free, often started online; the card arrives in 5 to 10 business days.

According to SSA, you do not need an SSN for school registration or private health insurance. California law also bars schools from requiring one.

State income tax and CalEITC

• Two returns: most California residents who file a federal return also file Form 540 with the FTB.
• CalEITC: for tax year 2025 (returns filed in 2026), a credit of up to $3,756 for workers earning up to $32,900. ITIN filers can claim it, but qualifying children still need valid SSNs. Details are on the FTB CalEITC page.
• Other state credits: the Young Child Tax Credit and the Foster Youth Tax Credit are also open to ITIN filers who meet the other rules.
• Free help: the FTB points filers to VITA volunteer tax sites, and many of them prepare ITIN returns.

How do I get an ITIN?

1. Complete Form W-7 and attach it to your federal return unless an exception applies.
2. Get documents verified. Mail originals to the IRS in Austin, use a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA), or book a free document review at an IRS office that offers it. With a CAA or IRS office, your passport does not go in the mail; documents are returned at the end of the appointment.
3. Wait. Processing takes about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 to April 30).

• IRS offices: all work by appointment, booked at 844-545-5640. Find the nearest one with the IRS office locator, and check the IRS list of offices with ITIN document review.
• Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal return for three years in a row expires.

Forming the LLC

• Fees: Articles of Organization $70, online only. A Statement of Information ($20) is due within 90 days of formation and every two years after that. Name reservation: $10.
• The $800 franchise tax: every LLC organized in or doing business in California owes at least $800 a year until it is cancelled, even with no activity. The first payment is due on the 15th day of the 4th month after filing with the Secretary of State.
• No first-year break: the "no $800 in year one" rule you may still see online applied only to tax years 2021 to 2023. An LLC formed in 2026 owes the $800 for its first year.
• Extra fee at higher income: LLCs with California income over $250,000 also pay an additional fee from $900 to $11,790, depending on the income tier.

Where do I file a DBA (fictitious business name)?

• Who files: sole proprietors and general partnerships doing business under a name that does not include the owner's surname file a fictitious business name (FBN) statement with the county clerk/recorder where the business is based. Fees and steps vary by county.
• Example, Los Angeles County: $26 for a first filing (one name, one registrant), plus $5 for each additional name or registrant, with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. See lavote.gov.
• Newspaper publication: as LA County explains it, state law requires publishing the statement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county within 45 days of filing, once a week for four weeks in a row. Renewals do not need to be republished. This step is easy to miss, so do not skip it.
• Business license is separate: the county clerk does not issue business licenses. In Los Angeles County, the city where the business operates issues it, or the county for unincorporated areas.

• The April 1, 2026 CalFresh change: under the state budget and the federal H.R. 1, refugees, asylees, parolees, trafficking survivors, people granted withholding of removal and battered noncitizens lost federal CalFresh eligibility. Current recipients in those groups keep benefits until their next recertification.
• Who still qualifies: U.S. citizens, most green card holders, Cuban/Haitian entrants and citizens of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. California waives the federal 5-year waiting period for most green card holders.
• CFAP: the state-funded California Food Assistance Program covers some, not all, of the people who lost federal CalFresh. Check your own situation instead of assuming your category is cut off. The state estimates that about 562,000 recipients could be affected.
• Medi-Cal: since January 1, 2026, adults 19 and older without a satisfactory immigration status can no longer newly enroll in full-scope Medi-Cal; they get emergency and pregnancy-related coverage only. People already enrolled keep full coverage if they renew on time. Children and pregnant people are not affected by the freeze.
• U.S.-citizen children in the household may still receive benefits in their own right.
• The new public charge rule: for green card applications filed on or after September 18, 2026, officers may consider any means-tested benefit (CalFresh, Medi-Cal, housing assistance and others) received on or after that date. Benefits received earlier count only if they were cash assistance or long-term institutional care. Benefits received by family members are generally not counted.
• Who is exempt: humanitarian categories such as asylees and refugees, T and U visa holders, VAWA self-petitioners and TPS. Family-based, most employment-based and diversity visa applicants are subject to it.
• Litigation: California is one of the more than 20 states that sued over the rule on September 14, 2026. As of September 25, 2026, no court has blocked it.

1. Log in to your USCIS account and open Change of Address. Reporting online satisfies the legal requirement; no paper AR-11 is needed.
2. Enter the receipt number of every pending case. Otherwise notices may still go to the old address.
3. Tell USPS separately. A post office change of address does not update USCIS, and USPS does not forward USCIS mail.
4. If you are in court proceedings, file Form EOIR-33/IC within 5 days. The court changes your address only through this form.
5. If you have ICE reporting obligations (for example, check-ins set when you were released), update ICE too through the ICE Portal. ICE's page asks for updates within 5 business days of moving.

