Turkish-Speaking Immigration Attorney in Florida

1. Count your 30 days. According to FLHSMV, you become a Florida resident when you start a job in Florida, enroll children in a Florida public school, register to vote, file for a homestead exemption, or live in Florida for more than 6 consecutive months. Your 30 days start from that point.
2. Gather your documents. You need proof of identity, your SSN (if you have one) and proof of your Florida address. Noncitizens must also show documents proving lawful presence in the U.S. Your Florida address takes two different documents (a lease and a bill from the last 60 days, for example). Bring originals. Check the current list on FLHSMV's immigrant page (green card holders) or non-immigrant page (visa holders).
3. Apply in person. There is no online application for a first license; you go to a local office that offers driver's license services. In Duval County (Jacksonville), for example, the county Tax Collector's branches handle licenses and add a $6.25 county service fee to every license transaction. Jacksonville branches are listed in our Jacksonville guide.
4. Take the tests. Every applicant takes a vision test. If you come with a Turkish license, you also take the Class E Knowledge Exam on road signs and traffic laws, and the driving skills test (see below).

What language is the test in?

English only. FLHSMV announced on January 30, 2026 that starting February 6, 2026, all knowledge and skills exams for every license class, including oral exams, are given only in English. There are no interpreters, no translation services and no printed exams in other languages. The knowledge exam used to be offered in several languages, though never in Turkish. Study traffic terms and road-test instructions in English.

What does it cost?

• Test language: since February 6, 2026, every exam is in English only, and interpreters are not allowed. If you are switching from a Turkish license, start preparing in English early.
• Road test: each county runs it its own way. In Duval County, for example, road tests are given only at some Tax Collector branches, Tuesday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., walk-in only. Details are in our Jacksonville guide.
• Coming from another U.S. state: with a valid U.S. state license, you may skip the knowledge and road tests; the vision test still applies. The 30-day deadline applies to you too.
• Moving from Texas: a Texas license counts as an out-of-state license. You have 30 days for the license here, and a shorter deadline for your car (see below).

With a Turkish license, follow the steps above: documents, an in-person application, the vision test, the knowledge exam and the road test.

1. Buy Florida insurance. The policy must come from a company licensed to sell insurance in Florida. You can ask your current agent to move you to a Florida policy. Minimums are in the table below.
2. Get a VIN verification. Any vehicle titled or registered in another state is physically checked, and the result goes on the VIN section of Form HSMV 82040 or on Form HSMV 82042. A law enforcement officer, a military police officer, a licensed Florida dealer or a county tax collector employee can do it.
3. Title and register. With no lien, bring ID for all owners, proof of Florida insurance, the original out-of-state title and a completed, signed Form HSMV 82040. With a lien, ask the lender to transfer the title to Florida. If the lender refuses, get the refusal in writing on letterhead and take it to a motor vehicle service center: the car must be registered either way.
4. No inspection. Florida has not required emissions testing since 2000 and has no periodic safety inspection for passenger cars. Renewing your registration involves no inspection step.

What happens if my insurance lapses?

Coverage must stay in force for the whole registration period, even if the car is not driven or does not run. If you stop using the car, surrender the plate before you cancel the insurance. According to FLHSMV, a lapse can suspend your license and plate for up to 3 years, no hardship license is available for an insurance suspension, and reinstatement can cost up to $500.

• Where to buy: Publix, CVS and Walgreens stores, SunPass walk-in centers, the SunPass site or 1-888-TOLL-FLA. Phone orders arrive in 4 to 5 business days.
• Mini or PRO: the SunPass Mini works only in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas and cannot be used on motorcycles. The SunPass PRO moves between vehicles, works on motorcycles and also works anywhere E-ZPass is accepted, which helps if you often drive up north.
• Adding money: automatic Easy Pay from a card or bank account, manual payments online or by phone, cash at retail stores, or in person.
• Other uses: SunPass also pays for parking at major Florida airports, Port Canaveral and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
• Around Orlando: the Central Florida Expressway Authority has its own transponder, E-PASS. Florida's toll tags work on each other's roads, so SunPass works there too.

