How to obtain the Turkish Citizenship

• Benefits of Turkish citizenship
• Get the Turkish citizenship by investment
• • Benefits of acquiring the citizenship by investment
  • Investment instruments
  • Turkish citizenship by property investment of 400,000 USD
  • Turkish citizenship by business investment of 500,000 USD
• Get the Turkish Citizenship by Living and Residing in Turkey
• Get the Turkish Citizenship if you have Turkish Origins (Ottoman)
• Get the Turkish Citizenship by Marrying a Turkish Citizen
• Appendix I
• Appendix II

Benefits of Turkish citizenship

Permanent right of residence.

Unrestricted right of work and investment opportunity in Turkey without limitations.

Travel to many countries visa-free ^[1] (Visa free destinations).

The assessment process for visa applications to many countries is simple (Visa requirements).

International incentives granted to Turkish citizens with bilateral and multilateral agreements including the Ankara Agreement with the European Economic Community ^[2].

Your spouse and children under the age of 18 can obtain citizenship.

The Turkish passport and citizenship are delivered in a time averaging 30 to 60 working days.

Much faster - within 3 to 7 working days - you will receive the residency until your citizenship is processed ^[3].

You do not need to declare your property or current income that you have in other countries.

Turkey allows for dual citizenship in most cases.

The Turkish passport has a 10-year validity and it is renewable for lifetime.

[1] The Turkish passport power rank is 35 (Where can I travel to with my Turkish passport?).

[2] The Agreement Creating An Association Between the European Economic Community and The Republic of Turkey makes it possible for Turkish to engage in business activities in the specified countries. Along comes the right to move without delay and apply for residence as well as citizenship in these countries.

[3] After the approval of the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM) that the property purchase is valid and that the property value amounts to 400,000 USD you will receive your residency. With the residence, you are able to live in and move around freely in Turkey until the final delivery of your Turkish passport and citizenship. This approval usually only takes 3 to 7 working days.

Get the Turkish citizenship by investment

1. Benefits of acquiring the citizenship by investment
2. Available investment instruments
3. Buy properties with a value of 400,000 USD
4. Turkish citizenship by business investment of 500,000 USD

1. Benefits of acquiring the citizenship by investment

It is not necessary to reside in Turkey for a minimum duration

No requirement to speak the Turkish language

You do not have to be physically present in Turkey for the application process

You do not need to wait three years but rather obtain the citizenship instantly

2. Available investment instruments

The following investment instruments are available.

• Own property that has a value of 400,000 USD

• Business investment of 500,000 USD

• Deposit 500,000 USD in a financial institution in Turkey

• Buy government bonds with a value of 500,000 USD (Turkish REITs or VCTs) ^[1]

• Establish employment for 50 employees

[1] Real estate investment fund participation shares or approved venture capital investment funds.

Investments can be in USD or equivalent foreign currency or TRY.

As this is the most common instrument and aligns with Timondro`s background as a trusted real estate consultant company the focus of the below analysis will be on the citizenship-option by property investment.

Download the official summary: Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship for Foreign Investors (English / German / French).

3. Turkish citizenship by property investment of 400,000 USD

• Property investment 400,000 USD
  

  With the decision issued on 14. June 2022 in the official Turkish law gazette Turkish citizenship will be granted directly to foreigners who buy property in Turkey (ready or under construction) with a total value of 400,000 USD.

  The responsible land registry performs the evaluation by using the exchange rate (effective sales rate, in Turkish "efektif satış kuru") published by the Turkish Central Bank. You can find the respective daily exchange rates on the website of the Turkish Central Bank.

• 3-year pledge
  

  The buyer has to pledge to not sell the property for the next 3 years. This temporary restriction will be registered on the title deed.

• Number of properties
  

  The law does not state a specific number of purchased properties. The total value of the purchase after 14 June 2022 has to exceed 400,000 USD.

  If you buy 3 apartments and their total value is equal to or exceeds 400,000 USD you can apply for citizenship.

Important updates on January 1st, 2023
There are no limitations on the number of properties or the kind of property that may be purchased. Several properties, such as homes, enterprises, lands, or farms, with a combined total of at least 400.000 USD, are eligible for the Turkey citizenship program. More than one notary sales contract that meets the requirement for sales volume would have been accepted under the previous circular. But now that the legislation has changed, the minimum purchase amount must be settled through a single notarial sales contract. Applications for Turkish citizenship will not be taken into account if there are several notarial sales contracts. Several title deeds are acceptable in Turkish citizenship applications.

