Turkish citizenship by investment

One of the most popular ways to obtain citizenship quickly is to purchase real estate. Until 2022, the minimum cost of a property was $250,000, but on 13 June, it rose to $400,000. It is important to pay attention to the exchange rate, as the price in the Land Registry is indicated in lira. It is also possible to purchase real estate in areas closed to residence permits in order to obtain citizenship. It is also permitted to purchase a property under construction for which the developer has already registered a TAPU, but such properties will be issued with a TAPU with an encumbrance, which will be removed after the property is put into operation. Purchased properties cannot be alienated for three years.
From 1 February 2023, changes will be made to the regulatory framework governing the acquisition of citizenship.
Thus, if the transaction was concluded on the basis of a preliminary notarised contract of sale for properties under construction, then when purchasing several properties, it is permissible to draw up only one contract. If there are several agreements, such documents will not be grounds for obtaining citizenship. In addition, it is permissible to include properties with the same status in the preliminary agreement, i.e., for example, several apartments in one residential complex from one developer.
At the same time, it is necessary to study the composition of the developer's founders in advance, since if there is a foreigner with a share of more than 50% among the founders, or if his rights to manage the company are fundamental, then such a property will not be eligible for citizenship.
Another new thing is that only one person and their family members can be the owner of the property and apply for citizenship. Previously, it was possible to purchase a single property worth a multiple of US$400,000, which would entitle two or more foreigners and their families to citizenship. Now, however, when purchasing a property of any value, only one foreigner can apply for a passport.
The new rule is that a property can only be used to obtain a passport once. In other words, if citizenship has already been obtained for a particular property, it cannot be used for subsequent passports. In addition, if until 2023 the only mandatory condition for a property to be eligible for citizenship was that the owner was Turkish, it is now stipulated that the owner of the property must be Turkish and have owned it for at least three years.
Also, after obtaining citizenship, it is prohibited to sell the property to the individual or company from whom it was purchased. If this fact is discovered, the initial sale and purchase transaction will be recognised as fictitious and void, and citizenship will be revoked.
The buyer must not be related to the seller. In addition, the seller must be a native Turk by birth, not a foreigner who has obtained citizenship through a similar procedure.
All these nuances are very subtle and delicate, and it is practically impossible for a foreigner wishing to obtain a Turkish passport to check them due to a lack of knowledge of the language and legislation.

According to Turkish law, the child of a Turkish citizen automatically receives citizenship regardless of their place of birth. However, it is important that the child is born within a legal marriage. Parents must obtain a birth certificate for the child, and a passport will be issued at the age of 15. If a foreign couple has a child in Turkey, the right of birthplace will not apply, meaning that the newborn will not automatically become a Turkish citizen.

Turkey does not have any special programmes for returning expatriates to their homeland, but if there is confirmed evidence of Turkish citizenship on the part of one of the applicant's ancestors, it is possible to apply for Turkish citizenship. In this case, it is important that the applicant for citizenship was born in an official marriage.

This is another free option. It requires basic compliance with the following conditions: residence in the country for at least 5 years. You can stay outside the country for no more than 6 months continuously during the entire period of residence, and no more than 1 year in total during the entire 5 years, except in cases of medical treatment abroad. The period of residence on a tourist residence permit does not count. It is also necessary to provide documents confirming the absence of a criminal record and problems with law enforcement agencies, the existence of a source of income not lower than the minimum wage, the absence of dangerous diseases (HIV, tuberculosis, etc.), and confirmed knowledge of the Turkish language.

There are several types of citizenship by naturalisation.

By right of property ownership.

A foreigner who purchases residential property in Turkey is entitled to apply for citizenship after five years of residence. Until July 2022, the cost of the purchased property was irrelevant, but after an increase in demand, which resulted in some areas exceeding the maximum allowable quota for foreigners, leading to higher rents and problems finding affordable housing for Turks themselves, a minimum threshold was established. To be eligible for a residence permit under TAPU, you need to buy an apartment, villa or other property worth at least $200,000. However, unlike the option of obtaining citizenship, the property can be purchased not only from a Turkish citizen, but from any person, including a foreigner.

By right of official employment.

To become a Turkish citizen on this basis, you must be officially employed by a Turkish company for the entire duration of your stay in the country, with a permit from the Ministry of Labour (work visa).

A passport can be issued three years after officially marrying a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, and it's not necessary to live in the country (but both spouses still have to live together). For approval, it is important that the reviewing authorities do not receive information about activities contrary to the marriage union, such as infidelity, separate residence, etc. Initially, the foreigner receives a residence permit and then has the right to apply for citizenship.

To obtain citizenship, you can open a deposit account and deposit at least $500,000 into it. As with real estate, it is not necessary to open a single account; you can open several, as long as the total amount exceeds the minimum. You cannot withdraw money for three years after receiving your Turkish passport. To confirm the existence of the deposit when submitting documents to the Ministry of the Interior, you will need to provide a certificate from the Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and the Capital Markets Board.

Doing business in Turkey is one of the reasons to apply for citizenship by naturalisation if you have lived in the country for more than 5 years. If you want to take a faster route, you will need to start a business with a registered capital of over $500,000 or provide 50 jobs for Turkish citizens. You cannot close your business or reduce the number of Turkish employees for three years after receiving your passport. When submitting your application, you will need to provide an audit report from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Unlike the previous simplified method of obtaining citizenship, you can invest at any stage and in any business, but you will first need to obtain permission from the Turkish Ministry of Industry. The minimum investment amount is $500,000. The invested money cannot be withdrawn for three years.

To obtain citizenship, you must invest at least $500,000 in the purchase of:
- securities and government bonds. You will need to provide a certificate from the Ministry of Finance and confirmation from a bank or intermediary;
- shares in a venture capital fund. In addition to the standard documents, you will need to add a certificate of compliance from the Capital Market Board;
- shares in a real estate investment fund. As in the case of a venture capital fund, you will need confirmation from the Capital Market Board that the investments made comply with the terms of the investment programme.
- You can also invest in the Turkish pension system.
You can choose any of these investment options, and you can withdraw your funds three years after obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Turkey.