What if I drive a toll road without a transponder?

With Toll-By-Plate, a camera photographs your plate. Tolls over a rolling 30-day period are billed together to the registered owner, with a $2.50 administrative fee on each invoice. Toll-By-Plate cannot be used on Florida's Managed Lanes, where a transponder is required.

• Jacksonville: JTA buses and the First Coast Flyer rapid bus cost $1.75 in cash, and riders 65 and older ride free. The automated downtown Skyway is free. A 1-day pass is $4.50 in the MyJTA app. Details are in our Jacksonville guide and on JTA's fares page.
• Orlando: buses are run by Lynx (golynx.com, 1-407-841-LYNX).
• Other cities: check routes and fares with your county's or city's transit agency.

How do I fly from Florida to Istanbul?

• Miami (MIA): Turkish Airlines lists several nonstop flights a day between Miami and Istanbul, about 11 hours each way.
• Atlanta (ATL): another option for North Florida. Turkish Airlines also flies nonstop between Atlanta, Georgia and Istanbul.
• Jacksonville (JAX): there is no nonstop flight from Jacksonville to Istanbul; you connect through a hub.
• Parking: SunPass pays for parking at major Florida airports (see SunPass).

See the Türkiye section for the time difference.

• Electricity: FPL, Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric (TECO) or, in Jacksonville, JEA, depending on the area (see below).
• Evacuation zones: hurricane evacuation zones go by address, so check a new address before you move (hurricane section).
• Tallahassee, the capital: the office that issues apostilles for Florida documents is here (see below).
• Turkish consulate: Florida has its own Turkish Consulate General, in Miami (see below).

1. Find your utility. Ask your landlord, or check your address on the utilities' own sites: FPL, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric, JEA.
2. No SSN? Ask first. For FPL, Duke Energy and Tampa Electric, ask customer service directly about opening an account without an SSN and about deposits.
3. JEA without an SSN. JEA says you are not required to give your SSN. Without one, bring two of the following to a JEA customer center in person: a U.S. driver's license, a state ID, a U.S. government or military ID, a U.S. passport, a green card, a foreign passport with an I-94, a foreign passport with an I-551 stamp, or a B-1/B-2 visa and border crossing card.
4. Deposits. At JEA, giving your SSN and passing a credit check can waive the deposit. Otherwise the deposit is at least $200 for electricity and $100 for water and sewer, or twice the home's average monthly bill if that is higher. JEA MyWay, a prepaid plan, has no deposit, no credit check and no late fees.

Water and trash: these depend on the city. In Jacksonville, JEA also supplies water, and 630-CITY is the city's line for trash. See our Jacksonville guide.

• No cap: the amount is whatever you agree with the landlord. If you are coming from a state such as New Jersey, which caps deposits at one and a half months' rent, note that Florida has no such limit.
• 15 days: if the landlord does not intend to keep any of it, the full deposit is due back within 15 days after the lease ends.
• 30 days: a landlord who plans a deduction must send a written notice with the reason within 30 days.
• Objecting: you have 15 days from receiving that notice to object in writing.
• Interest: owed only if the landlord chooses to hold the deposit in an interest-bearing account. In that case the landlord pays either at least 75 percent of the account's annualized average rate or 5 percent simple interest a year, at least once a year or as a rent credit. A landlord who posts a surety bond instead pays 5 percent a year.

The rules are in Florida Statutes §83.49.

• Who qualifies: owners who hold title and in good faith make the home their permanent residence (§196.031). You cannot also claim a similar residency-based exemption in another state. Renters do not qualify.
• Deadline: March 1 each year (§196.011). There are only two narrow exceptions: a documented postal error, or filing within 25 days after tax notices are mailed with proven extenuating circumstances.
• Bought mid-year? The exemption is not automatic. You file for a home you hold title to on January 1, so apply by March 1 of the following year.
• Where: the property appraiser of the county where the home is.