A and G visa holders and Visa Waiver visitors are exempt from the USCIS requirement.

• Biometrics centers (ASCs): around Los Angeles, La Brea, El Monte (City of Industry), Gardena, San Fernando, Pomona and Bellflower; elsewhere, Riverside, Chula Vista, San Jose, San Francisco, West Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield. The center is assigned on your I-797C notice; you do not choose it. Our biometrics guide covers what to bring.
• Asylum offices: the Los Angeles Asylum Office is actually in Tustin, Orange County: 14101 Myford Road, Tustin, CA 92780, by appointment only. The state also has a San Francisco Asylum Office; take its address from your interview notice.
• One building, several agencies: the federal building at 300 N. Los Angeles Street holds the USCIS office, one of the immigration courts, CBP and ICE. Go to the room on your notice.
• Appointments and questions: USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283, or book online. Appointments are free.
• Processing times: on the USCIS processing times page, pick the form, the category and the office handling your case. Times update monthly.
• Your attorney at the interview: since May 18, 2026, attorneys may no longer join field-office or asylum interviews remotely, except in limited circumstances. Your attorney has to attend in person.

• Olive Street is closed: the old Los Angeles Olive Street court closed on April 17, 2024, and its cases moved to the three Los Angeles courts above. If an old document shows that address, do not go there.
• Hours: the three Los Angeles courts are open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the filing window until 4 p.m.
• Online lookup: ACIS needs only your A-number (A + 8 or 9 digits). Your hearing notice is still the official source; the system may show new dates late.
• ICE: ICE ERO Los Angeles is at 300 N. Los Angeles St., Room 7631, and covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Elsewhere in the state, your check-in location is on the paperwork ICE gave you. If you have a check-in, talk to your attorney before you go.

Where do I find my I-94, and how do I fix an error?

Download your most recent I-94 from CBP's website. Errors made at entry (wrong visa class, name or admit-until date) are corrected by CBP Deferred Inspection, and any office can help no matter which airport you entered through. California has two. The LAX office is not at the airport: it is downtown at 300 N. Los Angeles St., Room 2067, open Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., (310) 665-4580. The SFO office is on the 2nd floor of the airport's International Terminal, open Monday to Thursday, 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., (650) 742-4470. Both fix only mistakes made at the time of entry.

• At the DMV: if you are offered voter registration while applying for a license or ID card and you are not a citizen, decline it.
• The form: federal and state law require checking a U.S. citizenship box on the registration form. Checking it as a noncitizen counts as a false claim of citizenship for USCIS.
• Consequences: registering or voting as a noncitizen is a federal crime (18 U.S.C. 611 and 1015(f)). In immigration law it can mean permanent inadmissibility, deportability and denial of naturalization.
• Do not fill out voter registration forms handed out door to door or at events.
• Jury summons: under Code of Civil Procedure §203, noncitizens, people under 18 and people not domiciled in California cannot serve. If you are summoned, follow the instructions on the summons to claim the citizenship disqualification. The response process varies by county court.

Recently naturalized? The deadline to register for the November 3, 2026 election is October 19, 2026 (online, or postmarked by that date). Paper forms are also available at county elections offices, libraries, DMV offices and post offices. Secretary of State Elections Division: (800) 345-VOTE (8683).

• Find an acceptance facility: use the passport facility locator. These locations accept new applications (DS-11) only.
• Fees: a passport book for a child under 16 costs $100 plus the $35 acceptance fee. A passport card is $30. Urgent service adds a $60 expedite fee.
• Los Angeles Passport Agency: West L.A. Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Weekdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., appointment only.
• San Francisco Passport Agency: 450 Golden Gate Ave., 3rd Floor, Suite 3-2501, San Francisco, CA 94102. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., appointment only.
• Who qualifies: travel abroad within 14 days, or a foreign visa needed within 28 days, with proof. Book at passportappointment.travel.state.gov or (877) 487-2778. Appointments are free; third parties charging for them are scams.

Nonresident surcharge: since January 2026, visitors 16 and older who are not U.S. citizens or green card holders pay an extra $100 per person at Yosemite and at Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Since June 2026 it can be prepaid on Recreation.gov. Joshua Tree and Death Valley do not charge it.

Free

• California State Library Parks Pass: borrowed from a participating public library (more than 1,100 branches statewide, including Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Ana, San Diego and Riverside), it gives one vehicle (up to 9 people) free day-use entry to more than 200 state parks. The program got permanent funding in the 2026-27 state budget.
• California State Historic Parks Pass: free entry for up to 4 people at more than 30 state historic parks, valid through December 31, 2026.
• Golden Gate Bridge and Highway 1: the bridge, its visitor plaza and the Big Sur drive are free.
• Balboa Park: free and open 24/7. Museums rotate free days for San Diego city and county residents and military members. Parking is paid.
• Lake Tahoe: most beaches, such as Baldwin, Pope and Kings Beach, are free; parking is extra.
• Los Angeles: Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center and Getty Villa (both by reservation), The Broad and the California Science Center's main galleries are always free.

