TN 31 (08-05)

A. Background

1. General

Before the Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1926, the Rumi (aka Mali) calendar was used to record dates on all official Turkish and Ottoman Empire records. The Hegira (or Muslim) calendar was not used unless it was specifically identified or the Rumi date was also shown.

EXCEPTION: Prior to 1917, the Province of Istanbul used the Hegira calendar to record events on official documents and records.

2. Rumi calendar

Generally, the Rumi calendar began on March 1 (Julian calendar) and ended the last day of February.

In 1918, the Turkish Government adopted the Gregorian calendar for month and day designations but continued to use the Rumi year until 1926.

B. Policy

SSA assumes the Rumi calendar was used if a Turkish document shows only one date and was issued or recorded before 1926. SSA uses September 2 as the month and day of birth if the evidence establishes only the year of birth.

SSA assumes the Hegira calendar was used if the document clearly shows it was issued or recorded in the Province of Istanbul (including the city of Istanbul) before 1917.

C. Procedure

If a claimant insists a document (which shows only one date) was recorded or issued in the Province of Istanbul before 1917, ask the FSP in Istanbul to determine whether the document was issued, or the event recorded, in the Province of Istanbul before 1917.

Refer questions about Hegira and Rumi calendar dates which can not be resolved using the information in GN 00307.899D. to CTS.

D. List of Rumi and Gregorian dates

The following chart shows the Gregorian dates on which the Rumi years after 1330 began.