More than ever before, wealthy individuals are pursuing citizenship options as the most effective way to access previously unimagine opportunities. Citizenship by investment has become a major trend among the world’s high net worth individual communities. Obtaining a second citizenship comes with bountiful benefits, such as hedging against inflation, safeguarding one’s family from political or economic turbulence, enhancing visa-free travel, and more.

Citizenship by investment programs provide families with the privilege of acquiring a citizenship of Türkiye (Turkey), which in turn gives them the right to travel freely to various destinations and to settle in Türkiye. 

The Türkiye Citizenship by Investment Program was launched in January 2017 to attract foreign direct investment to and boost growth in the country’s real estate sector. The program allows applicants to choose from a number of different types of economic contributions to Turkish society, thereby developing the country’s economy.

With the city of Istanbul embracing Europe and Asia on the Bosphorus Strait, Türkiye is a transcontinental Eurasian country. Its location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it a country of significant geostrategic importance.

Benefits

• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 111 destinations including Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore
• Citizenship of a country that enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate, beautiful scenery, and a high standard of living
• Full citizenship granted to the applicant and included family members
• Eligibility for an E-2 Investor Visa in the USA for a five-year renewable period
• Access to a transcontinental Eurasian country that is a stable economic, financial, and political hub between Europe, Western Asia, and the Middle East

Requirements

There are seven different ways to obtain Turkish citizenship by investment. To qualify for citizenship, the main applicant should fulfil one of the following investment requirements:

• Acquire at least USD 400,000 worth of real estate
• Invest a minimum of USD 500,000 fixed capital contribution
• Deposit at least USD 500,000 or equivalent foreign currency or Turkish lira into a Turkish bank account
• Commit at least USD 500,000 or equivalent foreign currency or Turkish lira into government bonds
• Commit at least USD 500,000 or equivalent foreign currency or Turkish lira into real estate investment fund share or venture capital investment fund share
• Commit at least USD 500,000 or equivalent foreign currency or Turkish lira into a private pension system for a minimum holding period of three years
• Create jobs for at least 50 people, as attested by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services

The main applicant may include their spouse, dependent children below the age of 18, and children of any age who are living with disabilities in their application.

Buying real estate

Buying real estate in Turkey can result in either a citizenship or residence permit depending on the value of the real estate property you invest in. Due to some changes in the recent immigration policies of the Turkish government, if you want to buy property and get your Turkish citizenship, the value of that property must be at least 400,000 USD. After the completion of your purchase, you will apply for citizenship and receive your passport and other Turkish identity documents within 2 to 4 months. 

To buy real estate in big cities and receive a residence permit in Turkey, the property must cost a minimum of 75,000 USD. In the villages, this number is 50,000 USD. Then, you will be given a residence permit for a year which is annually extended. 

Both the Turkish citizenship and residence permit will be given to your spouse and children below the age of 18. After receiving your Turkish citizenship, you and your family are allowed to live and study in Turkey and have the rights and privileges of all Turkish citizens. 

Moreover, due to the rise in real estate prices in Turkey, in Istanbul in particular, it seems a profitable investment. The nominal growth rate in 2022 to March was 110% and overall the prices of real estate in Turkey have increased more than four times in the last 5 years.

You can obtain Turkish citizenship by property investment for yourself, your spouse and your children below 18 years with a commitment not to sell it back within 3 years. A Turkish passport is issued in 3 months. Conditions:

• The property must be purchased in cash.
• The owner of the property your going to buy should be a Turkish citizen.
• The title deed should be ready.
• Has no problem in terms of debt.
• You can purchase 2 or 3 properties, it is enough for all to be 400 thousand dollars in total.

Procedures and time frame

After applicants have chosen the qualifying investment option, a residence permit application should be made on the family’s behalf. The main applicant is then required to open a bank account in Türkiye.

Once all application documents have been prepared (including applicable certifications and translations), the investment can be completed and the documents submitted to the government. Once the application has been received by the government, the review process will begin and an interview may be requested. Applications are typically approved within 90 days, following which the citizenship documents are issued. The passport application can then be submitted.

