Who doesn’t dread waiting for paperwork? The lines, the forms, the endless come back laters. But imagine being stuck in that bureaucratic limbo for 35 years, starting from the day you were born. That’s the reality facing Rasim Mert, born and raised in Türkiye, yet still without official citizenship. He has been fighting for decades just to prove that he actually exists.
Rasim Mert’s journey is marked by a frustrating paradox; though he holds a Turkish birth certificate, school diplomas and numerous official documents, the absence of a legally established maternal lineage has left him without an identity card. This administrative gap has forced him to live as a stateless person in the country of his birth for over three decades.
His parents were among the Turkish families who fled the assimilation policies imposed in Bulgaria in 1989. They settled in Bursa, Türkiye, where Rasim was born in 1990. His childhood unfolded like any other child’s, attending school, playing in the neighborhoods, speaking Turkish, and growing up immersed in the country’s culture. However, the family’s complex migration process and bureaucratic delays cast a long shadow over his life.
Following the passing of his father, Rasim and his mother relocated to Izmir. With his birth certificate, he was enrolled in primary and secondary schools, completing both stages successfully. Yet, once he reached adulthood and began applying for his identity card, every attempt ended in rejection due to the missing proof of maternal lineage.
“I was born in this country, grew up here,” Rasim says. “My parents came in 1989. I was born in Bursa in 1990. They got their IDs after I turned 18, but despite holding my birth certificate, diploma and school records, I have repeatedly applied and never received a positive answer from any institution. My family, siblings, and relatives are all citizens. I want to have my identity, too.”
Rasim’s aspiration to serve in the Turkish military underscores the emotional weight of his situation. “My biggest dream is to join the army. I want to do my military service first, as it has always been my goal. After that, I want to work in a job with social security, access health care, and organize my life like any Turkish youth. I have lived here for 35 years, yet I am officially ignored.”
Despite the official documents issued by the Republic of Türkiye, none suffice for Rasim to obtain an identity card without the maternal lineage confirmation. Time and again, government offices have dismissed his applications, citing “missing documents.” “They told me, ‘You don’t exist.’ But I was born and raised here. I went to school, spoke Turkish, lived under this flag. How much more do I need to prove?” he asks, conveying the deep sense of helplessness.
Rasim’s lawyer, Berivan Şevval Oktay, explains, “The reason my client cannot obtain an identity card is the inability to prove maternal lineage. For this reason, we have filed a maternal lineage determination lawsuit at the Family Court. The court’s decision will enable registration under the mother’s civil records. Afterward, we will apply for Turkish citizenship.”
Oktay emphasizes that this case is rare in Turkish law and could set a precedent. “My client was born, educated and has lived within the borders of Türkiye, but has been deprived of citizenship rights. Without an identity card, he cannot access basic rights such as health care, education and social security. Our goal is to secure his legal existence.”
If the court confirms the maternal lineage, Rasim will be registered under his mother’s records, allowing him to finally apply for citizenship. But if it doesn’t? Then the question remains, how much longer will he be left waiting in this endless cycle? It’s hard not to wonder when, or if, this paperwork ordeal will ever come to an end for someone simply trying to prove they exist.