Joint ownership cannot be used to petition for citizenship. The applicant cannot obtain Turkish citizenship along with the property if they share ownership rights on the title deed with another person or legal body. A single person's name must appear on the title deed. When a property's ownership rights are transferred from several owners to a single foreign person, the new owner is eligible to apply for Turkish citizenship because they are the sole holder of such rights.

• Type of property
  

  The law does not limit this investment instrument to a specific type of property. All the following property types are viable.
  Ready to move
  Under construction
  Plot of land
  Commercial properties

Upon fulfilling the requirements (purchased property value equals to or is greater than 400,000 USD & 3 year pledge) you are entitled to apply for the Turkish citizenship.

For comprehensive details and a step by step manual for citizenship application by property investment please see the Appendix I.

For a detailed list of required documents please refer to Required documents.

For our comprehensive services for the application please refer to Timondro network services.

4. Turkish citizenship by business investment of 500,000 USD

Business investment means either establishing a new company or buying a share of an existing company in Turkey.

• Establishing a new company worth 500,000 USD
  

  The company`s nominal capital has to be 500,000 USD or more. The capital must be paid in.

• Buying a share of a company worth 500,000 USD
  

  For the investor’s stake (buy in) in another company the acquisition value has to amount to a minimum of 500,000 USD.

Investments can be in USD or equivalent foreign currency or TRY.

Alternatively investors can invest in financial assets (again min. 500,000 USD) of a Turkish bank and vow to not withdraw these funds for three years.

Foreign investors who apply for the citizenship based on a business investment have to submit a written request to the Ministry of Economy and provide the following documents.

Required documents

• Filled out investment information form
• Photocopy of the passport
• Commercial registration, that shows the capital amount and shareholder structure of the respective legal entity
• Documents for the acquired (financial) assets of the investment
• A report of a sworn financial advisor confirming the investment to be 500,000 USD or more and providing a foreign currency deposit receipt, if available
• After approval by the Ministry of Economy the application will be forwarded to the Ministry of Interior to take the necessary administrative procedures

Important notes

• Fixed-asset investments made before 12 January 2017 do not entitle to apply for the Turkish citizenship.
• If the foreign investor acquires only a certain percentage of shares in a company (meaning not a 100 % ownership), the amount that results by multiplying the investor's share (e.g. 50 %) with the company’s share capital (e.g. 1,000,000 USD) has to amount to 500,000 USD.
• The maximum spending for a period of 3 years will be taken into account, when calculating the company's expenses for requests to be submitted in the following years.
• In the case that you want to make an additional investment on an existing one, the nominal USD increase of the investment by you will be taken into consideration at the date of the additional investment (again 500.000 USD).

Get the Turkish citizenship by living and residing in Turkey

To be able to permanently live in Turkey, you will have to obtain a residence permit.

The conditions of obtaining the citizenship by residing in Turkey

There is a set of conditions for obtaining citizenship by residing in Turkey. Alike in many other countries fulfilling the criteria does not automatically entitle to receive the citizenship. It is the Turkish government that decides.

• The law specifies an uninterrupted residence period in Turkey for 5 years. During these 5 years it is allowed to leave the country for a period not exceeding six months. The required period for continuous residency in Turkey can increase to 8 years in cases where the government takes the university years for students into consideration. This can mainly apply for students that start employment in Turkey after they graduate from university.

• In summary the following points can be relevant when applying for the Turkish citizenship.

  • Buying a property in Turkey (even if below 400,000 USD and combined with other points of this list)

  • Create, license or invest in any business or (financial) asset in Turkey (even if below 500,000 USD and combined with other points of this list)

  • Relocating your "center of life" to Turkey (meaning e.g. continuous stay for 5 years)

  • Obtaining a work permission in Turkey

  • Marriage to a Turkish national

  • Submit the citizenship application for the whole family at once

  • If possible the presence of father, brother, mother or children of the applicant that previously did have or do have the Turkish citizenship

  • Completion of university education in Turkey

• The person has to be free from contagious diseases (current health report from a Turkish hospital required).

• Having good manners and good conduct (a security study is being conducted to investigate any criminal records).

• Familiarity with the Turkish language, this condition is flexible and not really checked as the law only requires a minimum level of proficiency in the language.

• To have a business or a profession that enables you to be economically self sufficient.

• You should not be a threat to national or public security.

• In rare cases respond to the government's request for abandoning any previous nationality.

Get the Turkish Citizenship if you have Turkish Origins (Ottoman)

Entitled to apply for the Turkish citizenship are individuals that are able to submit documents that prove Turkish/Ottoman family origins. The evidential documents need to be translated into Turkish by a sworn translator and validated by a notary. The documents then need to be submitted for application. Also, consulates and embassies abroad can receive citizenship applications supported by relevant documents, without the person attending Turkish lands.

