Citizenship by investment programs has specific requirements and procedures for every country which offers such an option. Rules on obtaining citizenship in Turkey are set out in the Turkish Citizenship Law. Like the golden visas in the EU, foreigners can buy property worth $400,000 to become Turkish citizens. This is one of the most popular citizenship programs under the Turkish Citizenship Law. The applicant must hold the property bought for citizenship application for 3 years. This must be recorded by an annotation in the land registry; any violation during this period might result in loss of citizenship. Applicants do not need to wait for the entire 3-year period to receive their citizenship and benefit from the resulting right, including visa-free travel to certain countries.
The investor is also granted residency before the citizenship. Family members of the investor are also granted residency and citizenship. The most common way for investors and their family members to obtain citizenship is investment by property ownership. This option requires the title deed to state that the property will not be sold for 3 years.
Can I get citizenship if I buy a house in Turkey?
Buying a property in Turkey is one of the alternatives for getting Turkish citizenship by investment. Purchasing a house would first grant you the right to residency in Turkey. This is also a precondition for citizenship by real estate investment in Turkey. Briefly, buying property in Turkey for citizenship involves the following stages:
- Purchasing real estate which qualifies for citizenship application
- Getting short-term residency in Turkey by using the real estate purchase as the basis
- Application for citizenship by investment
- Receiving a Turkish passport
The above stages are an overall guideline, and specific conditions for each transaction must be carefully examined. For example, the Presidency of Migration Management announced that 1169 neighbourhoods are unavailable for foreign residency application as of 1 July 2022. This and other preliminary issues must be addressed when a foreigner considers buying property for migration, including becoming a Turkish citizen.
How much must I invest in Turkey to get citizenship by purchasing real estate?
Foreigners must purchase real estate worth at least $400,000 to get Turkish citizenship. However, the location and type of the property, as well as land registry records, must be examined to see whether it qualifies for citizenship application. The property’s price alone is one of many criteria, especially considering the foreigner’s nationality.
How long can you stay in Turkey if you own a property?
A foreigner who owns a property in Turkey which qualifies for citizenship application may stay in Turkey as long as they wish once their citizenship application is approved. If the foreigner chooses not to apply for citizenship or has not purchased a property which qualifies for citizenship application, it is still possible to reside in Turkey. It is also possible to buy real estate in Turkey to get residency. Real estate residence permit requirements in Turkey are less strict than citizenship requirements. If the conditions are met, the foreigner may be eligible to apply for short-term residency based on property ownership in Turkey. Please view our article about Turkey’s short-term residency requirements for further details.
Citizenship Application Process
The process starts with an independent valuation report on the property.
The purchase money has to be sent to Turkey in foreign currency. The bank converts it into Turkish lira through the Central Bank and issues a currency purchase certificate. The lira amount on this certificate must match the sale price recorded at the Land Registry, which asks for both the certificate and the bank transfer receipt. After the purchase, the buyer signs a declaration at the Land Registry that the property will not be sold for three years and that it was bought for a citizenship application.
The applicant then applies to the authority that checks whether the purchase qualifies for citizenship. Once it is approved, the applicant takes this confirmation to the Citizenship Office, which handles the citizenship application and, in the end, the passport.
The applicant also has to attend a residence permit appointment to give biometric data. The residence permit is issued once the property has been bought.
Turkey citizenship by investment required documents
Documents are filed in two stages: first the residence permit, then the citizenship application.
Step 1: Documents Required for the Residence Permit
- Biometric Photo (2 Pcs)
- Residence Permit Registration Form (The foreigner shall not leave Turkey before submitting their application.)
- Certificate of Conformity (Eligibility)
- Photocopy of Passport Translation
- Original and translation of passport
- Visa page if a citizen of a country subject to a visa requirement
- Birth Certificate
- Photocopy of Previous Residence Permit or Work Permit (If Any)
- Photocopy of Power of Attorney and Bar Association Card
- Fingerprint Data
- Health Insurance Covering the Requested Period
- Criminal Record Obtained From the Foreigner’s Country Within the Last 6 Months (The original criminal record or the original notarised copy. If a notarised copy is to be submitted, the original must also be shown to the officer.)