• Find your zone: on the Know Your Zone map, Zones A through E are based on storm surge, with A the most vulnerable and first to evacuate. Zone F marks areas at risk from rainfall and inland flooding rather than surge.
• Choosing a home: according to the same source, homes built after 2002 include hurricane-resistant features under the modern Florida Building Code.
• Flood insurance: information on the federal National Flood Insurance Program is on FloodSmart. A new policy usually takes effect 30 days after purchase, so buy before the season.
• In Jacksonville: Duval County's JaxReady system also uses Zones A through F and is more detailed. For the address lookup and app, see our Jacksonville guide.
• Leave early: if your home would be unsafe in a hurricane, leave early, even without an official evacuation order.

1. Find your district. Your address decides it. Each district sets its own registration process and required documents; there is no single statewide enrollment portal.
2. Gather documents. Florida districts generally ask for a birth certificate or other valid proof of date of birth, the Florida Certification of Immunization (Form DH 680) or an exemption, a physical exam from the past year for students entering a Florida school for the first time, and proof of address. Bring English translations of documents from Türkiye.
3. Fill out the language survey. Every Florida district gives a three-question Home Language Survey at registration. If you answer "yes" to any question, the school must screen your child's English within the first 20 school days.
4. Age 4? Look at VPK. Florida-resident children who turn 4 by September 1 can attend Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) for free. Get the Certificate of Eligibility from your county's Early Learning Coalition; every county has one.

How does enrollment work in Jacksonville?

Duval County Public Schools runs a dedicated center for newly arrived families, the Center for Language and Culture, which handles English testing, registration help, translations and orientation. The address and phone number are in our Jacksonville guide.

• Florida KidCare: income-based coverage for children under 19 who live in Florida. KidCare's requirements say the child must be a U.S. citizen, an eligible immigrant or a lawful permanent resident, and must have an SSN or have applied for one. New enrollees must document citizenship or immigration status and identity; accepted immigration documents include the I-551, an EAD (I-766) and an I-94. Ask KidCare (1-888-540-5437) which statuses qualify before you apply.
• Medicaid: this changed on October 1, 2026. Federal law now pays a state for full Medicaid only for U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people living here under a Compact of Free Association. Refugees, asylees and parolees are not on that closed list, so from that date they no longer have federally funded full Medicaid. Most green card holders still face the 5-year wait. Two things survive: emergency Medicaid for everyone, and a state option a state may take for lawfully residing pregnant women and people under 21. Whether Florida has taken that option is something to ask before you assume it. The rule is section 71109 of Public Law 119-21. Note what the law actually bars: it stops the federal payment to the state, so ask the state what is left rather than assuming nothing is.
• Emergency Medicaid: covers emergency conditions, including labor and delivery for qualifying undocumented pregnant women.
• HealthCare.gov: Florida has not built its own exchange, so it uses the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov.
• Health centers: federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) charge on a sliding scale and do not ask about immigration status. Find one near you with HRSA's locator. Free and low-cost clinics in Jacksonville are listed in our Jacksonville guide.
• Hospital bills: if you cannot pay, apply at the hospital's financial assistance office. Each hospital system sets its own rules.
• 988: the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

• Where: your county's Clerk of Court. Each county sets its own hours, appointment rules and total fee, so check its site before you go.
• No SSN: under Florida Statutes 741.04, each applicant states under oath a Social Security number "or any other available identification number." Applicants without an SSN can give an alien registration number (A-Number) or another ID number. A passport or other government photo ID works.
• Waiting period: for Florida residents, the license takes effect 3 days after it is issued. Bring a certificate from an approved premarital preparation course and there is no wait at all. A county judge can also waive the wait for hardship.
• Fee: under 741.01, the base is $52 ($2 application, $25 domestic violence surcharge, $25 court revenue), less $25 with the course. Counties add their own fees: in Duval County (Jacksonville), the total is $86, or $61 with the course.
• Validity: the license is good for a ceremony anywhere in Florida within 60 days of issue.
• Name change: optional. If you change your name, update your Social Security record for free.