With kids

• San Diego Zoo: kids 11 and under are free throughout October 2026, up to six per paying adult.
• Balboa Park: 17 museums and a Japanese garden, right next to the zoo.
• Joshua Tree and Death Valley: desert walks and stargazing in the cooler months. For Death Valley, pick November through April.
• In Los Angeles: the California Science Center (air and space galleries), the Natural History Museum (dinosaur hall), Santa Monica Pier and Griffith Observatory. Disneyland is in Anaheim and Universal Studios Hollywood is in Universal City; both are ticketed, so check hours and prices on their own sites.

To book: konsolosluk.gov.tr → Randevu Al → Türk Vatandaşları İçin Konsolosluk İşlemleri → Los Angeles. The 24/7 Consular Call Center: +1 888 566 76 56. Emergency line: +1 310 779 3288. Email: [email protected]. The consulate's English site is losangeles-cg.mfa.gov.tr.

What can you do there?

• Passport and Turkish ID card: in person, by appointment. Ask the consulate for current fees before your visit.
• Power of attorney: issued at the consulate building only.
• Birth registration: to register a U.S.-born child in the Turkish civil registry, you need the original birth certificate, both parents' IDs and, if applicable, your marriage certificate. Parents' names must match Turkish records. A certified copy from the county or from the state (CDPH) works.
• Marriage first: if you married in the U.S., register the marriage before applying for a new Turkish ID card.

Tips for your visit

• Hours: office hours are weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., but applications are accepted only from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Location: the consulate is not in downtown Los Angeles but in a Beverly Hills office building on Wilshire Boulevard. Leave time for building security and parking, and check the consulate's site for current visiting instructions.
• Holiday: the consulate is closed October 29, 2026 (Republic Day). Check the site for other closures before you book.
• A large district: besides California, the consulate serves Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, plus Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. Try to book early.
• Military service (askerlik): men born in 2007 must complete their registration (yoklama) by December 31, 2026, at the consulate or through e-Devlet. The paid military service option (dövizle askerlik) for July to December 2026 is the foreign-currency equivalent of 472,653.60 TL, paid in U.S. dollars at the Turkish central bank rate of the payment day; ask the consulate whether a transfer fee applies. The amount changes on January 1, 2027. You need a U.S. residence or work permit, at least 3 years (1,095 days) of work abroad, the MSB online training and residence in the consulate's district; applications are in person by appointment. Dual citizens born in the U.S. or who came before 18 can defer until the end of age 35 after registering their U.S. citizenship. F-1 students defer through an Education Attaché; ask the consulate which one serves you.

• Sacramento: 1500 11th Street, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. Walk-in, take a number, same-day service. Visa/Mastercard, check, money order or cash.
• Los Angeles: 300 South Spring Street, Room 12513, Los Angeles, CA 90013. As of September 25, 2026, it is temporarily in Suite 1215 on the 1st floor because of an elevator outage, so check the room before you go. Walk-in, same day. No cash; bring a card, check or money order.
• By mail: Notary Public Section, P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277-0001 (courier: 1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814). $20 per document with no $6 fee. Requests are handled in the order received; there is no expedited mail service.
• Pop-up events: the next 2026 dates are Santa Ana (October 21), Merced (October 28), San Bernardino (November 10), San Diego (December 2) and Richmond (December 9). Venues and rules are posted closer to each date on the Secretary of State's apostille page.
• Which documents qualify: California birth and death certificates signed by a county clerk, county recorder or the State Registrar. Records signed by a local health officer may need county clerk certification first. Notarized documents and documents signed by a California public official also qualify.
• Marriage certificates: the county issues the certified copy, but the apostille comes from the Secretary of State, not the county.
• Federal documents: FBI background checks and naturalization certificates go to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, Form DS-4194, $20 per document.

• U.S. clock changes: daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November: November 1, 2026 and March 14, 2027.
• Coming from Texas: California is two hours behind Texas, so the gap to Türkiye is two hours larger than in Dallas or Houston.
• Nonstop flights: Turkish Airlines flies from Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) to Istanbul Airport (IST). Frequency changes by season; check current schedules on turkishairlines.com.
• One-stop options: airlines at LAX and SFO with European and Gulf hubs (Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, British Airways, ITA, Qatar Airways and Emirates) can connect you to Istanbul. Schedules vary.