Documents Required for Turkish Citizenship Application

• (VAT-4)Form for Turkish citizenship by investment application. Other Citizenship Application Forms
• Population Registration – Birth Certificate (For all family members)
• Residence Certificate
• Marital Status Certificate (Showing that the person purchasing the real estate on behalf of the property is married, single, or divorced)
• Certificate of Death (If the applicant is a widow, a document regarding the death of a spouse)
• Health insurance
• 4 Biometric Photos (Taken on a white background)
• Passport
• Parental Consent Letter (For the child under the age of 18 who will receive Turkish citizenship of the applicant. Must be issued by a notary, overseas representative, or competent authorities of his / her country. 

Note: Original and Notarized Turkish Translation of above Documents

• Power of Attorney (For authorization of the lawyer)
• Certificate of Conformity
• Service Fee Receipt (Must be obtained from the Finance Cashier)

Our services cover all steps, including

• Getting Tax Registration Number
• Finding the Property
• Purchasing the Property
• Application for Turkish Residency
• Opening a Turkish Bank Account
• Obtaining Real Estate Appraisal Report
• Obtaining the Certificate of Conformity
• Application for Turkish Citizenship

Benefit of working with a Law Firm

When applying for Turkish citizenship, nobody knows Turkish legal rules better than Citizenship lawyers. Moreover, lawyers have specialization fields in certain subjects.

Our professional citizenship lawyers with the knowledge and experience in Turkish citizenship will guide you in the right way and make your transactions easier while keeping you away from complexity. The only person that can help you for acquiring Turkish citizenship is an expert lawyer.

With a professional citizenship lawyer and a reliable real estate company, you will obtain the best and most profitable results.

By receiving legal support from our citizenship lawyers in your official procedures, including citizenship, you will have the following privileges:

• Checking whether the property that you plan to purchase is suitable for Turkish citizenship conditions and providing the most accurate information and guidance.
• Controlling the zoning status of the property, whether it has a building license, and whether there are any restrictions, foreclosures and problematic situations on the property.
• Controlling the authenticity of the Real Estate Appraisal Report, which is required for the application for Turkish citizenship and proves that the value of the real estate you bought is at least USD 400.000. 
• Applying to the relevant official institution for a Residence Permit. 
• Providing all necessary legal counseling in all of your processes from the preparation of the documents required for Turkish citizenship and Turkish passport according to the provisions of the Law.
• Following the processes meticulously until the final stage.

Contact us

Contact us today to obtain Turkish citizenship!

In case you have any questions, discuss any of the matters mentioned above, find out how to get comprehensive legal services in cases of Turkish citizenship related matters, or if you would like a detailed breakdown of the exact costs for your family, kindly contact us online or call  +90 (0)532 377 01 06 and we will be delighted to help you.

Previous Law

In line with the decision taken at the Presidential Cabinet meeting on April 12, 2022, the minimum real estate purchase value for Turkish citizenship applications is increased from $250,000 to $400,000. In the regulations made in 2018, the minimum real estate purchase limit had been reduced to $250,000 instead of $1.000.000 for obtaining Turkish citizenship through property investment. The new conditions for obtaining Turkish Citizenship were discussed at the Cabinet Meeting on April 12, 2022. The minimum real estate value is increased to $400,000 or an equal amount of foreign currency in the meeting. Foreigners can become Turkish Citizen if they purchase a property at least 400.000 USD. There is also a condition to submitting an annotation stating that the purchased property cannot be transferred to another person for 3 years. With the last update, the acquisition of Turkish citizenship by investment was increased from $250,000 to $400,000. This change become effective from 13’th of June 2022. Regarding this change applications done before13th of June will be evaluated on the 250.000 USD limit, however, for the applications after 13th June 400.000 USD will be required. We recommend our client to hurry and buy their property before 13th June 2022 and make application before that date in order to get benefit from the 250.000 USD amount.