Duval County application details are in our Jacksonville guide.

• Walk-in counter (Jacksonville): 1217 N. Pearl St., weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cash, checks, money orders, Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
• By mail: Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Computer-generated certificates take 3 to 5 business days.
• VitalChek: the state's only contracted vendor for online and phone orders: 877-550-7330 in the U.S., 615-372-6800 from abroad. VitalChek adds a $7 processing fee.
• Fees: $19 for the first computer-generated certificate (including a $9 search fee and a $10 rush fee, non-refundable), $4 for each extra copy. A photocopy certificate is $14, plus $4 for each extra copy.
• ID: a valid photo ID is required: a driver's license, state ID, passport or military ID.
• County health departments: can issue records for births in that county from 1917 on; fees vary by county.
• Ask for a certified long-form copy: that is what a U.S. passport application and a Turkish civil registration use.
• Apostille: for use in Türkiye, the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee issues the apostille (see below).
• SSN: if you request your baby's Social Security number when the birth is registered at the hospital, the card arrives by mail and you do not need to visit an SSA office.

• 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.
• Which office: Florida has dozens of SSA offices, and SSA assigns yours by ZIP code, not by distance. Check the SSA office locator before you go. Examples: Jacksonville North (1685 Dunn Ave) and Jacksonville South (7185 Bentley Road, Suite 1), Little Havana in Miami (3663 SW 8th St), Orlando (500 N Orange Ave, Suite 4101) and Tampa (7012 W Hillsborough Ave), all open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• National line: 1-800-772-1213.

What can I do in Florida without an SSN?

• School enrollment: state law (Fla. Stat. 1008.386) has schools ask for an SSN at enrollment, but a student is not required to provide one to enroll or graduate. A child without an SSN cannot be turned away. See the school enrollment section.
• Marriage license: the statute (Fla. Stat. 741.04) accepts "any other available identification number", such as an A-number, in place of an SSN.
• Driver's license: FLHSMV asks noncitizens for proof of lawful presence, and for an SSN if you are eligible for one. See the driver's license section.
• Taxes: people who must file but cannot get an SSN use an ITIN (see the tax section below).

Which taxes do I pay in Florida?

• One return: the Florida Constitution (Article VII, Section 5) effectively rules out a state tax on individuals' income. For wages and other income you file only the federal return (Form 1040). There is no state income tax return, so there is no state ITIN or state tax credit question to sort out.
• Moving from New Jersey or New York? The state income tax you paid there does not exist in Florida. Still budget for sales tax and, if you own a home, property tax.
• Sales and property tax: current rates and rules are on the Florida Department of Revenue website. If you bought a home, apply for the homestead exemption, which lowers property tax, with your county property appraiser by March 1 each year.

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 an appointment at an IRS office that reviews ITIN documents. With a CAA or an 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: according to the IRS list, Florida offices that review ITIN documents in person are in Clearwater, Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Melbourne, Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Panama City, Pensacola, Plantation (Fort Lauderdale), Port Saint Lucie, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Appointments: 844-545-5640; it can take several weeks to get one. Find addresses with the IRS office locator.
• Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal return for three years in a row expires.

1. Formation: Sunbiz is the Division of Corporations' official portal and is open 24/7. The filing fee is $100 and the registered agent fee $25. The same filing costs $300 in Texas.
2. Annual Report: $138.75 each year, due by May 1. Reports received after May 1 cost $538.75. No financial information is required.
3. Fictitious name: if you do business under a name other than your own, register it through Sunbiz. Unlike New Jersey, there is no county-by-county filing. Check the current fee on Sunbiz.

Watch out for middlemen: the Department of State says you do not need a paid third-party service to file and that some of them can be misleading. Look for the state seal and the Sunbiz logo on the official site.

