Acquiring Turkish Citizenship Through Investment

Why choose Turkish citizenship?

Turkey, due to its geographical location and being situated between two continents of Asia and Europe, has maintained its authenticity from Asia and growth and progress from Europe.

In 1987, Turkey applied for membership in the European Union and in 1999, the EU officially introduced Turkey as a candidate. As a result, Turkey has special economic relations with EU countries, making it highly important in economic matters.

According to the new laws of the Turkish government in 2019-2018, the conditions for foreigners to directly obtain Turkish citizenship have become much easier. Applicants can obtain Turkish citizenship and the right to a passport by purchasing property worth $400,000 in Turkey. In 2022, the Turkish passport was able to obtain the 39th rank by acquiring 114 points.

General conditions for Turkish citizenship include being an adult and having the ability to make decisions, not having a disease that threatens public health, adhering to ethical principles, having a good income level and a suitable job in Turkey, and knowing the Turkish language well (this condition is not mandatory for obtaining citizenship through investment). Moreover, the applicant should not pose a threat to public order and national security in Turkey.

The steps for obtaining Turkish citizenship include meeting the necessary conditions, preparing the required documents, paying the necessary fees for government services, registering the application through the local governorate, and attending an in-person meeting and interview.

Some benefits of a Turkish passport include:

• Turkish citizenship and passport are granted within a relatively short period (on average 90 days for processing).
• The right to enter 77 countries without a visa and easier access to 26 Schengen Area countries.
• No minimum residency requirements.
• The Turkish passport is ranked among the top 30 passports in the world.
• Turkish passport holders can benefit from retirement programs as Turkish citizens.
• Free educational programs are available.
• The right to vote in any type of election is granted.
• The possibility of employment and working in restricted professions such as dentistry, law, navy, etc.
• Value for Turkey – working for a Turkish company, being a professional athlete or a university professor, for example, increases your chances of obtaining citizenship.

Below are five ways to obtain a Turkish passport

1- Working in Turkey to obtain a Turkish passport

• If you work in Turkey for 5 years and pay your taxes and insurance, you can become a Turkish citizen.
• To do this, you first need to obtain a work permit in Turkey, also known as a Çalışma İzni.
• The conditions for obtaining it are that you must be legally employed by a Turkish company and your insurance must be paid regularly and deposited each month.
• Alternatively, by registering a company, you can obtain a work permit for yourself.
• For more information on work permits and work permits, please refer to the article “Work Permit in Turkey”.

2- Obtaining Citizenship by Buying Property in Turkey

By purchasing a house in Turkey worth $400,000, you can obtain Turkish citizenship for yourself and your family immediately. The $400,000 law was passed by the Turkish Parliament in April 2022 and was implemented in May after being published in the official newspaper.

However, this purchase has conditions:

• The property must be purchased in cash.
• The property must not have any outstanding debts.
• You can buy multiple properties and apply for Turkish passports together.
• The three properties purchased must not be from a foreigner and must be purchased from a Turkish individual.
• The property should not have been previously granted Turkish citizenship.
• It takes approximately 2-3 months to issue your passport after buying a home.

You can obtain Turkish passports and residency for all family members (spouses and children under 18 years old) by purchasing property.

Never use unrealistic and inconsistent expertise values for a home.

When obtaining a Turkish passport, make sure the property appraisal is accurate. Although property experts are sent by the Topo administration to evaluate the price and value of the property based on the floor, area, access to communication routes, public transportation, welfare facilities, building age, etc., it is often seen that the price announced by these experts changes according to the seller’s preference.

Also, note that citizenship is not granted for installment purchases in Turkey.

Turkish citizenship and passports are granted to spouses and children under 18 years old through property purchases.

A very common question asked about obtaining citizenship through property is whether the purchased property can be sold.

In response to this question, it should be said that you do not have the right to sell the property for up to 3 years, but after 3 years, you can sell it at the current price while still having your passport.

3- Company Registration in Turkey and Citizenship

One of the less expensive methods compared to other methods is registering a company in Turkey.

If you register a company in Turkey and apply for a work permit and your work permit application is evaluated positively and remains valid for five consecutive years, you will become a Turkish citizen after 5 years.

The condition for obtaining a passport is to reject insurance for yourself during these 5 years.

4- Investing in Turkish banks

According to the new law in Turkey, if you invest $500,000 in the banks of this country for a period of 3 years, you will be granted Turkish citizenship.

During this period, your deposit will earn interest.

To find out about bank interest rates in Turkey, read the specified article.

This deposit should be made in the amount of $500,000 or the equivalent in lira, euro, or pound in a bank.

Before all these steps, you must open a foreign exchange and Turkish bank account in one of the Turkish banks.

Opening a bank account in Turkey is usually possible in less than a day with a tax code and passport.

5- Obtaining a Turkish Passport through Marriage to a Turkish Citizen

Marriage can also grant you a Turkish passport. However, you should know that three years must have passed since your marriage, and the most important point is that the marriage must be genuine and within the framework of family life, and nothing incompatible with this matter should have been done.

Because if the marriage is formal for obtaining Turkish citizenship, it can even lead to imprisonment for both parties. You can live in any country after marrying a Turkish citizen.

The Turkish Directorate of Population and Citizenship conducts research on the non-formal nature of marriage and the past of the parties after marriage and registration of the application.