In general citizenship by family origins is not uncommon. Nevertheless the process can be time intensive and costly. Most successful applications by this method involve a lawyer who specializes on this field. Total costs for this method can therefore easily be more than $ 3,000.

Get the Turkish citizenship by marriage

Obtaining Turkish citizenship by marriage is common, and it is easier than other methods because the only requirement is the continuity of the marriage for a period of three years. The continuity of the marriage for a period of three years is important as well as not posing any threat to national security.

Get the Turkish Citizenship by adoption

Turkish law permits adoption of foreign nationals. Therefore, if a Turkish citizen (or Turkish family) adopts an immature foreigner, it is allowed to apply for the Turkish citizenship for this individual and or family (if more than one person is being adopted).

Article 17 of the relevant law of the Turkish Nationality Law No. 5901 provides that foreigners who have not attained the age of eighteen and who have been adopted by a Turkish citizen can obtain Turkish citizenship. The only condition is that their presence does not pose a threat to national security.

Get the Turkish Citizenship by being granted exceptional citizenship by governmental decision

This is based on Article 12 of the Turkish Nationality Law No. 5901, which defines foreigners who are eligible for Turkish citizenship by a decision of the Council of the Ministry.

Article 12: The foreigners referred to below can obtain Turkish citizenship by decision of the Council of the Ministry based on a proposal from the Ministry, but provided that the applicant does not have any obstacle in respecting national security and public order:

• Persons (individuals) who have brought industrial establishments to Turkey or have provided, their viewpoint, to support Turkey in the future, services in the scientific, technological, economic, social, sports, cultural, and technical fields who have demonstrated their offers to the relevant ministry.

• People who are in need of citizenship.

• Immigrants.

Appendix I

Citizenship by property investment - comprehensive guide

• Timeline
  

  After purchases that fulfil below requirements are conducted the citizenship application form needs to be submitted to the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM).

• Value at 400,000 USD
  

  The properties purchased after 14 June 2022 should be valued (if you invested in more than one property than the total value is relevant) at least 400,000 USD or equivalent foreign currency or TRY.

• Mandatory property valuation
  

  The value of the property must be certified by a sworn valuation expert who is licensed by the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (SPK).

• Bank transfer requirement
  

  All payments to property owners (sellers) must be conducted by bank transfers only.

• Installment plans
  

  Property that is paid in installments: The sum of the installments paid after 14 June 2022 has to be equal to or exceed 400,000 USD. Installments paid before 14 June 2022 are not counted.

• Pledge (3 years)
  

  Signing the pledge not to sell the property within the next three years in exchange for obtaining the Turkish citizenship.

• Power of attorney
  

  If you do not want to travel to Turkey you can give the power of attorney to a consultant or lawyer. Power of attorney is being given by a notary. For details on the role of notaries in relation to property investment please see - The walk to the notary.

• Title deed obtained
  

  Either the title deed(s) must have been obtained, and the property purchase process is already completed.

• Title deed not obtained
  

  Or if you have not obtained the title deed yet, be it that your property is still under construction or that you are paying in installments and will receive your title deed with the last installment rate. In these cases you can apply for the citizenship by preparing the notarized sales contract (sales commitment). This is the standard procedures for literally all sales anyways, so there is no extra effort required on your part. As soon as the installments you paid by bank transfer reach the threshold of 400,000 USD you are entitle to apply for the Turkish citizenship.

• Real estate investment fund (REIF)
  

  If you invest in that fund at a value equal to or greater 500,000 USD you can move forward with the citizenship application by using the respective Turkish bank responsible for the fund.

• Citizenship for family members
  

  All first degree family members can receive the citizenship.

• Dual citizenship
  

  Turkey accepts dual citizenship. In most cases you can keep your fomer citizenship parallel to your new Turkish citizenship.

• Military service
  

  For children under 18 and once they come of age they will have to do military service. If they do have a dual citizenship they can choose where they want to perform the military service. If the military service has already been completed you might be asked to submit respective documents of the other country. For everybody else older than 22 when obtaining the Turkish citizenship the required procedures (in most cases no military service is required) will be decided on by the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM).

• Residence permit
  

  Until the final acceptance of your citizenship you will receive a residence permit.

Citizenship by property investment - Required documents

To prepare the documents you will need some expertise. Since circumstances and conditions of individuals can vary, we advise you to seek legal support from our team or an experienced lawyer. For our customers we do give full support for preparing all required documents and accompany you through the whole process.