- Address Document (Title deed and door numbering document), notarised letter of commitment, or notarised rental agreement
- Receipts that Show that the Relevant Fees are Paid
Step 2: Documents Required for the Citizenship Application
- All documents from Step 1 (residence permit)
- Vat-4 form
- Biometric Photo (2 Pcs)
- Fingerprint Data
- If married, a photocopy of the investor’s passport and the spouse’s marriage certificate.
- Marital status documents
- Additional documents are needed if the applicant’s spouse or children under 18 are planning to benefit from the scheme
- Receipts that Show that the Relevant Fees are Paid
While the above documents show the general framework of required documents and intend to provide guidance, this is a partial list. There are additional and specific documents based on the conditions of each particular application.
Turkey citizenship by investment official costs
Official costs are the following:
- Power of Attorney Fee: 15,000 TL–20,000 TL
- Document Translation and Notary Procedures: 20,000 TL–40,000 TL
- Property Valuation Report: USD 500–1,000 (subject to variation)
- Foreigner Health Insurance: 1,000 TL–1,500 TL
- Title Deed Transfer Fee: Varies depending on the property’s value.
- Residence Permit Application Fee: 2,000 TL
- Residence Card Fee: 1,000 TL
- Residence Permit Premium Process (if requested): 1,000 USD
- Citizenship Application Fee: 135 TL
- Address Registration, Passport, and ID Application Fees: 15,000 TL–20,000 TL
Costs Related to Property Purchase
The main costs of buying the property are:
- Official costs: 4% of the property price
- A real estate agent, if one is involved, may charge 4% of the property price
- A property valuation report usually costs around USD 500–1,000
Property Tax and Tax Residence
No income tax is due if the property is sold after five years.
If it is sold within five years, the gain (the difference between the purchase and sale price in Turkish lira) is taxed as income at rates from 15% to 40%.
Rental income is taxed at 0%, 15% or up to 40%, depending on how much is earned. For residential property, the owner pays all of this tax. For commercial property, the tenant withholds 20% of the rent and pays it to the tax office. Unless the rental income is high, the owner usually has no further tax to pay on a commercial property.
Once residence in Turkey is established, we can apply to the tax office for a tax residence certificate showing that the owner's tax domicile is Turkey. We also review the double taxation treaty between Turkey and the owner's country of residence.
Can investors obtain Turkish citizenship by other means of investment in Turkey?
There are several different investment routes to becoming a Turkish citizen. Nevertheless, citizenship through property investment is one of the most popular ways of foreign investment in Turkey.
- Buying and holding real estate investment fund shares or venture capital investment fund shares worth $500,000, whether in Turkish lira or foreign currencies and holding them for 3 years gives foreigners the right to obtain citizenship.
- Alternatively, investors can deposit $500,000 in Turkey and obtain Turkish citizenship. Foreign investors must deposit this amount in a Turkish bank and not withdraw it from their bank accounts for three years.
- Obtaining Turkish citizenship is also possible if foreigners purchase government bonds worth $500,000 in Turkish lira or foreign currencies and do not sell for 3 years.
- Create jobs for at least 50 people or make a minimum capital investment of $500,000 or equivalent foreign currency or Turkish lira.
- Finally, citizenship can be obtained by investment worth $500,000, whether in Turkish lira or foreign currencies, into the personal retirement insurance system and do not sell for 3 years.
Despite these alternatives to getting a Turkish passport, the Turkish real estate market remains attractive to foreigners who wish to obtain Turkish citizenship through investment.
Does Turkey allow dual citizenship?
Dual citizenship is allowed in Turkey. However, countries such as Germany may not allow dual citizenship. For a specific enquiry regarding your dual nationality concerns, you may contact us.