• Who still qualifies for SNAP: refugees and asylees no longer qualify based on that status alone; once they get a green card they qualify without the 5-year wait. The 5-year wait still applies to other green card holders, with exceptions such as children under 18.
• U.S.-citizen children in the household may still receive benefits in their own right.
• Florida KidCare: income-based health coverage for children under 19; the monthly cost depends on household size and income. The child must be a U.S. citizen, an eligible immigrant or a lawful permanent resident, and must have an SSN or have applied for one. Unlike New Jersey and some other states, Florida does not cover undocumented children. Apply and check current rules on the Florida KidCare website.
• Medicaid: full Medicaid is generally limited to citizens and qualified immigrants, with a 5-year wait for most green card holders. Undocumented immigrants cannot get full Medicaid, but Emergency Medicaid covers emergency conditions, including labor and delivery.
• The new public charge rule: for green card applications filed on or after September 18, 2026, officers may consider any means-tested benefit (SNAP, Medicaid, 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, such as a child in their own right, 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: on September 14, 2026, more than 20 states filed one lawsuit and cities led by New York City filed another. As of September 25, 2026, no court has blocked the rule.

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.

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

• Why no addresses here: we could not confirm current addresses for offices outside Jacksonville on an official source. Your notice gives the address, floor and time of the office you are called to. You can also search the USCIS office list.
• 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.
• Biometrics: the center is assigned on your I-797C notice; you do not choose it. To reschedule, ask through your USCIS online account at least 12 hours before the appointment. Our biometrics guide covers what to bring.
• Military in Jacksonville: the Jacksonville ASC serves military personnel without an appointment on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Asylum filings: Form I-589 is not filed at the asylum office in person; it goes through USCIS's designated filing channels. The asylum office does not discuss cases by phone, so call the Contact Center with questions.

If you live in North Florida, our Jacksonville guide has more on the Jacksonville office.

• Hours: all three courts are open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with filing until 4 p.m.
• Email: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].
• Krome's second location: the Krome court also holds hearings at the Broward Transitional Center, 3900 N Powerline Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33073. Parking at Krome is free.
• No court in Jacksonville: for North Florida the nearest general-docket court is Orlando, but your notice, not distance, decides where you go.
• 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 lists one ERO office for Florida: the Miramar Sub Office, 2805 SW 145th Ave, Miramar, FL 33027, (954) 843-5800, covering Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 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. Florida has five offices with limited hours, so call before you go. They fix only mistakes made at the time of entry.

• Deadline: voter registration closes 29 days before each election in Florida, and there is no same-day registration. Citizens can register online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov.
• At the license office: a Florida driver's license or ID card does not make you eligible to vote. If you are offered voter registration, answer the citizenship question truthfully.
• 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.
• Who can serve on a jury: under state law (Fla. Stat. 40.01), jurors must be U.S. citizens, at least 18, legal residents of Florida and of the summoning county, and hold a Florida driver's license or ID card (or have completed the alternative affidavit the law allows).
• If a summons arrives: follow the instructions to complete the county court's qualification process and state accurately that you are not a citizen. Not responding at all can cause problems.

Recently naturalized? Register at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov, and remember that registration closes 29 days before each election.

• Find an acceptance facility: use the passport facility locator to find the nearest post office or other facility. These locations accept new applications (DS-11) only. The acceptance fee is paid separately from the passport fee.
• Example: in Jacksonville, the Duval County Clerk of Court accepts new passport applications for adults and children, by appointment or walk-in, at its Downtown office (501 W Adams St., weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., (904) 255-2000) and its Beaches Branch (1543 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
• Children: a passport book for a child under 16 costs $100 plus the $35 acceptance fee.
• Urgent travel: you need proof of travel within 14 days, or of a foreign visa needed within 28 days. The expedite fee is an extra $60.
• Passport agency appointments: free, through the online appointment system or 877-487-2778 (weekdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., weekends 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Eastern Time). The agency's address is on your appointment confirmation. Third-party sites that charge to book an appointment are scams.

Who pays the new $100 fee at the Everglades?