• Filled out application form (to be obtained from the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM))
• A valid passport
• 4 personal photos (passport photos) for each member of your family
• Birth certificate
• Residence permit or tourist visa valid on your passport
• If possible, documents proving your relationship with your wife and children (marriage contract, birth certificates for your children)
• Provide the Turkish identity cards and residence addresses of the applicant's relatives in Turkey, if available
• Receipt of application tax payment
• Appraisal/valuation report for the purchased properties
• Bank receipt(s) showing the payment of minimum 400,000 USD
• Title deed(s) or notarized property purchase commitment(s)

The steps of applying for the citizenship in Turkey

1. Apply to the Tapu Office or in length "General Directorate of Land Registry" (TKGM) and request to obtain Turkish Citizenship.

2. The Tapu Office will check the appraisal report of your property as well as the bank transfer and all other documents related to the property purchase.

3. The approval by the Tapu Office for the right to obtain the citizenship is usually ready within 3 to 7 working days.

4. With this approval you can receive a contemporary residence permit from the Immigration Office desk to bridge the period until the citizenship is processed (30 to 60 days).

5. Apply to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship with your approval from the Tapu Office and residence permit.

6. Your citizenship will be finalized within the next 30 to 60 days in the Citizenship Information Offices in Istanbul and Ankara.

Citizenship by property investment - Timondro network services

For customers of our network we have a hands on mentality and manage the whole process. As a property specialist network for Turkey the focus on this comprehensive guide is on citizenship by property investment. Nevertheless the below services are similar for other investment instruments as well.

Apply for the investment certificate approval

Submission of approval for title deed, approval from Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (SPK)

Having the notary prepare and legalize all required documents

Registering a tax id for the investor or house owner

Opening up a Turkish bank account

Review of the valuation report of the property

Setting up and executing the real estate sale agreement

Legal consultancy in contractual arrangements for the related investment ^[1]

Land registry application for the real estate sales transaction

Management of the procedures at the land registry for the real estate sales transaction

Preparation and submission of the residence permit application

Accompany the investor in the interview ^[1]

Submission and follow up of citizenship by investment application both for the investor and for all family members

Assistance with application for Turkish passport

[1] Please note that these points are not relevant for citizenship application by property investment.

In order to be able to offer this comprehensive service we work together with companies of the Timondro network. Please refer to our Data Privacy Policy.

Appendix II

VIIII. Where can I travel to with my Turkish passport?

Visa free destinations

• Albania - visa-free
• Antigua and Barbuda - visa-free / 180 days
• Argentina - visa-free / 90 days
• Azerbaijan - visa-free / 30 days
• Bahamas - visa-free / 240 days
• Barbados - visa-free / 180 days
• Belarus - visa-free / 30 days
• Belize - visa-free / 90 days
• Bolivia - visa-free / 90 days
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - visa-free / 90 days
• Botswana - visa-free / 90 days
• Brazil - visa-free / 90 days
• Brunei - visa-free / 30 days
• Chile - visa-free / 90 days
• Colombia - visa-free / 90 days
• Costa Rica - visa-free / 90 days
• Dominica - visa-free / 21 days
• Dominican Republic - visa-free
• Ecuador - visa-free / 90 days
• El Salvador - visa-free / 90 days
• Eswatini - visa-free / 30 days
• Fiji - visa-free / 120 days
• Gambia - visa-free / 90 days
• Georgia - visa-free / 360 days
• Guatemala - visa-free / 90 days
• Haiti - visa-free / 90 days
• Honduras - visa-free / 90 days
• Hong Kong - visa-free / 90 days
• Indonesia - visa-free / 30 days
• Iran - visa-free / 90 days
• Iraq - visa-free
• Jamaica - visa-free / 90 days
• Japan - visa-free / 90 days
• Jordan - visa-free / 90 days
• Kazakhstan - visa-free / 30 days
• Kosovo - visa-free / 90 days
• Kyrgyzstan - visa-free / 30 days
• Macao - visa-free / 30 days
• Malaysia - visa-free / 90 days
• Mauritius - visa-free / 90 days
• Micronesia - visa-free / 30 days
• Moldova - visa-free / 90 days
• Mongolia - visa-free / 30 days
• Montenegro - visa-free / 90 days
• Morocco - visa-free / 90 days
• Nicaragua - visa-free / 90 days
• North Macedonia - visa-free / 90 days
• Palestinian Territories - visa-free
• Panama - visa-free / 180 days
• Paraguay - visa-free / 90 days
• Peru - visa-free / 180 days
• Philippines - visa-free / 30 days
• Qatar - visa-free / 90 days
• Saint Kitts and Nevis - visa-free / 90 days
• Saint Lucia - visa-free / 42 days
• Sao Tome and Principe - visa-free / 15 days
• Serbia - visa-free / 90 days
• Singapore - visa-free / 30 days
• South Africa - visa-free / 30 days
• South Korea - visa-free / 90 days
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines - visa-free / 30 days
• Thailand - visa-free / 30 days
• Trinidad and Tobago - visa-free / 90 days
• Tunisia - visa-free / 90 days
• Ukraine - visa-free / 90 days
• Uruguay - visa-free / 90 days
• Uzbekistan - visa-free / 30 days
• Vanuatu - visa-free / 30 days
• Venezuela - visa-free / 90 days

Destinations requiring visa

• Afghanistan - visa required
• Algeria - visa required
• Andorra - visa required
• Angola - pre-visa on arrival
• Armenia - visa on arrival / eVisa / 120 days
• Australia - eVisa
• Belgium - visa required
• Benin - eVisa
• Bhutan - visa required
• Bulgaria - visa required
• Burkina Faso - visa required
• Burundi - visa required
• Cambodia - visa on arrival / eVisa / 30 days
• Cameroon - visa required
• Canada - visa required
• Cape Verde - visa on arrival (EASE)
• Central African Republic - visa required
• Chad - visa required
• China - visa required
• Comoros - visa on arrival / 45 days
• Congo - visa required
• Congo (Dem. Rep.) - visa required
• Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) - pre-enrollment
• Croatia - visa required
• Cuba - tourist card / 30 days
• Cyprus - visa required
• Czech Republic - visa required
• Denmark - visa required
• Djibouti - eVisa
• Egypt - visa required
• Equatorial Guinea - visa required
• Eritrea - visa required
• Estonia - visa required
• Ethiopia - eVisa
• Finland - visa required
• France - visa required
• Gabon - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Germany - visa required
• Ghana - visa required
• Greece - visa required
• Grenada - visa required
• Guinea - eVisa / 90 days
• Guinea-Bissau - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Guyana - visa required
• Hungary - visa required
• Iceland - visa required
• India - visa required
• Ireland - visa required
• Israel - visa required
• Italy - visa required
• Kenya - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Kiribati - visa required
• Kuwait - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Laos - visa on arrival / eVisa / 30 days
• Latvia - visa required
• Lebanon - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Lesotho - eVisa / 14 days
• Liberia - visa required
• Libya - visa on arrival / 90 days
• Liechtenstein - visa required
• Lithuania - visa required
• Luxembourg - visa required
• Madagascar - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Malawi - eVisa / 90 days
• Maldives - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Mali - visa required
• Malta - visa required
• Marshall Islands - visa on arrival / 90 days
• Mauritania - visa on arrival
• Mexico - eTA / 180 days
• Monaco - visa required
• Mozambique - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Myanmar [Burma] - eVisa / 28 days
• Namibia - visa on arrival / 90 days
• Nauru - visa required
• Nepal - visa on arrival / 90 days
• Netherlands - visa required
• New Zealand - visa required
• Niger - visa required
• Nigeria - pre-visa on arrival
• North Korea - visa required
• Norway - visa required
• Oman - visa on arrival / eVisa / 30 days
• Pakistan - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Palau - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Papua New Guinea - visa required
• Poland - visa required
• Portugal - visa required
• Romania - visa required
• Russian Federation - visa required
• Rwanda - visa on arrival / eVisa / 30 days
• Samoa - visa on arrival / 60 days
• San Marino - visa required
• Saudi Arabia - visa required
• Senegal - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Seychelles - tourist registration / 90 days
• Sierra Leone - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Slovakia - visa required
• Slovenia - visa required
• Solomon Islands - visa required
• Somalia - visa on arrival / 30 days
• South Sudan - visa required
• Spain - visa required
• Sri Lanka - eTA / 30 days
• Sudan - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Suriname - eTourist card / 90 days
• Sweden - visa required
• Switzerland - visa required
• Syria - visa required
• Taiwan - visa on arrival / eVisa / 30 days
• Tajikistan - visa on arrival / eVisa / 45 days
• Tanzania - visa on arrival / eVisa
• Timor-Leste - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Togo - visa on arrival / 7 days
• Tonga - visa on arrival / 31 days
• Turkmenistan - visa required
• Tuvalu - visa on arrival / 30 days
• Uganda - visa on arrival / eVisa
• United Arab Emirates - eVisa
• United Kingdom - visa required
• United States of America - visa required
• Vatican City - visa required
• Viet Nam - visa required
• Yemen - visa required
• Zambia - visa on arrival / eVisa / 90 days
• Zimbabwe - visa on arrival / 90 days