Since January 1, 2026, non-U.S. residents age 16 and older pay $100 per person on top of the standard entrance fee at 11 major national parks, the Everglades among them. Green card holders are exempt and pay resident prices. Accepted proof is a U.S. passport, a U.S. state driver's license or ID card, or a Permanent Resident Card (green card). The annual America the Beautiful Non-Resident Pass ($250) waives the per-visit surcharge; the resident version of the same annual pass is $80. The Everglades is the only Florida park on the list; Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine has no surcharge.

Paying at the Everglades: the park does not accept cash, only digital passes or credit and debit cards. Standard fees: $35 per vehicle, $20 per person on foot or bicycle, $30 per motorcycle, each valid for 7 days.

Free

• Miami: the beaches, South Beach included, and Bayfront Park are public and free. The Metromover, which loops through Downtown and Brickell, is completely free.
• St. Augustine: walking the historic district is free; only the fort is ticketed.
• Tampa: strolling the Riverwalk and the streets of Ybor City costs nothing.
• Florida Keys: public beaches and scenic stops along the Overseas Highway.
• Everglades: entry is paid, but the short trails and overlooks inside are included in the entrance fee.

With kids

• Orlando: Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Multi-day tickets bring the daily cost down a lot; check prices on the official sites.
• Kennedy Space Center: the rocket garden, the Atlantis shuttle and education programs. Check child ticket prices on the official site.
• Tampa: the zoo and roller coasters at Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium in Channelside. Both are ticketed.
• Everglades: the Shark Valley tram tour and short trails are family favorites for spotting alligators.
• Castillo de San Marcos: free for children 15 and under; adult tickets are $15.

To book: konsolosluk.gov.tr → Randevu Al → Türk Vatandaşları İçin Konsolosluk İşlemleri → Miami from the list. After-hours emergency (on-call) line: +1 305 646 8208. Email: [email protected]. The consulate's English website is miami-cg.mfa.gov.tr.

Fees are updated from time to time. Check the current fee and the conditions for mail applications on the consulate's site before your appointment.

Tips for your visit

• Entrance: the building entrance is at the corner of 1st Avenue and 9th Street.
• Coming from far away: Miami is about 340 miles from Jacksonville. If you are driving from Tallahassee, Jacksonville or Pensacola, have every document ready before your appointment; a missing paper means a new appointment and another long trip.
• Timing: in-person applications end at 1 p.m. Allow for Miami traffic and parking and leave early.
• Birth registration: when registering a U.S.-born child with the Turkish civil registry, use the certified long-form copy of the birth certificate. In Florida it comes from the state Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville or from a county health department (see the birth certificate section).
• Military service (askerlik): men born in 2007 must complete their registration (yoklama) by December 31, 2026. The paid military service option (dövizle askerlik) for July to December 2026 is the foreign-currency equivalent of 472,653.60 TL, collected by the Miami consulate in U.S. dollars at the Turkish central bank rate of the payment day, plus a transfer fee (ask the consulate for the current amount); the amount changes on January 1, 2027. It requires at least 3 years (1,095 days) of work abroad, a U.S. residence or work permit, the MSB online training and an in-person appointment. All of Florida is in the Miami consulate's district. 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 Florida.

1. Get the right certified copy. Birth, marriage, divorce and death records come from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics (in Jacksonville) or the county. Photocopies are not accepted.
2. Prepare payment. A check or money order payable to "Florida Department of State": $10 per document, or $20 for documents certified by a Clerk of the Court.
3. Submit. Address: Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Section, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303. Check the current instructions on the Department of State's apostille page.

• One office for the state: all Florida apostilles are issued in Tallahassee. There is no separate county apostille office in Jacksonville, Miami or Orlando.
• Vital records in person: the state vital records office is at 1217 N. Pearl St., Jacksonville, open for walk-ins weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• General contact: Department of State, 850-245-6500.

• 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.
• Miami to Istanbul: check current schedules and fares on the airline's Miami page; fares change often.
• From North Florida: there is no nonstop flight from Jacksonville to Istanbul, so you connect. Besides Miami, Atlanta is the other Turkish Airlines nonstop gateway close to North Florida.